Governing reports here that state Rep. Warwick Sabin of Little Rock is one of six national winners of an award for innovative ideas — his bill to provide a state version of the federal earned income tax credit. That tax break puts federal payroll taxes back in the pockets of families who can use it and spend it, which is also beneficial to the economy.
The news release announcing the award neglected to mention that the Republican Arkansas legislature squashed this idea like a cockroach, preferring to reward tax breaks to those with higher income. It was killed in committee. Democrats took it as a victory that House Speaker Jeremy Gillam even allowed a perfunctory execution vote in committee.
Sabin was named a winner of the 2015 New Ideas Challenge. Six winners were chosen from 70 submissions. It is sponsored by NewDEAL, a network of “pro-growth progressive state and local elected officials, working to expand opportunity in the changing economy.”
Sabin said he hoped his first effort would “create additional momentum that will lead to the adoption of this policy in Arkansas and other states.”