Recent Comments
Re: “Boxes of heads remain in limbo”
I like the tags on this blog post. "heads"
Wonder how often that tag will either be searched for or used?
Re: “Who pays for highway work?”
Brummett put it well I think last year, linked below.
Take for example the Hickerson loop (elevated, no less!) in Texarkana. That massively unnecessary and massively expensive undertaking could have funded upkeep for much of SW Arkansas. It literally saved at most 5-7 minutes in a trip from I-30 to US 59 or to Shreveport and essentially served to relieve traffic congestion on the Texas side.
That useless expenditure shoulda been up there with Robbie's tunnel in terms of need vs want.
Until we quit using road money as seed corn for economic development in areas where it won't make a difference, there will never be enough money in the pot. Period. If you're not making enough to cover your family's home budget, you look at your outflow priorities and also look for ways to bring in more $$. With the highways we're only talking about raising more money, with little analysis of how the current funds available are spent.
How many loops and highways does Pine Bluff need? News flash to naive politicians: the highway contractors' engineers and snake oil salesman are fluffing you. Places like Jefferson county are imploding because of crime and other socio-economic issues, not because of a dearth of roads. Fix I-30, improve the road to Jonesboro, fix 412 in Washington County, etc.
We also should consider tolling the interstate roads (hell, just toll the truckers!). I'm anti tax, but if we are forced to impose a tax, tax all the boys from out of state driving through. It's sorta like a rental car tax or a hotel-motel tax. It sucks, but it's better that "they" pay it than us if we HAVE to do it. I'd prefer no tax of course, and would never vie for one. It's also very unlikely that tolls would reroute trucks outside of the state. How else to get to Memphis from Dallas? Or from OKC? It's an easy source of revenue if Beebe would fight the truckers. But I digress.
http://arkansasnews.com/2009/07/26/power-o…
Re: “Justice-elect to divorce”
Now I know what happened to my comment. All is again cool.
Re: “Justice-elect to divorce”
What happened to my comment? Not cool.
Re: “Strong mayor v. cigarettes: Cigs win”
There is nothing in the world more dangerous to life expectancy then being a actively sexual gay man. I think there should be a tax for that then too.
Re: “Strong mayor v. cigarettes: Cigs win”
All of the anti-cigarette arguments made here are bullshit unless you're advocating for the outlawing of cigarettes statewide. Make that argument, then I'll listen to the merits of all the science you're spewing.
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Re: “Census numbers show LR growth”
Says John Brummett: "redistricting after 2010 census gonna give little rock suburbs and nw ark. bunch of new republican legislators. two-party system coming."