People’s Voices Matter (Editorial)

Arkansas State Capitol (Shutterstock)

The Arkansas Legislature’s failure this month to approve $750 million to build a new prison in Franklin County demonstrates that citizens’ voices still matter.

We’re not necessarily disputing Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ contention that the state needs a new correctional facility to address overcrowding in Arkansas’ prisons, which is a real concern. But the governor’s lack of transparency about her plans for the 3,000-bed facility rightly angered many Franklin County residents and government officials who said they received no prior notice of the project before it was announced in October.

Opponents of the prison organized and were vocal about their opposition. And a $750 million appropriation bill to fund construction of the facility failed to advance five times during this legislative session, leaving lawmakers to declare the measure dead. Last week, a legislative committee pulled down a separate bill that would have added $250 million to a prison construction fund.

Legislators will likely tackle funding for the new prison in next year’s fiscal session, and it may yet be funded. But for now, at least, the citizens who oppose this project have scored a victory, proving that lawmakers are paying attention to their constituents when they’re organized and when they’re loud.