Robert Coon
Arkansas Casino Backers Project $122M Tax Revenue Boost
Supporters of a plan to legalize casinos in three Arkansas counties are projecting the move would create an additional $122 million in tax revenue each year and thousands of new jobs, but opponents of the ballot measure are rejecting the study as "propaganda." read more >
by Associated Press -
Report: Arkansas Casino Measure Should Not Be On Ballot
A "special master" appointed by the state Supreme Court to review a proposal to legalize casinos in three counties says Secretary of State Mack Martin was wrong when he certified it for the Nov. 8 ballot. read more >
by Associated Press -
Are We Really Such Chumps? (Gwen Moritz Editor’s Note)
When we start writing companies into the constitution for exclusive privileges that can only be rescinded by another statewide vote, why stop with just Missouri casino operators? What’s to stop any other company, foreign or domestic, from hiring lawyers to draw up self-serving amendments, getting the wording approved by the attorney general and paying canvassers to get enough signatures to get on the ballot? read more >
by Gwen Moritz -
Lawsuit Filed to Block Arkansas Casinos Ballot Proposal
A lawsuit filed Tuesday with the Arkansas Supreme Court asks the justices to block an effort to legalize casinos in three counties, the latest in a growing list of attempts to disqualify measures from the November ballot. read more >
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Arkansas Casino Group Turns in 50,000 Additional Signatures
A group hoping to develop casinos in three Arkansas counties says it has turned in another 50,000 signatures in its effort to place a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot. read more >
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3 Groups Submit Petitions for Arkansas Ballot Measures
Groups trying to get casino legalization, medical marijuana and limits on medical lawsuits before Arkansas voters submitted thousands of signatures to election officials on Friday in hopes of qualifying for the November ballot. read more >
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Hundreds Paid to Gather Signatures for Arkansas Initiatives
Hundreds of paid workers have been gathering signatures for initiative campaigns around Arkansas as they try to meet this week's deadline to submit petitions to get their proposals on the November ballot. read more >
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Month-Long Sprint Begins for Petition Signatures (Andrew DeMillo Analysis)
Canvassers are in a month-long sprint to gather thousands of signatures for proposed ballot issues. Depending on how things fall, Arkansas voters might have a chance to consider multiple marijuana-related proposals this fall. read more >
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Your #ARPX Election Day Podcast With Robert Coon, Blake Rutherford & Lance Turner
The day is finally here. On this (rainy) Election Day, Arkansas Business political columnists Robert Coon and Blake Rutherford join me for a special podcast wrapping up the 2014 midterm elections. read more >
by Lance Turner -
Arkansas House, Senate Races to Watch in the Midterms
For Arkansas' midterm elections, most of the attention has focused on races for U.S. Senate, governor and a few statewide offices. But control of the Arkansas House is another key element to watch. read more >
by Lee Hogan -
The Debate Over ‘Partisan Polling’ (Robert Coon On Politics)
As the number of polls being released continues to rise, so have the number of critics crying foul over the assumed biases of so-called “partisan polling." Can partisan polls be trusted, or are they just tools used to push an agenda? read more >
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A Measure of Congressional (un)Productivity (Robert Coon On Politics)
The 113th Congress is on track to pass a record low number of laws enacted. While not the only measurement of productivity, examining the number of laws passed does shed light on the level of cooperation within the Congressional body. And looking at the record low level of confidence the public has in the institution, it's fair to say things aren't going well. read more >
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To Raise, Or Not To Raise, The Minimum Wage (Robert Coon On Politics)
Minimum wage laws have been controversial since they first started gaining traction in the early 19th century. Arkansas voters may have the opportunity to vote on a state minimum wage increase proposal this November. read more >
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Robert Coon, Blake Rutherford Weigh In On Tuesday’s Arkansas Primary
Arkansas Business political columnists Robert Coon and Blake Rutherford join Online Editor Lance Turner for a post-election analysis of key races and trends. Updates throughout the morning. read more >
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CJRW Takes On Changes in Marketing Industry
CJRW has been roiled by staff defections recently, departures that have left the state’s largest ad agency increasingly dependent on its big clients, the biggest being the Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism worth $8.4 million this year. read more >
by Luke Jones -
‘Marketplace Fairness’ Online Tax Waits for Congress
After years of court battles and failed bills, Congress is the only hope left for a measure intended to level the tax playing field between physical businesses and their online-only competitors. read more >
by Luke Jones -