Legislators outline priorities in ‘State of the State’ event

The Berryville Chamber of Commerce hosted a “State of the State” forum on Monday, Jan. 6, at the Berryville Community Center, offering local residents a chance to hear from state legislators before the 2025 legislative session convened on Monday, Jan. 13.

District 28 State Sen. Bryan King, District 6 State Rep. Harlan Breaux and District 26 State Rep.-Elect James Eaton all participated in the event, which was moderated by Berryville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ashley Hinton.

Each legislator gave a brief overview of their priorities going into the session. King, whose Senate district includes a portion of Franklin County, cited his opposition to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ plans to build a new state prison there. King also expressed his concerns about the LEARNS Act that was enacted in 2023 and how it will impact the budgets for the state and public school districts.

Breaux touted tax cuts enacted by the legislature in 2024. He endorsed the idea of having chaplains in schools and said he would work to prevent “squatting” in Arkansas. Breaux also criticized the idea of men in women’s locker rooms, playing women’s sports and taking scholarships intended for women. Breaux also criticized President Joe Biden’s border policies and said that the teaching of critical race theory has been banned in Arkansas schools. Breaux also praised the LEARNS Act and said Arkansas now has the lowest cost of living of any state.

Eaton, a Madison County resident whose district includes a portion of Carroll County, described himself as a political newcomer and said his biggest goal as a state legislator is to protect the rural lifestyle.

After their opening comments, legislators answered questions from audience members. Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney raised the issue of the administrative fees that the state finance department collects from local sales taxes. McKinney pointed out that the state annually sends about $30 million in turnback funds — generated by transportation- related taxes and fees — to cities across the state. But McKinney said the state finance department keeps 3 percent of local sales tax revenue as an administrative fee — a figure that he said equals $31 million a year for Arkansas cities alone, not including county sales tax revenue. McKinney said Berryville could hire two police officers with the money that is withheld by the state from its city sales tax revenue.

King urged McKinney, a member of the Arkansas Municipal League’s executive committee, to make sure that legislators are aware of his concerns.

Breaux drew sharp questioning from audience members regarding his proposal to place chaplains in schools, acknowledging that he wasn’t sure how such a program would be funded but suggesting that volunteers could be used to fill some of the chaplain positions. He also criticized the separation of church and drew criticism from audience members over his stance on transgender issues.