By Caleb Taylor The costs of getting government permission slips to work affect where businesses in certain industries set up shop, said Dr. Alicia Plemmons at an ACRE Speaker Series event on Nov. 19. Plemmons is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Economics & Finance Department at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. She is also an […]
The ACRE Review
Licensing Sunset Reviews Begin
By Alex Kanode Occupational licensing has been an increasingly hot topic across the US, and Arkansas is no exception. A 2018 report from the Occupational Licensing Advisory Group stated that Arkansas had a whopping 310 licenses, 51 certificates, and 35 registrations. In order to evaluate these occupations, the 2019 Arkansas Legislature passed Act 600, which created […]
ACRE Workshop Alum Debby Mauldin Receives Gold Star Teacher Award
By Caleb Taylor Congratulations to Vilonia High School business teacher Debby Mauldin! Mauldin, a Vilonia High School business teacher and ACRE Professional Development Workshop alumna, received the 2018-2019 W!SE Gold Star Teacher Award on Thursday, October 10. To be considered for the Gold Star Award, a teacher must achieve a 93% pass rate in at […]
Targeted business subsidies fail to improve incomes or poverty rates
By Caleb Taylor A frequently used Arkansas business subsidy program largely fails to increase incomes or lower poverty rates over the long term, according to the latest research from two UCA academics. ACRE-Affiliated Researcher and UCA Lecturer of Economics Jacob Bundrick and UCA Assistant Professor of Economics Dr. Weici Yuan’s researched the Quick Action Closing […]
Should Pope County gamble with the transparency of its casino deliberations?
By Caleb Taylor ACRE Policy Analyst Dr. Mavuto Kalulu says no in an op-ed entitled “In public view,” published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on September 20th. A proposed casino in Pope County has generated much debate between residents and state and local officials in recent months. Arkansas voters approved Issue 4 in 2018, which allowed […]
Red Tape Reduction Process Begins
By Caleb Taylor Arkansas legislators will begin their “sunset review” of occupational licenses that might be keeping Arkansans from working in certain industries Thursday. The Arkansas Legislative Council Occupational Licensing Review Subcommittee was created by Act 600, also known as The Red Tape Reduction Sunrise and Sunset Act, which passed both the House and Senate […]
Another Arkansas County Embraces Online Financial Transparency
By Caleb Taylor Faulkner County is the latest Arkansas county to follow ACRE recommendations to increase their transparency and public accessibility. ACRE Policy Analyst Dr. Mavuto Kalulu discussed his research on the benefits of transparency at a Faulkner County Quorum Court meeting on August 20th. Faulkner County Justices of the Peace were deciding whether to […]
Horpedahl Talks Trade War, Tarrifs
By Caleb Taylor How are Arkansans being affected by the trade war between the United States and China? UCA Assistant Professor of Economics and ACRE Scholar Dr. Jeremy Horpedahl was a guest of Steve Barnes, host of Arkansas Week on AETN recently to discuss this and more. Horpedahl was joined on the panel by Harrison […]
Enlightenment and Revolution
By Caleb Taylor Are you a UCA student interested in history, new friends, thoughtful discussions, a free weekly meal, and a $500 scholarship? Then apply now for ACRE’s history reading group, “Enlightenment and Revolution.” The deadline to apply is Monday, September 2nd. Students in this reading group will spend eight weeks exploring the intellectual, political, […]
How To Reduce Corruption in Arkansas
By Caleb Taylor How can Arkansas reduce government corruption? ACRE Policy Analyst Dr. Mavuto Kalulu discussed solutions to this question and four steps officials can take to improve transparency in an op-ed published in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on August 5th. Kalulu begins by noting the size and scope of corruption at all levels of government […]