By Macy Scheck Between November 5, 2019 and January 21, 2020, natural gas prices dropped 33.6%. This dramatic price decline occurred even before March, when the coronavirus began to have a large impact on U.S. economic activity. This price volatility causes fluctuations in the revenue the state receives from its taxes on natural gas sales, […]
The ACRE Review
Dry Counties Left Thirsty For Revenue
By Ryan Jackson For most Americans the idea of not being able to go to a store and purchase alcohol seems very foreign. However, the idea is not foreign to many Arkansas residents as dry counties are very prevalent in the state. Nearly half of Arkansas’ counties are dry, 34 out of 75 counties. Not […]
Why Arkansas Eminent Domain Law Needs To Be Reformed
By Kennedy Neely Since the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, many states are dealing with increased demands to remove statues honoring Confederate Soldiers. In particular, the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas has been facing a debate centered around the relocation of a Confederate statue on private property downtown. Because the statue is […]
Barber Licensing in Arkansas Could Use a Cut
By Tanner Corley We all hate when we get a bad haircut, but should the State of Arkansas be mandating that barbers receive 1,500 hours of training, pass an exam, and pay a fee? In Arkansas, anyone who would like to cut hair must meet these requirements. In March of 2019, State Sen. John Cooper […]
REAL Econ For All
By Caleb Taylor Are you a teacher still needing professional development this summer? Are you looking for resources to prepare you for the unique challenges the upcoming school year will bring? The Relevant, Engaging, Activity-Based Learning (REAL) Conference hosted annually by Economics Arkansas is going virtual this year, and bringing together speakers from around Arkansas […]
County Clerk’s Arrest Shows Importance of Transparency
By Caleb Taylor A recent arrest of a Craighead County Clerk for theft of public funds shows the importance of improving the online transparency of county governments in Arkansas. Craighead County Clerk Kade Holliday resigned last week and was charged with 13 felonies related to theft of public funds — estimated at $1.6 million —after […]
Undergraduate Research Fellow Presents at Virtual Conference
By Caleb Taylor ACRE Undergraduate Research Fellow Tanner Corley presented his research at the virtual Knee Center Occupational Licensing Conference on May 29. Corley received feedback from other conference participants and economists from a variety of policy groups including Dr. Morris Kleiner, a nationally recognized expert on occupational licensing, professor, and AFL-CIO Chair in Labor […]
Reserve Fund Balances & Rules Shape State Preparedness for Crisis
By Caleb Taylor What’s one tool states can use to weather financial downturns? David Mitchell and Dean Stansel have been studying state fiscal crises for more than a decade. As state finances falter from COVID-19’s impact, Mitchell and Stansel draw on their research in a recent opinion article in RealClearPolicy to show how long term […]
Arkansas Handling Economic Turmoil Better Than Most States
By Caleb Taylor Arkansas is doing relatively well so far compared to the rest of the nation in weathering the economic shocks from COVID-19 since March, according to UCA Assistant Professor of Economics Jeremy Horpedahl. Horpedahl, an ACRE Scholar, spoke to attendees of a webinar hosted by Americans for Prosperity-Arkansas on May 11 about economic […]
Do Economic Development Incentives Work?
By Caleb Taylor How effective are Arkansas’s economic development incentives? Not very, according to ACRE Research Fellow Erica Smith in an op-ed published on May 11 in Arkansas Business entitled “Arkansas’ Ineffective Incentives.” Smith writes about the economic literature on economic development incentive programs such as Arkansas’s Quick Action Closing Fund (QACF) and concludes that […]