❝

Hi Community Members!

For the latest information on how to help Arkansans impacted by the storms Friday, March 31st - use Governor Sander’s Arkansas Storm Recovery Information website.

- Christine

Local Events

  • Tuesday, Apr. 4 from 6 - 8 p.m. - Round-table discussion on the Criminal Legal System with the Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition at the Meteor Guitar Gallery (128 W Central Ave, Bentonville)

  • Wednesday, Apr. 5 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Achieve It: Power of Attorney/End of Life discussion at the Rogers Public Library (711 S Dixieland Rd) - Legal Aid of Arkansas will be sharing information on power of attorney and living wills - learn the uses for each document

  • Saturday, Apr. 8 from noon - 3 p.m. - Holi Festival at the Momentary (507 SE E St., Bentonville); free outdoor event

  • Thursday, Apr. 13 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Democratic Party of Benton County April Monthly Meeting - Zoom or at the Arvest Conference Center (Legion Ln, downtown Bentonville)

  • Sunday, Apr. 21 at 6 p.m. - Scott Family Amazeum UnGala adults (21+) only annual fundraiser at the Amazeum in Bentonville

  • Tuesday, Apr. 25 at 6 p.m. - Emerge Arkansas Virtual Step Forward Workshop - The Step Forward workshop was created to help Democratic women answer the questions, “Should I run for office?” and “What does it take to run a successful campaign?”. Co-hosted by PAWPAC, register here.

Community Involvement Opportunities

2023 Young Democrats Convention - You’re invited to join the Young Democrats of Arkansas (YDAR), a progressive coalition of changemakers that range from high school freshman, to college leaders, to activists, to candidates and elected officials.

  • Friday and Saturday, April 21 & 22 at the Arkansas State Capitol in Little Rock

  • Open to Arkansans 35 and under

  • Hear from elected officials, party leaders and staff, and a legislative panel hosted by Sen. Greg Leding; dinner with DPA Chair Tennille and Dr. Chris Jones

  • Register to attend the convention here

  • File to run for a YDAR position here

❝

Congratulations to the recently announced 4th Cohort for the University of Texas LBJ Women’s Campaign School!

The 2023 class contains at least three women from Northwest Arkansas: Jenny Flanagan (Washington Co.), Beckie Irvin (Benton Co.), and Sarah Luhtanen (Benton Co.). Learn more about this year’s class here.

Trans Awareness

Last Friday was International Transgender Day of Visibility. The Arkansas Legislature has been a “leader” in the country in attacking the rights of transgender youth and adults. These bills may be targeted to a small number of people, but they effect our entire state and our local communities.

Get more informed:

Municipal Government Awareness

Bella Vista

  • Next Council Mtng: Monday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. (612 W. Lancashire) - Work Session

  • Items of Note:

    • Applications are being accepted to serve on the Tree Advisory Board (3 year term); applications are due by April 10th. To apply, send your resume to Taylor Robertson or call 479-268-4980 for more information.

Bentonville

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. (305 SW A St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Bentonville Farmer’s Market starts April 8th and runs through October 28th in Downtown Bentonville on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

    • Read more about the work underway in the city to address affordable housing here.

Cave Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30 p.m. (134 N. Main St.) - Work Session

  • Items of Note:

Centerton

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. (210 Municipal Dr.)

Gravette

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. (202 Main St. NE) - Committee of the Whole

Lowell
Pea Ridge

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. (911 Weston St.) - Committee of the Whole

Rogers

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. (301 W. Chestnut)

  • Items of Note:

    • Watch video on the recent redesign of Lake Atalanta’s trail system

Siloam Springs

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. (400 N. Broadway)

  • Items of Note:

    • Last council meeting was spicy! Read a full recap from the Dem Gazz here - covers book banning and a recall election

Springdale

  • Next Council Mtng: Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. (201 Spring St.)

  • Items of Note:

    • Watch video explaining the 2023 Bond Program for the City which will be voted on May 9th

County Government Awareness

Benton County Quorum Court

  • Next meeting: Benton County Finance Committee - Tuesday, April 11 at 6 p.m. (215 E Central Ave)

  • Watch live stream of last week’s quorum court meeting

State Government Awareness

94th General Legislative Assembly:

Week 12 Recap from:

Keep your fingers crossed, the legislative session may end this week. Bills of note to follow this week:

  • HB1754 (Good bill alert!) - bill would eliminate juvenile system fines and fees, eliminate fines & fess for youth under criminal court jurisdiction, and end collection on existing debt from past juvenile fines and fees; status - deferred during Monday’s Aging, Children & Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs house committee meeting

  • HB1610 - bill would define a public quorum as a public meeting when more than 1/3 of members are present; essentially changing Arkansas FOI law to allow for public boards and committee members to meet in secret (read more here); status - passed the house, on the senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee agenda for Tuesday

  • Last week SB197, prohibiting local municipalities from enacting ordinances to prohibit or limit the use of a property as a short-term rental, failed in the House City, County & Local Affairs committee. It’s back from the dead this week and will likely be heard again on Wednesday

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders:

Over the last week, Governor Sanders announced the bill details for her remaining legislative priorities:

Protect Arkansas Act (SB495)

The 132 page omnibus criminal justice reform bill, like the LEARNS Act, has some good components but overall will leave the state worse off once passed. Read Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition’s list of items of concern here (starts further down the page).

Tax Cuts (SB549)

The bill will cut the state’s top income tax rate from 4.9% to 4.7% and the top corporate tax rate from 5.3% to 5.1%. Upon approval, the cuts would be retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023. It’s estimated that the cut will result in a $124 million reduction in tax collection by the sate. Read Bruno Showers article in the Arkansas Times, “More tax cuts for the rich and wealthy corporations” for a break down of Arkansas’ unfair tax system.

Election Information

Bella Vista POA Election

The Democratic Party of Benton County’s very own, Parker Stohlton, is 1 of 5 candidates running for the Bella Vista POA Board of Directors. The top 3 winners will be elected to serve a 3 year volunteer term.

The POA will mail out ballots beginning on April 10th, and property owners in Bella Vista will have about a month to vote. Each lot receives 1 vote, so if you own multiple lots you can cast multiple votes. The election will be certified and the winners announced at the annual meeting of Members on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.

If you are a property owner in Bella Vista (or know anyone that is), make sure to fill out your ballot for Parker.

View Candidate Videos

Political Training Opportunities

Odds & Ends

One Last Thing

❝

How to Talk About the Trump Indictment

1. Don’t be afraid to discuss it

2. No ONE is above the law

3. Brand all Republicans as MAGA extremists

Read more from Dan Pfeiffer’s The Message Box

Reply

or to participate

Keep Reading

No posts found