Benton County Officials Craft Legislative Agenda

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County officials had their eyes on the state treasury Thursday as they considered items they would like to see addressed by the Legislature in 2015.

The Quorum Court's Legislative Committee discussed a list justices of the peace have suggested asking legislators to support, with the most pressing being raising the amount paid to the county for housing state prisoners.

At A Glance

Committee Action

Benton County’s Legislative Committee agreed to discuss changing state laws with the county’s legislative delegation:

• Setting a limit of not more than two special elections in a year

• Collecting tax on personal property the same year it’s assessed

• Asking the state or cities to pay more of the cost of district courts

• Reform the state retirement system to cap the rate county costs increase

• Change Worker’s Compensation code to allow counseling services for employees

Source: Staff Report

The county is reimbursed $28 per day when prisoners become "state" prisoners, generally 30 days after they are convicted and the state is notified they are ready to be transferred to the Department of Correction.

A shortage of space for inmates in Arkansas' prisons has contributed to more state inmates being housed in county jails. While the county is reimbursed, the justices of the peace say the money doesn't cover costs.

Kurt Moore, justice of the peace for District 13, said the reimbursement was set before he took his place on the Quorum Court 12 years ago and hasn't increased.

"Inflation has cut it in half at least," Moore said.

Tom Allen, justice of the peace for District 4 and chairman of the committee, said Benton County and other counties will have to work with the state to get the rate increased, but he thinks something can be done.

"I think there's a spirit at the state to do something about this," Allen said. "We can't force them to do anything. We've got to ask them for help and see what we can get."

Moore suggested indexing the reimbursement to the rate of inflation, but the notion was discarded as unlikely to gain any support. Allen said the counties should work with the state to have the rate increased incrementally until it approaches the $60 per day the county says it costs to hold prisoners in the jail.

"I'd like the $60 it supposedly costs, but I'd take $35 or $40 or whatever we can get," Allen said.

The justices of the peace also discussed possible changes to state laws regarding ambulance service for inclusion in the legislative package. Steve Curry, justice of the peace for District 11, proposed requiring ambulance service providers to respond to emergency calls regardless of whether they are being paid by the county or other entities.

Benton County has been working to pay for the service for the past several years.

"My point is we should put lives before money and I think there should be a state law that says so," Curry said.

Allen pointed out ambulance services bill patients but are asking the county to help pay the cost of making the service available.

"I'm not saying we don't pay," Curry said, "but it shouldn't be the priority."

Shirley Sandlin, justice of the peace for District 8, proposed restricting ambulance providers to billing only patients who call for the service.

Both proposals were kept on the list for discussion with the area's legislative delegation. Michelle Chiocco, justice of the peace for District 10, proposed seeking an Attorney General's opinion to clarify language of the law regarding who can be billed.

The committee also discussed seeking changes to state law setting the distribution of the road millage money among the county and Rogers, Bentonville and Siloam Springs. Those cities receive 90 percent of the revenue from the millage collected inside their cities. Other cities receive 50 percent of the revenue. The county challenged the law but the statute was upheld by the Arkansas Supreme Court.

Allen said the difference between the three cities getting 90 percent and having a 50-50 split would provide the county with about $1.7 million more revenue a year.

Susan Anglin, justice of the peace for district 9, said the millage issue was discussed at a recent meeting she attended and city officials said the money goes to city streets used by county residents and to other services that are used by county residents.

She said if the cities lost the revenue, the burden of some of those services, which may include ambulance service, could be shifted to the county which would negate any benefit to the county.

"We might just be trading dollars," Anglin said.

Allen said that prospect doesn't convince him the division of the tax money shouldn't be changed. He said the county and the cities could shift the revenue over time.

"We could work with the cities to 'step it' in increments," Allen said.

NW News on 04/18/2014

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