Commentary: Watch What You Vote For

Once again that dangerous season has arrived.

No, I'm not talking about deer hunting. Although sometimes they shoot each other or the occasional cow, hunters generally can be avoided if you just deny yourself the pleasures of hiking in the woods. That is not the case with the bombardment of election season, the results of which will later give us the basis for the comment, "Nothing is safe when the Legislature is in session," which goes for the U.S. Congress, too, of course.

In addition to judging candidates, Arkansawyers have the opportunity to vote on four constitutional amendments and one act. Probably the most objective information on all of these can be found at the Cooperative Extension Service's policy site uaex.edu/business-communities/voter-education/state-ballot-issues.aspx.

With an eye toward environmental impact, I would strongly urge folks to vote against Amendment 1, which would allow the Arkansas Legislature more power in running, instead of just advising, state agencies, and that could really gum up the works. An opposition opinion found on the above site (which also has pro opinions) states, "A few legislators could block implementation of a new law approved by the General Assembly by refusing to accept rules guiding how the law would be implemented." Handing legislators this plum would further unbalance the separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of state government.

Things are already bad enough for the Department of Environmental Quality, for example. Politics determines human and environmental health issues far too often as it is, and this amendment would add another coating of bureaucratic pressure not only to that particular department, but on any and all other state offices, commissions, boards, etc.

Another environmental consideration is the Arkansas House of Representatives District 84 race between incumbent Charlie Collins and Candy Clark. As the vice chair of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources, Collins seemed to favor the dollar-today cash-in of resources versus the wasted cleanup costs of tomorrow. He voted for HB 1929, which gutted water quality standards across the state allowing more pollution in streams than the current law and which violated the Clean Water Act, prompting the EPA to step in. This was a low blow coming from a legislator from White River and Beaver Lake country with the threatened Buffalo River nearby, water sources that are the lifeblood of the Northwest Arkansas economy. Also his support allowing agriculture to pump streams dry, which destroys ecosystems in watersheds, seems disingenuous when he says one of his district's issues is, "How do we improve our quality of life?" Well, for starters, Mr. Collins, try having any life or jobs without abundant clean water.

To see a voter scorecard on numerous issues, go to the website citizensfirst.org/resources/2013-legislative-scorecard. This informative document was compiled by the Arkansas Citizens First Congress, a coalition of almost 50 organizations that watchdog and lobby state lawmakers on specific issues.

Not to be confused with water conservation, Collins' embrace of the "trickle down" taxing philosophy of tax cuts for wealthy "job creators" maintains a zombie idea that continues to walk among us, a proven failure that will not die. It is similar to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback's roaring tax cut disaster, which has some of that state's Republicans supporting the Democrat! For a moment of levity, Google "The Daily Show and Kansas" for the Oct. 16 bit of enlightenment on what such tax slashing has done to that state. Cats are lying down with dogs!

Collins' opponent, Candy Clark, has worked to get clean water to parts of Washington County that have long done without. She has also taken the time to learn what fracking for natural gas in our state is costing Arkansawyers in tax loses, highway damage and in environmental contamination, including of our water, while Collins thinks this destructive polluting industry is good for the state. Working on budgets for years on the Washington County Quorum Court, Clark understands the realities of tax needs that must be generated for government and schools and highways and health programs, etc., to function. Even as a business owner, she supports raising the minimum wage and equal pay for women. And, she realizes hungry children can't learn, and that everything possible must be done to eliminate childhood food insecurity.

And finally, I would like to remind people the job of Arkansas commissioner for state lands is extremely important, and Mark Robertson, who is a professional landscape architect with 35 years of experience in land use and conservation, is the professional we need in this job.

Please vote.

FRAN ALEXANDER IS A FAYETTEVILLE RESIDENT WITH A LONGSTANDING INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENT AND AN OPINION ON ALMOST ANYTHING ELSE.

Commentary on 10/26/2014

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