Sanders wants to use Arkansas’ $1.161B surplus on education, tax cuts

Arkansas Business Publishing Group Associate Publisher Chris Bahn, left, talks with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a question and answer session with the Little Rock Rotary Club focusing on her first six months in office as governor at the Clinton Center on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)
Arkansas Business Publishing Group Associate Publisher Chris Bahn, left, talks with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a question and answer session with the Little Rock Rotary Club focusing on her first six months in office as governor at the Clinton Center on Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford)


Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday she would like to use the state's $1.161 billion surplus on education and tax cuts, but did not say whether she would call the Legislature into a special session to do so.

Speaking to members of the Rotary Club of Little Rock at the Clinton Presidential Center, the Republican governor was asked about how the state should use the budget surplus.

"I want to continue to invest in education because I know it's one of the biggest difference makers," Sanders said. "One of the other things that I mentioned earlier that I want to continue to do is responsibly phase out the state income tax."

Sanders told reporters after the event she was not ready to commit to calling a special session to bring lawmakers back to the state Capitol to pass a tax cut, saying she may wait until next year when the General Assembly is scheduled to meet for the fiscal session in April.

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