Randy Laverty
Wed, Jan 7, 2009
D-Jasper
Senate District 2
Three terms in the House from 1995 to 2001; serving his second term in the Senate.
Committees: Joint Budget; Legislative Council; Joint Legislative Audit; Public Health; State Agencies; Energy; Senate Rules.
Special connections: Executive director of the Developmental Disabilities Provider Association; formerly an administrator for the state Department of Human Services. Owns an insurance agency in Jasper.
How to reach him: Call the main Senate in session number, which delivers messages promptly, he said. That number is 501-682-2902. On weekends, call his home number: 870-446-5593.
What you should know: Laverty is one of the most knowledgeable lawmakers about Medicaid and health issues serving today. He was chairman of the House Public Health Committee before being elected to the Senate. He worked in the Department of Human Services, which administers Medicaid, and remains active on issues involving seniors. He also has a history as one of the Senate’s staunchest opponents of forced school consolidation.
His priority: Stopping forced consolidation of several school districts that will fall below the state’s minimum of 350 students in the next few years. “When Mount Judea and Deer fall below, who are they going to consolidate with, Jasper? You’d have a school district going all the way from the Arkansas River Valley to Huntsville. No one could afford to run it.”
Biggest concern going into the session: “I’m anxious and a little uncertain about how we’re going to handle things with a budget session coming up next year.” A measure passed by Arkansas voters introduced annual sessions, with even-numbered years having sessions restricted to budgets. “That’s going to change our gait.” The measure also shortens the time for regular sessions.
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Tags: Democrat, District 2, Randy Laverty, Senate, Senator
February 7th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
I urge you to vote against the tobacco tax bill. The tax revenues generated will not be as much as you expect because people will start buying their cigarettes in Missouri, Oklahoma, etc. In Harrison it will probably mean the demise of a couple of businesses that focus on tobacco products and loss of revenue for Wal-Mart and grocery stores in the area. It will mean just one more reason for people in Harrison to go to Missouri to shop. When you tax too much, in a free market economy people will seek the best price. In this case the savings on one carton of cigarettes is enough to pay for the gas to get there(which is another reason to go to Missouri - the gas is usually 15 cents per gallon cheaper there!). Lastly, how many inefficient state agencies are we going to create. Why does Missouri get so much more bang for the tax buck than Arkansas? According to Mike Masterson (Harrison native and editorial writer for the Ark. Democrat - Gazette) who always does his homework, Missouri does much more for less per capita.
Another bur under my saddle is the way higher education expenses in Arkansas have gotten out of control. I was appalled to read the estimated costs of going to the Univ. of Ark. at Fayetteville when my daughter decided that was where she wanted to go. She scored a 31 on the ACT test in December and has yet to be offered any scholarship money. She is in the top 10% of her class and has a great leadership resume. It would appear that the only way to get scholarship money to Fayetteville is to be of a minority race or live in a family that is below the poverty level. Are we driving some of our best and brightest to out of state schools? The University of Missouri offered her $7500 per year when her best score was a 28 on the ACT! And the U of A announces an increase in tuition in this economic environment? Does anyone in state government or education have a clue about economic reality?
Anticipating your response.
Randy Raney
1365 Sunflower Cove
Harrison, AR