It is possible for my husband and I to retire in 6 years living on his meager state retirement and our personal investments; however we can not afford personal health insurance. We must have this due to medical problems and expensive medicines we require monthly.  We consider ourselves lucky to have the option to retire while others will never have this option; however, most in the state do require a better option while there are none now.  Any plans researched and looked at that are viable are better than the non-existance of options we have now.

Sharon - Paron, AR

Dear Bill,

I met you again for the second time at the "Meet the Candidates Forum" at Coronado Center.

You were great, showing conviction for your ideas on education and how to fund it. I'm glad you are proud of your association with Bill Clinton and not afraid to show it. Since you were the last to speak, it is you the audience will remember. AR certainly needs to move forward in the fields of education and economic development. Keep up the great campaign. You are on the right track!                

B. Holliday

I have been dealing with the Child Support Enforcement, as a family NOT receiving court ordered child support, for about 15 yrs.  I have dealt with the same issues as Ms. Heatley (previous Real Story).  When you do finally make it inside a court room, they get a "slap on the wrist" and you are back at square one. 

If I receive any child support at all, he soon quits his job and here we go again.  If I left my child on the street with no clothes, food, shelter, or medical care, I would be thrown under the jail.  I had neglected my child.  NON-PAYMENT OF CHILD SUPPORT IS THE NUMBER ONE FORM OF CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT IN THIS COUNTRY.

Please help, families in Arkansas need you.

Karen Hitt

After 10 years working out of state for much higher pay, I have returned to my home state of Arkansas. The reason other states offer higher pay remains the same today; we are at the bottom in education and technology firms are rarely willing to locate where few qualified workers can be found.

There is a lack of confidence in the workers of the state of Arkansas due to poor academic achievement. The prices of homes are only a little higer out of state, and I found the price of groceries was lower in both Texas and Florida because of taxation. There is no reason for such high grocery taxes in Arkansas, it is very unfair to those who struggle to raise children.

In order to increase the level of income for Arkansans, we must mature beyond seeing ourselves as only a farming-state. We need higher academic achievement from our sons and daughters, which means we must spend to attract and keep the best teachers. We
need the wealthy that reside in Arkansas to invest in Arkansas and not take the poor for granted; I was raised to expect this responsible behavior from the most wealthy.  Denying workers health care by planning 30 hour weekly limits is the wrong thing to
do. Invest in the people of Arkansas!

I think Bill Halter is a leader that won't take "no" for an answer. He has the right plan and the right vision. His opponents allr epresent the "status quo"; they won't change anything. Bill Halter is the smartest and strongest leader the state of Arkansas has ever seen enter politics; and that is a fact. Bill Halter has my vote.

John Askew

I am a parent of a child who was born with a disability that requires him to have 24 hour nursing care. I did not have insurance when he was born, and even if I had, our insurance would have cut off when he cost 1 million dollars by the time he was 1 month old.I have experienced first hand the severe lack of funds for Medicaid, CMS, and home health care for our state.

I know that this is a state choice, most states don't have any home health care, and I would really like to see a plan to increase spending for home health care. I have seen children spend months in the hospital waiting on payment for equipment that they need to survive. Including my own.

I hope that you will be a governor that is concerned with these
kinds of issues, and not expect parents to put their children into nursing homes. I have tried to contact our current Governor about these issues several times, with no reply. Senator Lincoln was nice enough to offer help last time we spent 3 months at ACH waiting for someone at Medicaid to decide if my son could live or if they would
deny him what he needed to live. My son is an extremely smart and wonderful child who could be anything he wants one day, as long as I am not forced to put him in ahome.

Please think of us, we're supporting you.

Lori Latch

I am a single mother and for the past 11 years [who] has been dealing with the Pulaski County Child Support office with me doing 98% of the leg work for my case.

Governor Huckabee tried to come up with a solution who has failed. I am having to constantly. Having to stay on hold, leave a message to NOT receive a return call. I want a Governor who is in favor to helping with this issue. Are you that person? I the single parent community worth fighting for? I am not welfare, I do my best. I
feel like absent parents are getting off with a slap on the hand than having action taken against them for not paying their support ... I am tired of doing someone elses job and getting no where. BUT then there is a bigger issue. There are a minimum number of cases that will go through the court system, on a particular day of the
week in the Pulaski County courts. Did you know that in other states there is a court room for child support ONLY and goes Monday through Friday? ... I am just another # in the system and another citizen who makes up part of the population. Please let me
know what you feel and know that can be changed by you. Thanks for listening.

Jacinda Heatley

I am working two jobs. One is full-time and the other is part-time at night at a convenience store. What do we have to do to get better paying jobs here because i don't know what I'm going to do when I am old enough to retire. I'm only 42 years-old right now and I always feel tired and sometimes think to myself this is no way to live. Needing only one job would make my life a lot less stressful.

Anonymous

I love living here in Arkansas but we need to do more to help people who live from check to check. I can't afford health care coverage because my employer won't give me enough hours so I can qualify. Private providers' individual plans are too expensive for me because I'm not making enough money. I would ask Mr. Halter to focus on finding us jobs with health benefits.

Anonymous