“As Governor, I would pursue excellence rather than settle for adequacy in our schools -- without raising new taxes,” said Halter.  “First, we must re-examine how our schools are spending our education dollars and make sure money isn’t being wasted or misused in a way that clearly does not benefit our children.  Second, I would end the pork barrel expenditures that totaled over fifty million dollars last year.  Third, our current budget surplus can provide funds for education investments.   And fourth, we should enact an education lottery to make another significant investment in making our schools excellent rather than just adequate.”

Halter’s lottery proposal would not be tied to any other new form of gambling and would first need to be approved by a vote of the people.  Halter supports legalized charitable bingo.  The lottery funds would not replace existing education spending but would increase baseline levels.

“We need to raise our teacher pay, we need more scholarships for Arkansas students to attend our state universities and colleges, and we need pre-kindergarten programs available to every child,” Halter continued.  “Education is the key to better opportunities for all Arkansans. Excellence in education will help us overcome some of our most pressing problems.” 

“I want to make sure children today in Arkansas have the same opportunities I had, but if we continue to settle for a merely adequate education system, then we’re going to handicap our children,” said Halter.  “Every hard-working parent in this state should know their children are in excellent schools, not just adequate schools.  And when they grow up, those children won’t have to leave Arkansas to find success because we will build and bring great-paying jobs here.”

Attract and Build New and Better-Paying Arkansas Jobs

Halter, who is a businessman and who led a federal agency more than twice the size of Arkansas’ state government, presently sits on the boards of five public information technology and biotechnology companies.  He has business relationships with many industry leaders across the nation.

Halter vowed to make attracting new and better paying jobs a top priority in his administration. “Rapidly growing areas around the country have sprung up around first rate research universities,” remarked Halter.  “A key to attracting and creating great jobs in Arkansas is further strengthening our universities, colleges and community colleges.”

“We also need our fair share of federal funding,” Halter continued.   “Today Arkansas is dead last among all the states in per capita federal research and development spending.  If we were at the national average in federal R & D dollars Arkansas would receive $500 million more dollars per year or $5 billion over a decade.  These funds would strengthen our research universities and help us build the jobs of the 21^st Century in Arkansas. Jobs that would pay two and three times the average Arkansas salary today.”

Putting Loan Sharks Out of Business: Ending Pay-Day Lending

Halter also took aim at lenders who provide short-term loans at outrageous interest rates mostly to the working poor trying to live from paycheck to paycheck. “Why are we allowing the legalized loan sharks known as payday lenders to charge interest rates of up to 300 percent when somebody needs help for a few days before they get their paycheck?” asked Halter.   “It’s one of the worst forms of exploitation imaginable and it should be outlawed.”

Halter Supports Minimum Wage Hike Indexed to Inflation

“Sadly, many of the special interests are satisfied to keep wages low in Arkansas, including the minimum wage,” Halter said.  “Well, I’m not afraid to tell you I support an immediate increase of one dollar an hour in Arkansas’ minimum wage, and I would index it so that its value is not undercut by inflation in future years.” 

Overhaul Ethics Laws:  Lobby/Campaign Finance and State Contractor Reforms