Arkansas Unveils Ten Commandments Monument

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From Left: State Senator Jason Rapert (R-Bigelow), and Family Council staff members Ken Yang, Charisse Dean, Luke McCoy, and Jerry Cox.

Today Arkansas’ new Ten Commandments monument was unveiled on the Capitol lawn in Little Rock.

The legislature authorized the privately funded monument in 2015, and construction was completed last year. However, less than 24 hours after the initial monument was unveiled, it was destroyed when a man plowed a car into it.

The replacement monument includes concrete bollards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Meanwhile, several groups continue to oppose the Ten Commandments monument.

The ACLU has promised to sue the state to have the monument removed — even though the U.S. Supreme Court ruled an identical monument constitutional in Texas nearly thirteen years ago — and the leader of the Satanic Temple was present before today’s unveiling ceremony, along with several protesters.

Frankly, there just shouldn’t be anything controversial about honoring the significance of the Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments are one of the earliest examples of the rule of law in human history, and they have had a tremendous impact on western civilization. The Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights are amazing documents, but the Ten Commandments are the great-great-granddaddy of them all.

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Task Force Plans to Review Grocery Tax Increase

Legislature,

Yesterday we wrote that the legislature’s Tax Reform and Relief Task Force met to discuss proposals to raise the state sales tax on groceries; eliminate the annual sales tax holiday for back-to-school supplies; levy a sales tax on nonprofit hospitals and nursing homes; and cut taxes on new and used cars.

Bad News From the Task Force Meeting

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the task force voted to further review plans to increase the state grocery tax.

Under the proposal, the legislature would increase the state sales tax on groceries from 1.5% to 6.5% and create an earned income tax credit that would help offset the effect the grocery tax would have low- and moderate-income families.

The task force cannot raise the grocery tax itself, but it can develop a plan to raise the tax and make recommendations to the legislature in 2019.

The task force also agreed to further study a proposal that would eliminate the back-to-school sales tax holiday. That’s bad news.

Good News From the Task Force Meeting

Lawmakers opted to continue reviewing plans to exempt vehicles sold for less than $10,000 from the state sale tax, and decided not to move forward with a proposal to tax sales to nonprofit and charitable hospitals and nursing homes. That’s good news.

The Bottom Line

I’m glad legislators might cut taxes on new and used cars, but it’s troubling that some elected officials want to raise taxes on basic necessities like groceries.

Lawmakers have indicated their goal is to reduce income taxes for top earners as well as low-income families. To do this, some say they need to overhaul — and increase — Arkansas’ sales taxes.

If Arkansas raises taxes on groceries while giving income tax breaks to the poor and the wealthy, that’s going to hurt middle class families who don’t qualify for any tax credits. No one should be penalized for buying bread and milk.

Likewise, eliminating the back-to-school sales tax holiday affects parents with young children. The tax holiday doesn’t exist to help businesses. It’s meant to help families. The tax holiday makes it easier to purchase basic supplies for educating students.

Legislators need to think very carefully before taking up proposals to eliminate the tax breaks or raise taxes on everyday families.

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Come See the Ten Commandments Monument Unveiled Tomorrow!

Religious Freedom, ,

You and your family are invited to come see Arkansas’ monument of the Ten Commandments unveiled and dedicated at a brief ceremony tomorrow at 11:30 AM on the lawn outside the Arkansas Capitol Building in Little Rock.

The monument celebrates the impact the Ten Commandments have had on our civilization and our system of law.

This is your opportunity to be part of history. I hope you will join us for this momentous occasion. If you need directions or additional information, call our office at (501) 375-7000.

Below is a press release from the American History and Heritage Foundation about the unveiling.

On April 8, 2015, the Arkansas General Assembly passed SB939 – THE TEN COMMANDMENTS MONUMENT ACT – and Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed the bill into law becoming ACT 1231. On June 27th, 2017, the original Ten Commandments Monument was installed on the grounds of the Arkansas State Capitol using private donations. In the early hours of June 28th, 2017, less than 24 hours after the monument had been erected, it was intentionally destroyed when a man rammed his vehicle into the monument. On April 26, 2018, just over 3 years since the law was first enacted, and less than one year since the monument was destroyed, the replacement monument will be installed and given to the State of Arkansas by the American History & Heritage Foundation which has fully funded the project.

The Foundation invites all interested Arkansas citizens to join them for a brief dedication of the Arkansas Ten Commandments Monument.

WHO: American History & Heritage Foundation

WHAT: Arkansas Ten Commandments Monument Re-Installation WHEN: Thursday, April 26, 2018, 11:30 a.m.

WHERE: Arkansas State Capitol Grounds

A statement will be read on behalf of the American History & Heritage Foundation, Inc. honoring the gift of the new monument to the people of Arkansas and offering thanks to supporters who made private donations to make the monument possible. You can read more about the American History & Heritage Foundation at www.americanhistoryandheritage.org, follow them on Twitter @Am_Heritage or FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/AmericanHistoryHeritage/

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The American History & Heritage Foundation, Inc. is an Arkansas non-profit organization dedicated to educating and informing the public about American history and heritage.

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