Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Border‑city cigarette tax bill prompts testimony from mayors and DFA; committee defers vote
Summary
Senate Bill 337 would reinstate pre‑2019 lower excise tax rates for designated Arkansas border cities; mayors and municipal league witnesses said local retailers lost sales and sales‑tax revenue, while DFA estimated a $2.0M–$3.1M annual reduction in state revenue; the committee declined to vote at the hearing because of fiscal impact.
Senate Bill 337, introduced by Senator Bledsoe, seeks to restore the 'border zone' cigarette excise rates that were repealed in the 2019 legislation. The sponsor said the change would provide parity with nearby Missouri rates for small border towns and help stem lost retail traffic.
Gary Blackburn, mayor of Garfield, told the Senate Revenue and Tax Committee that his town and a village retailer lost cigarette sales after the 2019 change, with customers driving to Seligman, Missouri, to buy cheaper cigarettes. He…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
