ON THE ISSUES! | Joyce Schimenti | State Rep 26

ON THE ISSUES

"I come from a hardworking, blue collar family who taught me the value of education. I'm the product of public schools and I'm an advocate for public schools, not charter schools. I've worked my entire life in the service of trying to help others. I want to create opportunities and improve the quality of life for citizens of District 26. We need to create more living wage jobs, improve our schools and protect our environment. We need to protect against the advent of financial ruin due to an accident or illness. I know how to set goals, work hard, and solve problems. It's About Our Future"

Joyce Schimenti

LIST OF ISSUES

Healthcare

Arkansas has poor health statistics and poor health outcomes. The percentages of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease are higher than most states. To combat this problem, Arkansans need access to healthcare. Expanded Medicaid in AR has resulted in improved healthcare access and has stabilized our healthcare infrastructure for providers and hospitals. In District 26, the Affordable Care Act saved our hospital in Malvern. Arkansas lawmakers passed AR Works, a program that ultimately kicked 18,000 Arkansans off Medicaid, and 5,000 more were poised to be kicked off before a federal judge intervened to stop it. Joyce is against creating needless and expensive bureaucratic barriers to healthcare. She is for the passage of a Surprise Medical Bill to prevent Arkansans from financial hardship or bankruptcy as a result of injury or illness.

Taxes and Income Inequality

The 2019 Arkansas Tax Bill gave wealthy Arkansans making over $450,000 a hefty tax break. This Tax Bill was wrong-headed and short-sighted. By giving away our budget surplus to the 1%, the legislature missed an opportunity to address infrastructure needs in District 26 and in Arkansas. The $97 million dollar surplus give-away would have been better spent on highways, education or Internet access for rural Arkansans.

Our District voted overwhelmingly for an increase in the minimum wage, but our lawmakers have tried to chip away at these raises. Joyce supports the minimum wage hikes and will not compromise them.

Environment and Industry

Because of its natural beauty, Arkansas benefits from tourism.

Lake Hamilton, Lake DeGray and Lake Catherine draw tourists to District 26. Ensuring these resources for future generations is a must. Joyce believes climate change is real and believes it is crucial to be good stewards of our environment by encouraging conservation. Instead of rewarding conservation, our Arkansas lawmakers levied fees on hybrid and electric cars. Joyce believes we need to do just the opposite and give tax breaks to those who conserve energy. District 26 needs a strategic plan to create high wage jobs in the renewable energy sector, jobs in industries such as solar and wind.

The development of Southwest Trail, a Rails to Trails project, is in the planning and design stage. When completed, the trail will connect Little Rock to Hot Springs. This project will bring with it tourism and small business opportunity to our area. Now is the time to explore how District 26 can benefit from this project and envision the possibility of connecting a trail spur to District 26.