LITTLE ROCK (6-15) 

      The Arkansas Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance will hold its second meeting on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 151 of the State Capitol in Little Rock .

        Blue Ribbon Committee Chair, State Senator John Paul Capps of Searcy, said the first meeting was a success from an organizational and informational standpoint. “We heard some very good ideas and shared some interesting dialogue – it was a good start,” Capps said.

        At the suggestion of the Committee Vice Chair, State Representative Allen Maxwell of Monticello , two researchers will address the committee at the second meeting. Dr. Greg Hamilton, a Senior Research Specialist with the Institute of Economic Advancement at UALR; and Dr. Wayne Miller, a Professor with the University of Arkansas ’ Cooperative Extension Service, will discuss various research and information options that are available to the Committee.

        Senator Capps also stated that the Committee may want to consider ways to include other transportation stakeholders in the process. “Act 374 of 2009, which created our Committee, clearly states that we can create advisory task forces using people outside our ranks to assist us,” he said. “Even though we are a committee of 19 very capable people representing many disciplines, the list of transportation stakeholders is very large. We need to tap into the expertise and knowledge that other stakeholders have to offer.”

        The Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance was created by Act 374 of 2009 to define an adequate system for financing improvements to the state’s highways, county roads, and city streets. The ultimate goal is to propose highway finance legislation that can be brought before the General Assembly in the 2011 legislative session. The Committee’s initial report and recommendations are due to the Governor and others by July 1, 2010.