Governor Asa Hutchinson’s head of economic development, Mike Preston, says don’t worry about the four-year delay in locating a paper mill in Arkadelphia. But, Clark county residents are worried about their $10 million investment to attract Sun Paper. The parent company of Sun Paper is Shandong Sun Paper Industry which means Sun Paper is a communist Chinese company.
The massive project has not been officially canceled but Stephen Bell, CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, told Arkansas Business “I wouldn’t say it was ominous, but it’s not good.” The Arkadelphia alliance has taken steps to market the 1,000-acre site and to signal the site is ready for development.
At stake for the Arkadelphia alliance is $10 million put up by the people of Clark County. While the money is said to be “not lost,” part of the investment is tied up in the purchase of 1,000 acres, which may be worth much less now than when purchased, and part of the money is still available for a railroad spur.
The Arkadelphia Alliance informed Sun Paper months ago the Alliance needed to look elsewhere to market the land. Sun Paper asked the alliance to not take any steps to sell until after January 2020. That time has passed.
“When you place your bets, you take your chances,” the saying goes. Unfortunately, the Arkadelphia alliance and the state of Arkansas are playing with taxpayer money.
We will likely see more of this in the coming years because the Governor talked voters into authorizing cities and counties to go into debt for economic development projects.
Will Clark County taxpayers be able to get their investment back? Will the communist Chinese company eventually move forward on the project? The only sure winner is the house. In economic development that includes real estate agents and lawyers.
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Sun Paper is not listed as a client of Governor Hutchinson’s law firm but other communist Chinese companies that have received incentives from Arkansas taxpayers are on his law firm’s list, such as Ty Garments and Risever.
Asa Hutchinson III, the Governor’s son has traveled with the Governor on Chinese trade missions on behalf of the Hutchinson family law firm. Asa III is said to have traveled on his own dime but does that make it any better? What signal does it send when the Governor’s son is present working on behalf of the Governor’s law firm to represent Chinese companies? What signal does it send to the communist Chinese officials on how business is done in Arkansas?
Too bad we don’t hold the good governor accountable for his actions, must have watched Trump’s video on how to succeed on the taxpayers money.
How is the governors son working with the governor any different than President Trumps children working with him?
I love our President, I don’t want Chinese companies in our state, I don’t like our governor, but one is no different than the other when it comes to the kids.
When are we going to wake up ! Please Govener, start doing business with democratic countries. There are plenty of opportunities. More now than ever. CHINA IS OUR ENEMY ! We have the upper hand. They can’t feed their people without our help.
I don’t hear Conduit News on the Jonesboro radio lately. Why?
How can Arkansas people keep our state from being sold off to China?
What procedures do the citizens of Arkansas do to remove him from office
Thank God we have term limits. Pray that the COS gets passed ASAP. The CONVENTION OF STATES is the only thing that can slow this socialist take over of this great nation. WAKE UP ARKANSAS
Response to Morris Peters “Thank god we have term limits.”
Yes, Arkansas has term limits but they aren’t what they used to be. With Issue 3 of 2014, a referred constitutional amendment, the legislators used a deceptive ballot title to trick voters into weakening term limits. Arkansas state Representatives can now stay for up to 16 years, and Senators can stay up to 22 years. Of the states with legislative term limits, Arkansas now has the weakest in the nation in terms of how long a legislator can stay in in the same office before being forced out.
Apparently that isn’t enough for Arkansas legislators. Using the same type of ballot title fraud employed in 2014, they have referred Senator Alan Clark’s constitutional amendment for the 2020 ballot that will, in effect, create lifetime politicians. After 10 years of “service,” a legislator can sit out 2 years and then “serve” another 12. Or, they can serve 12 years, sit out 4 and do another 12. The 12 year limit doesn’t apply to current legislators until after they serve up to the current limit of 16 or 22 years. Voters won’t know any of this because the ballot title conveniently doesn’t mention it.