|
|
| |
| Sun, Jul. 20, 2008 |  |
 |
|
||
| |
Beebe: No state office in Washington Wednesday, Apr 30, 2008 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Gov. Mike Beebe ended the possibility of reopening the state's Washington office, telling Arkansas business leaders Monday that the state congressional delegation's presence is enough. Beebe had mulled whether to keep open the state's office since he became governor in January 2007. "We decided we had such a wonderful and competent working relationship with the members of our delegation that it would be in the best interest of the taxpayers of Arkansas not to fill those positions," Beebe said in remarks at the state chamber of commerce's annual congressional dinner. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee opened the office in October 2003. He employed five people in the five-room office suite located three blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Beebe said early last year he thought he would reduce the number of employees to two, but never hired anyone for the vacancies. He signaled his intent to shutter the office when last fall he subleased the five-room suite to the federal Delta Regional Authority. Beebe said he had decided he did not want to "duplicate the efforts" of Arkansas' six members of Congress. State Sen. Jack Critcher, D-Batesville, said the decision made sense. "We have our congressional delegation up there, my goodness," Critcher said. "We know that they're going to be fighting for Arkansas and looking out for our best interests, and they're in a much better position to do that than any of the governor's folks." Beebe retained money in his budget for the Washington office while he decided whether to shut down the operation. In fiscal 2006, the Washington operation cost the state just less than $306,000. Huckabee re-established the office after a 23-year absence in the nation's Capitol. Gov. Frank White in 1980 closed the state's office over allegations that his predecessor, Bill Clinton, had used the operation for personal gain. Huckabee said he wanted to use the office to help Arkansas secure grant money and to better track legislation that affects the state. State officials said they doubted party affiliations played a role in Huckabee's decision to open an office or Beebe's subsequent choice to close it. Huckabee is a Republican, Beebe a Democrat. Five of the state's six members of Congress are Democrats. "What I'm seeing now more than what we used to see is a lot of agency heads up here visiting, making personal calls, that you didn't see when Gov. Huckabee had the office up here," said Rep. John Boozman, R-Rogers. "I really think it's a difference in management style." Boozman said Beebe, a state senator for two decades, has a "more hands-on" approach to governing than did Huckabee. As such, Boozman would expect Beebe or a department head to contact him directly on an issue rather than rely on a Washington office staffer. About 36 governors have offices in Washington according to the National Governors Association. Many first-term governors choose not to have a presence in the nation's capitol, said David Quam, the NGA's director of federal relations. "Many times, new governors focus their attention on the state, whereas in subsequent terms there is more outreach," he said. |
