In an interview with Conduit News, Fayetteville attorney Anita Schnee and voter and taxpayer Cecillee Duncan raised concerns about appointed boards, borrowing without constitutional limits, and a legislative process they say outpaced the study behind it.

With early voting weeks away and Election Day set for Nov. 3, two critics of Issue 3 say Arkansans are being asked to change their Constitution before anyone has settled how the change would work.

Issue 3 began in the 2025 legislative session as SJR15. It would allow economic development districts governed by appointed boards with the power to levy taxes and assessments and to borrow without constitutional limits, according to Cecillee Duncan, a voter, taxpayer, and senior health guide. [00:32:38]

The law meant to carry it out is still unsettled. That proposed enabling legislation was referred for interim study the day after SJR15 passed, she said.

“So what we’re being asked to do is essentially decide whether we should amend our constitution prior to the enabling legislation being studied,” Duncan said. [00:01:47]

Read more: www.conduitnews.com

Rep. Ryan Rose (R-Van Buren) is knocking on doors and making calls as he faces a Libertarian challenger in November for House District 48.

Rose told Conduit News the top concern he hears from voters is affordability, especially gas, diesel, and the price of goods. While much of that is driven by federal and global forces, Rose said the state can still "reduce your tax burden in Arkansas and limit spending."

To that end, Rose plans to refile legislation eliminating sales tax on used vehicles priced at $10,000 or less and wants to begin phasing out sales tax on labor, starting with cleaning services. He also floated ending property taxes on paid-off primary residences and freezing rates at the time of purchase, and said he supports renewing a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying.

Rose said he regrets his vote for SB307, the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act, saying lawmakers "kind of got sold a bill of goods" and that he expects reform efforts next session. "This is one I have 100% buyer's remorse on," he said.

He also reaffirmed his opposition to Issue 3, criticizing it for letting "unelected people pick winners and losers."

Rose, who said education freedom is one of the reasons he ran for office, pointed to signs LEARNS is working. He noted that more schools improved than declined in the latest letter grades, crediting competition with driving better outcomes, and said there is "not rampant fraud" in the program. He also cited University of Arkansas researcher Dr. Patrick Wolf, whose upcoming report on education freedom accounts Rose expects will show how well the program is working. On cost, Rose said the accounts are a good deal for taxpayers, running about $7,000 per student compared with roughly $15,600 in average per-pupil public school funding.

In closing, Rose said constituents across the state who need help with child welfare issues can reach his office through ryanroseforarkansas.com.

Foundational Interview:
“How many times do you have to win to win against the Governor?”

Conduit interviews on April 13, 2026, Abtin Mehdizadegan, Special Counsel to the State Board of Corrections (Nov 2023 - Jan, 2026), giving the listeners an inside look from his perspective of the background happenings on how Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and her state agencies and boards “rule over the people,” using shocking examples such as denying payment for his services to his client (the Board) by the Governor’s actors, in spite of and contrary to a Court Ruling ordering payment, and the Governor’s hand-appointed Board voting to change an Arkansas Supreme Court finding that limits her power-all being implemented by the Attorney General.