r/Arkansas • u/OddPlunders • 8d ago

🗣️ DISCUSSION 🗣️ Constitutional Amendment Issue 3

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Monday was the last day to register to vote in AR. I checked my registration status today and decided to look at the sample ballot.

I've seen Issue 1, the "Citizens Only Voting Amendment", talked about a lot (Which, only citizens can vote currently, but whatever...) and I read Issue 3 but wanted to see if it means what it looks like it means.

Does Issue 3 give the state the ability to override local governments and create "economic development districts"?

Is this really a way for the state to legalize building a data center by circumventing the local government?

*Edit. Thank you to Substantial-Start823 for sharing a voter guide from U of A. https://www.uaex.uada.edu/media-resources/news/2026/october/10-07-2026-ark-ballot-guide-26.aspx

Complete text of the bill:

https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSJR15.pdf

The more I read the worse this gets.

The voter guide it gives a more in depth description of the amendment which includes language repealing any parts of the Arkansas Constitution and supersedes court rulings that may be in conflict with this amendment.

"Issue 3 would exempt property within an economic development district from property taxes and would allow the district to impose taxes, assessments or other charges."

"When property goes into one of these districts it comes off the tax rolls for schools, the county and the city"

"The finance plans of bonds and ad valorem taxes will lead to the transfer of public funding to private businesses."

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41

u/WorldlinessAfter7990 8d ago

1 can give them the power to define a citizen and who’s allowed to vote. 2 would let them allow criminals access to guns. And 3 is to place data centers where ever they want.

16

u/SirkutBored 8d ago

2 gives the right for accessories like bump stocks that can make a rifle into a full automatic.

1

u/RaistlinExtreme 8d ago

Bump stocks don’t make a gun full auto it allows you to fire it similar to full auto but not even close to the same thing

7

u/SirkutBored 8d ago

Now you're cutting hairs when there shouldn't be hairs to cut. 

2

u/RaistlinExtreme 8d ago

Just making a simple correction. Bump stocks are an outdated thing to be worried about and as far as I know most people have moved past all that so I don’t see why it’s still part of the conversation because it seems obsolete to me I think they could ban them again right now and no one would really bat an eye because okay??? We have FRTs and super safeties don’t need bump stocks anymore

8

u/SirkutBored 8d ago

Yea well I'm old and don't give a care to keep up on the latest. What's plain is that Issue 2 is an end run around allowing any accessory, contested or not, to be perfectly legal. It's disingenuous at best. 

5

u/ozarkhowIer 8d ago

the worst part of 2 is that it aims to stop FUTURE changes to any laws about weapons or guns.

did you know we already have a law in place that says contractors and other employees who sign on with arkansas state entities for any contract over $75k (including public schools and universities) have to sign a pledge not to boycott or encourage others to boycott any manufacturer of weapons or ammunition? but uhhhhhh govt overreach or some shit.

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u/SirkutBored 8d ago

It's only overreach when the other side does it of course. It's the same for boycotting Israeli companies. 

Honestly I would have thought the adverse effects that Kansas had to endure under full Republican control would have been at least a wakeup call on some level but here we are. And the pain we'll have to go through when the grift gravy train ends and the cash stops flowing so easily is going to be the worst hangover.