Showing the love UAM’s Washington earns fi rst- by giving team All-America nod 1B 1C ADVANCE-MONTICELLONIAN 75¢ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019 SERVING DREW COUNTY SINCE 1870 UA Trustees Hutchinson announces name facility tax cut plan Governor says no aft er Lassiters vital state programs will go unfunded BY JEFF WEAVER tion to UAM,” Hughes noted. “I UAM Vice Chancellor for Advancement have said before that UAM stands Special to the Advance on the shoulders of people like the Last Thursday, the University of Lassiters, who still give their time LITTLE ROCK—Gov. Asa Arkansas Board of Trustees voted and talent to making the university Hutchinson joined legislative unanimously to name the Universi- the best it can be and support our leadership last Wednesday af- ty of Arkansas at Monticello Indoor students in any way they can.” ternoon to announce details of Practice Facility after the school’s Gregg Reep, chairman of the his plan to reduce Arkansas’s former chancellor and his wife, Dr. UAM Board of Visitors, added: “I top marginal tax rate from 6.9 Jack and Judy Lassiter. The request think I can speak on behalf of the percent to 5.9 percent in only was made by Chancellor Karla Board of Visitors when I say that two years. The 5.9 Tax Cut Plan Hughes and the UAM Board of we are thrilled to be able to honor allows the state to lower its tax Visitors after the board’s meeting the Lassiters’ dedication to UAM. rate by a full percentage point held on Oct. 25, 2018. They are special people and we for nearly half the cost of earlier Cliff Gibson of Monticello, a wanted to make sure their support proposals. UA Board trustee, made a motion was recognized for generations to In addition, the plan will sig- to rename the facility during the come.” nificantly flatten and simplify Board’s meeting after Hughes pre- The Indoor Practice Facility in- the state’s top income tax brack- sented the recommendation. The cludes offi ces for UAM’s football et. board quickly and unanimously ap- and baseball coaching staffs, a stu- “I am pleased with the work proved the motion. dent computer lab and study area, that legislators have put in to “I have known Jack and Judy a weight training room, meeting for a very long time and consider help us finalize the 5.9 Income rooms and a 40-yard artifi cial turf them great friends,” Gibson said. “I Tax Cut Plan,” Hutchinson said. fi eld. The building was dedicated am honored to make this motion to “This is the next necessary step rename the Indoor Practice Facili- in 2010. in reforming our tax code so ty after them. Their contribution to “Judy and I are humbled to be that we can compete with other UAM, Monticello and the Univer- recognized by the Trustees, the states in recruiting new business sity of Arkansas system is invalu- Board of Visitors and Dr. Hughes,” and retaining the companies that able.” Jack Lassiter said. “We spent most already are here. Dr. Jack Lassiter retired as of our careers at UAM and are so “This is the third phase in my proud to be a small part in the Uni- tax-reduction plan, which began UAM’s chancellor in 2014 after UAM photos more than 10 years in the position. versity’s success over the years. with the biggest income tax cuts The couple fi rst moved to Monti- “The Indoor Practice Facility is HIGH HONOR The University of in the history of Arkansas in cello in 1977 and spent nearly 28 near and dear to us because it’s a Arkansas system Board of Trustees 2015 and 2017. I want to empha- project that was completed during voted unanimously last week to re- size that under this plan, no one years serving UAM in various roles name the Indoor Practice Facility at on campus. They are currently re- my tenure as Chancellor. I think will pay more in income taxes. the University of Arkansas at Monti- “This plan, combined with the tired and live in Monticello. it gives us a distinct advantage in cello (above) after Dr. Jack and Judy “When several people from recruiting for athletics and it’s a Lassiter (left). Dr. Lassiter served as next reduction in the grocery the community and the Board of unique building for a college of our UAM’s chancellor from 2004-14. tax, will allow more Arkansans Visitors brought up the idea to re- size. It was a labor of love, much The IPF, dedicated in 2010 during to keep more of their paycheck.” name the IPF after Jack and Judy like our time at UAM.” Lassiter’s tenure, will now by known Hutchinson noted the 5.9 Tax I couldn’t imagine a more fi tting A formal naming ceremony will as the Dr. Jack and Judy Lassiter Cut Plan will continue his com- way to recognize their contribu- be announced in the near future. Indoor Practice Facility. mitment to provide substantive tax relief for all Arkansans—and will accomplish this goal with- out cutting funding from major programs like prisons, public DC Gearheads win big at UALR and Russellville schools or the state’s health care system. Since 2015, 90 percent of all Special to the Advance the pit area several times throughout the day. Arkansas taxpayers have re- At the end of the qualifi cation matches, ceived a tax cut. Hutchinson led On Saturday, Jan. 19, the Drew Central the Gearheads were seeded fi rst. DC chose Gearheads competed in their fi rst robotics the initiative to provide tax re- the team from Sheridan High School to be its lief to middle income taxpayers tournament of the year at the University of alliance partner. Defi r had to alter the autono- Arkansas at Little Rock. The Gearheads won by signing the $100 million tax mous code so that the two bots could get the the Design Award, which means that the judg- most from the 15-second autonomous period cut in 2015, the largest income es scored them well on their robot design and in order to make a better alliance. The DC/ tax cut in Arkansas history. engineering notebook. Sheridan alliance won the Victory in the Val- This tax cut was implemented The team made several adjustments during ley Tournament. in 2016. the tournament after losing their fi rst two He also enacted the sec- matches. Drew Central rebounded and won its “It is amazing when all of the Gearheads’ hard work and perseverance comes together at ond-largest income tax cut in next four qualifi cation matches. Arkansas history in 2017 by In the quarterfi nals of the elimination one time,” Eubanks praised. “These students made connections today that will serve them signing the $50 million tax cut rounds, the Gearheads and their team alliance for lower income taxpayers. were in control of the match when the alliance well in their future plans.” This tax cut will be implement- robot backed into the opposition robot and The DC Gearheads not only won tour- pulled their chain off, to receive an automatic nament champions but also the Excellence ed this year. disqualifi cation. Award, the highest award presented in the Cutting the top marginal tax “The Gearheads showed strength and com- VEX Robotics programs. The recipient of rate is the next step in the state’s posure when the referee gave them a DQ,” this award is a team that exemplifi es overall goal to reduce the tax burden for coach Barbie Eubanks said. “A major part excellence in building a high-quality robotics all taxpayers. of robotics is learning how to react and over- program. This team excels in many areas and At 5.9 percent, Arkansas’s come when things do not go your way. The is a shining example of dedication, devotion, top marginal tax rate will be Gearheads took this loss, come back to DC hard work and teamwork. less than Louisiana, will match and made major design adjustments to make Drew Central qualifi ed for both the Arkan- Missouri and will be in line their bot even better.” sas State Vex Robotics tournament on March with the top marginal tax rates In November, the Gearheads designed and 9 and the CREATE U.S. Open tournament in of other states. This economic Council Bluffs, Iowa, on April 5-7. Besides developed a v4 robot that was ready for com- Photo courtesy of Barbie Eubanks advantage, combined with the petition when they received their new upgrade Smith, Defi r and Coleman, the Gearheads’ WINNING COMBINATION The Drew Central robotics team (from left to right) is Jacob Hall and state’s low cost of living and do- to v5. At this point, the Gearheads decided to team members are Lane Berryman, Parker Anna Coleman (front row) and Lane Berryman, Hunter Rhodes, Jeremy Smith, Parker Duncan Duncan, Hunter Rhodes and Jacob Hall. ing business, will put Arkansas transition from version 4 to the new v5 Vex and Paden Defi r (back row). on a more competitive econom- robotics. With the transition to v5, the Gear- Eubanks added the DC Gearheads would like to thank their sponsors—as without them ic footing with its surrounding heads basically had to redesign prototypes to tournament. The Vex judges for the tourna- Team captain Jeremy Smith discussed the states. work with the new motors and brain. and the support of the Drew Central School ment were Engineers from Arkansas Nuclear different design aspects of the robot and the See the breakdown and key They had to learn new coding, motor for- District, none of this would be possible.