TIM SUMMERS brings 20 years of experience in elected public office to his race for the Legislature in House District 99. His résumé is impressive, all the more so because of his mastery of the complicated budget of Benton County, which he’s helped oversee through seven terms as a justice of the peace. Mr. Summers is making his first run for the Ledge after all his years on the quorum court plus three terms on Bentonville’s city council. He’s got a lot of practical background in government, and he would be ready to plunge into the intricacies of state government without as much orientation as many a freshman legislator needs on arriving in Little Rock. Sure, city, county and state government are different. But they have lots of similarities, too. Tim Summers would be able to learn fast. He’d be a fast learner not only because of his experience but because of his continuing interest in good government. He takes the job seriously. Just as he does his constituents’ interests. He says he hopes to concentrate on economic development, but while he’s out to promote Northwest Arkansas, he adds that what’s good for the whole state is good for its northwest corner, too. And vice versa.
Mr. Summers favors removing the state’s remaining 3 percent sales tax on food. (Hooray !) And he would like to see drug courts and DWI courts expanded to cover the whole state. He continues to support a strong Freedom of Information law, which accords with his belief that government should be open to the public.
This race is Tim Summers’ first as a Republican. He was the last remaining elected Democrat holding a major office in Benton County before changing his party affiliation last year. He may have been courted for years by Republicans eager to get him to join the GOP, but he’s always been known for his bipartisan approach. He’s got the ability to work with those from a different party—a talent that would come in handy at the Ledge.
Through his years in city and county government, Tim Summers has prepared himself for the job of legislator. He’s learned how to do a good job under demanding circumstances. Conclusion: He’d make an outstanding representative for voters in House District 99.
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