Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, was sworn in as the 46th governor of Arkansas in January after defeating Democrat Mike Ross in 2014.
Hutchinson earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1972 from Bob Jones University in Greenville, South Carolina, and a law degree in 1975 from the University of Arkansas School of Law. He was named a U.S. attorney in 1982 by President Ronald Reagan, becoming the youngest U.S. attorney in the nation.
Hutchinson served as U.S. representative from Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District from 1997-2001, resigning on Aug. 6, 2001, to become director of the Drug Enforcement Administration. He left that post to serve as undersecretary for Border & Transportation Security at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2003-2005. In 2006, Hutchinson lost in his race for governor to Democrat Mike Beebe. Hutchinson is chairman of the Southern Regional Education Board and the Southern States Energy Board and vice chairman of the National Governors Association Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee.
Hutchinson was born on Dec. 3, 1950, in Bentonville. He and his wife, Susan, have four children and five grandchildren.
What did your administration do to firm up the Sun Paper deal?
It was very important for me to be in China and meet face to face with Chairman Li Hongxin at Sun Paper. Our in-person meeting led to the letter of intent, which gave very specific timelines for site selection, for hiring consultants and for negotiating incentives. Sun Paper is very committed to opening a $1.3 billion dollar fluff mill in South Arkansas, and I am optimistic this intent letter will turn into a reality. It’s a solid commitment to look at Arkansas, and I am confident our one-on-one exchange will result in more jobs for our state.
When you are working to sell Arkansas to industrial and other business prospects, what qualities or circumstances about the state do you cite? And how do you counter negative impressions?
When selling Arkansas, I first emphasize the connection between the state and our global partners, such as Wal-Mart, Tyson, the Clinton Presidential Library and more. These are easily recognizable, well-known global leaders. Tying their success to Arkansas is a great selling point for us in terms of identity.
Secondly, I emphasize our diverse base of resources. I recognize our strong agricultural base, which is Arkansas’ No. 1 industry, our steel production in northeast Arkansas and raw materials such as timber and other valuable natural resources. I also highlight our computer coding initiative, our success in career and technical educational opportunities, our job skills training and our workforce.
There is much to sell in Arkansas. And it’s an easy sell when I get to talk about all the great qualities of our state. I find it difficult to talk in terms of negatives, because I don’t really think there are negatives. But if I had to focus on something, I would recognize our efforts to address a tax code that is not as competitive with our surrounding states as I would like it to be. This is the primary reason I am trying to further reduce the state income tax rate in Arkansas.
The upcoming legislative session is a fiscal session. What are your goals for this session?
The fiscal session is designed to take a quick look at where we are in terms of our budget and make any adjustments that are needed. Some budget adjustments will be necessary in terms of cost changes regarding Medicaid reform, as well as taking a look at the needs of our foster care and corrections systems. These are the type of priority adjustments to our budget that might be necessary in the upcoming legislative session.
John Selig is leaving as director of the state Department of Human Services at the end of this year. That’s a huge department and a huge job. What are you looking for in his replacement?
I’m looking for a highly qualified candidate in terms of management with experience handling large systems, such as the Medicaid program. It would certainly be a bonus if the new director had some experience in dealing with human services. But I think what we need in terms of a DHS director is someone who knows how to manage people and how to lead a large organization. The director’s specific expertise is secondary to the ability to manage people effectively and handle large systems.
Philosophically, what are the fairest ways to fund highway construction in Arkansas?
The fairest way to fund highway construction is through use taxes for those who actually use the highways. We have traditionally done this through excise taxes on motor fuel. But there is a debate as to whether the user tax should extend to other transportation products, such as automobiles, tires or batteries. This tax has had a significant general revenue impact, but has also been resisted in the past. However, there are many legislators reconsidering it as an appropriate use tax to fairly fund our state highways.
What is the single most important thing for the Health Reform Legislative Task Force to achieve?
The most important thing to achieve is a consensus on the direction of Medicaid reform. With differing views, consensus is always difficult, but I am optimistic the legislative task force can achieve that consensus on being able to continue access to expanded health insurance coverage for Arkansans. At the same time, we need to ensure conservative work-related principles are applied in developing a health care system our state can afford and maintain.
You are known for your even temper. What makes you angry?
Not much makes me angry, but I do expect people to listen to other points of view and to seek out different perspectives on an issue before making a final decision. And when someone is not willing to listen, how can they arrive at the correct decision? To me, being able to consider other points of view and see the value in other perspectives is an important part of being a leader or for anyone who works in government.
What has surprised you most about being governor?
The thing that has surprised me most about being governor is the demands on my time. While I was on the campaign trail, I became very familiar with having a full schedule. The legislative session kept me busy, but I haven’t slowed our pace. When you have a full agenda to accomplish, it’s important to spend as much time as possible working toward those goals.
What are you proudest of having achieved as governor so far?
What I’m most pleased with is that we have been able to accomplish what we promised the people of Arkansas we would work on — from the $100 million income tax cuts, to computer coding in every high school, to improving job skills education in this state. Keeping promises is an important legacy. And that’s a legacy I am proud to be part of in Arkansas.