Summer 2026 by J. Cliff McKinney II and Jeb H. Joyce |
Economic development often begins with a practical problem before it becomes a legal one. A community has a site that could support a manufacturer, a technology campus, housing, a mixed-use redevelopment, or a regional destination. Private Investment is interested, but not yet committed. The project needs roads, utilities, site preparation, broadband, drainage, workforce facilities, housing, childcare, or other support before the investment can occur. Local officials may see the opportunity clearly. The legal question is whether Arkansas has the right constitutional tools to help make the opportunity feasible.
Issue 3, referred to the voters by the General Assembly for the November 3, 2026, election, would amend the Arkansas Constitution to provide for broader economic development programs, including the creation of economic development districts within cities, counties, or cooperative areas. The amendment provides constitutional authority for the General Assembly to create a district-based framework for financing economic development projects.
The above is an excerpt of an article originally published in the Summer 2026 issue of The Arkansas Lawyer and is reprinted with permission. You may click the link below to read the full article.
A managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, Cliff McKinney concentrates his practice on real estate, land use, and business transactions. He is a Fellow of both the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and the American College of Mortgage Attorneys.
Jeb Joyce is a managing member of Quattlebaum, Grooms & Tull PLLC, where he focuses his practice on a broad range of transactional matters, with a concentration in commercial real estate and commercial finance. Jeb is a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and will be inducted as a Fellow into the American College of Mortgage Attorneys later this year.