Candy Clark
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Candy Clark, a Fayetteville Democrat and member of the Washington County Quorum Court, announced last week she will run for the state Legislature to represent House District 84.
The district, which covers parts of Elkins, Fayetteville, Greenland, Prairie Grove and West Fork, is currently represented by Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville. Collins said earlier this year he will not seek another term, but will instead run for lieutenant governor in the Nov. 4, 2014 election.
Clark has served for five years on the Quorum Court and is a former member of the Fayetteville Planning Commission. She served as the first executive director of the Humane Society of the Ozarks and is the founder of the Animal League of Washington County. She is co-owner and founder of C & C Commercial & Industrial Cleaning Service, LLC, and co-owner of All Around Self Storage.
In her formal announcement on Friday, the 57-year-old Justice of the Peace said she believes lawmakers can do better in managing the state budget, improving public education, and promoting economic development. She described herself as a fiscal conservative with a strong record of being steward of the public’s funds, and said her experience as a local business owner has helped her to understand the “real world realities involved with making payroll, paying taxes, and keeping a workforce of over 50 people employed.”
Clark said as chair of the county’s Finance and Budget Committee, she has worked “to pass a balanced budget and cut property millage with no loss in county services,” and noted the county’s construction of a coroner’s building, animal shelter, parking deck, and renovations to the historical courthouse, “all without raising taxes.”
“In addition to wise management of public spending, I am interested in advancing economic development and improving the quality of public education,” said Clark. “My mother was a teacher in the Fayetteville Public Schools for 26 years, and I taught at the University of Arkansas when I was in graduate school. I am strongly committed to assuring that our local public schools and the University of Arkansas are the best that they can be.”
As a 45-year resident of Fayetteville, Clark is a graduate of Fayetteville High School who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas.
Candy Clark, a local business owner and member of the Washington County Quorum Court, announced her candidacy for State Representative for District 84. District 84 covers parts of Elkins, Fayetteville, Greenland, Prairie Grove, and West Fork. Clark has been a Fayetteville resident for over 45 years, is a graduate of Fayetteville High School, and received both undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Arkansas.
Clark has served 5 years on the Washington County Quorum Court and is a former member of the City of Fayetteville Planning Commission. She has served on the County Services, Personnel, Jails, and Finance and Budget Committee of the Whole and served as Chair of the Finance & Budget Committee of the Whole for the last three years. She is co-owner and founder of C & C Commercial & Industrial Cleaning Service, LLC, and co-owner of All Around Self Storage, local businesses in which she manages over 50 employees and administers a multi-million dollar budget. Clark served as the first Executive Director of the Humane Society of the Ozarks and was the founder of and is a member of the Animal League of Washington County.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Today I announce my candidacy for State Representative. I believe we can do better in managing the state budget, improving public education, and promoting economic development. I have strong communication skills, both as a listener and an advocate. I promise to be a hard-working Legislator who will study the issues and legislation and sincerely listen to the views of all of my constituents as well as the ideas presented by my legislative colleagues of both parties. You have my word on that.
Both as a business owner and a public official, I have a record of providing quality services at reasonable costs. I am a fiscal conservative who has been a strong steward of the public’s funds. During three terms on the Washington County Quorum Court, I have gained a great appreciation for consensus building with my Democrat and Republican colleagues. As chair of the County Finance & Budget Committee for the past two terms, we have worked together to pass a balanced budget and cut property millage with no loss in County services. We have also built a Coroner’s Building, Animal Shelter, parking deck, and finished renovations to the Historical Courthouse, all without raising taxes. I have learned how to make different opinions unite to do productive work for the taxpayers of Washington County. However, political success is not enough. As a local business owner for over 15 years, I also understand the real world realities involved with making payroll, paying taxes, and keeping a workforce of over 50 people employed. I am committed to bringing this same common sense to our state government as a member of the Arkansas Legislature.
I am announcing now so that I will have a year to listen to the concerns of the voters and discuss those issues that are important to them. In addition to wise management of public spending, I am interested in advancing economic development and improving the quality of public education. My mother was a teacher in the Fayetteville Public Schools for 26 years, and I taught at the University of Arkansas when I was in graduate school. I am strongly committed to assuring that our local public schools and the University of Arkansas are the best that they can be. Our children are our future, and we must make sure they have the knowledge and skills to compete in the 21st century. I want to make sure they have the necessary resources and funding from our state government.
Northwest Arkansas is the economic engine of our state. I believe that public policy should support a strong economy and a healthy business climate that provides economic opportunity for business, good jobs for our work force, and financial security for all of our residents, whether in our cities or our rural areas. My experience in private business as well as city and county government have prepared me to be an effective State Legislator to work in a bi-partisan fashion for our area, our state, and its people.
With both productive political and business experience, I am ready and prepared for new challenges in public service. After careful consideration, I am excited to announce my candidacy for the Arkansas House of Representatives, District 84. I welcome your support. Working together, we can make Arkansas even better.
