Ingram Announces Campaign for State Senate
Ingram Announces Campaign for State Senate
Says jobs, education, healthcare are keys to believing in the Delta again
WEST MEMPHIS, ARKANSAS – State Representative Keith M. Ingram announced his candidacy for the Arkansas State Senate Tuesday. Ingram, a lifelong resident of Crittenden County in East Arkansas, has committed his life to community service. As a businessman, citizen and public servant, he has worked diligently to improve the Arkansas Delta.
“There is still much work to be done, but it’s time to believe in the Delta again,” Ingram said. “It’s time to believe, with hard work and the right policies, we can create new jobs. We can continue to make improvements to our educational system so that our children and grandchildren will have the tools they need to succeed. I strongly believe we can also provide better healthcare. And, it’s time to believe that it will take new leadership with a new way of thinking to accomplish these goals.”
Ingram is vice president of Razorback Concrete, a family business that has created jobs in 15 Arkansas cities. As a small business owner, he has long dealt with the responsibility of having to sign the front of a check – not just the back. Ingram took his knowledge of balancing a business budget to the state capital, where he has helped to balance the state’s budget, as well.
For more than 30 years, Ingram has devoted much of his time and energy to improving the lives of those who call the Arkansas Delta home. As a former mayor of West Memphis and in the state legislature, Ingram has earned a reputation for his ability to cut through government red tape to provide his constituents with better results.
During his service in the legislature, Ingram voted to cut the grocery tax twice and co-sponsored the first back-to-school sales tax holiday to help hardworking families keep more of their money.
Ingram took the lead in creating and sponsoring the Keep Arkansas Competitive Act, which encourages economic development so more good-paying jobs would be available in the Delta.
“Jobs, jobs, jobs is the battle cry that I hear from so many people throughout the Delta,” Ingram said. “That’s why I’ve kept my focus on finding ways to attract new jobs and new opportunities to communities across our region. As our next state senator, I’ll continue fighting to get the Delta back to work.”
In 2009, Ingram was a co-sponsor of legislation to create statewide trauma system. In 2011, Ingram received the Statesmanship Award from the Arkansas Hospital Association in recognition of his efforts to secure additional funding for hospitals throughout Arkansas, which in some instances made the difference in some rural hospitals keeping their doors open.
As a strong advocate of improving education in Arkansas, Ingram co-sponsored legislation increasing funding amounts for public school children and helped to provide additional funding for teacher health insurance programs. As chairman of the Athletic Training Taskforce in Arkansas, Ingram also sponsored legislation to ensure public schools would have policies in place to adequately address student athlete safety. He was recognized for his efforts by The National Athletic Trainer’s Association at its Youth Sports Summit.
“From our Pre-K programs to our two- and four-year colleges, I believe students attending schools in the Delta are just as important, just as deserving and just as promising as those attending any school in our state,” Ingram said
Ingram concluded, “You deserve a dedicated advocate in the Arkansas Senate – a public servant who listens to your needs, helps cut through government red tape – someone who will be accountable to you. These are the reasons that I believe, with your help, we can continue our work and bring hope and opportunity back to the Delta again.”
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