Arkansas Code Title 14. Local Government § 14-188-102. Legislative declarations

(1) Many rural areas of Arkansas suffer from chronic unemployment and underemployment, lack of economic development, and patterns of land use which contribute to soil erosion, undue depletion of soil fertility resulting in inadequate income to support the farm family, and inadequate control of surface waters for flood prevention or drainage and for the maximum conservation and multiple utilization of water resources;

(2) Adequate healthcare facilities are essential to the economic development of rural areas of the state;

(3) Economic development of rural areas of Arkansas is a public use and purpose for which public money may be spent and private property acquired and is a governmental function of state concern;

(4) It is a proper public purpose for any state public body to aid, as provided in this chapter, any rural development authority operating within its boundaries or jurisdiction, or any rural development project located in it, as the state public body derives immediate benefits and advantages from such an authority or project;

(5) It is in the public interest that such rural development projects be commenced as soon as possible in order to alleviate these conditions of chronic unemployment, underemployment, and economic underdevelopment of rural areas which constitute an emergency; and

(6) The necessity in the public interest for the provisions enacted in this chapter is declared as a matter of legislative determination.