Candidate for Arkansas land commissioner aims to reform office
Democratic candidate for Arkansas commissioner of state lands Mark Robertson campaigned Wednesday in Texarkana about educating the public on the use of land.
Robertson wants to make the commissioner of state lands office more efficient and include more people in the decision-making process.
“I don’t have all the answers, but I will bring interested parties to the table,” Robertson said.
“I’m at a point in my life where I’m not launching a political career at a young age. How I’ve always dealt with projects is to try to look at long-term solutions,” he said.
He has a goal of reforming the office by 2017.
“I want to get experts together, going through the issues and seeing if we can build a consensus,” he said.
“The potential for the office is very broad—it’s much broader than what it’s become in the last 30 years, which is primarily focused almost exclusively on delinquent tax property,” Robertson said. “We need to find a way to make sure we’re returning properties and make sure they’re productive as quickly as possible. It’s about really understanding what this concept of land is, what it really means in this state,” he said.
“It is time for our commissioner of state lands to serve Arkansas and invest in our future. I will put 35 years of experience with land issues to work for Arkansas and spend every day focused on how to invest in community, improve lives, develop economic opportunities and protect our resources,” Robertson said.
“While the office has been around since the late 1800s, in the last half a century, the office has functioned primarily as an auction house for delinquent property and state-owned land, despite having the resources to do much more.
“The auction is important. Once these lands are back into tax-generating status, they are creating funds for county and municipal services and, more importantly, our public schools,” he said.
Robertson is the head of MESA Landscape Architects firm in Little Rock. The company is described as ecologically friendly and creates sustainable projects across the state.
Robertson said his nearly 40 years of experience in land use can help him focus on earning the office additional funds to use for scholarships.
“The office collects delinquent real-estate taxes and interest annually that goes back into the county to fund public schools, pre-K through 12. I want to make sure that money is getting back to the community as quickly as possible, as well as looking closely at the land parcels to determine if the land itself can be used by local schools,” Robertson said.
“A well-educated and welltrained workforce leads to safer working environments, higher-quality results and a better local economy. I believe the commissioner’s office should help any student who wants to pursue a career in land-based studies, at either the career-tech or collegiate level,” Robertson said.
“Arkansas is 49th in educational level on a per capita basis. I want to create small scholarships for students who may be interested in forestry, real estate or land management. If students are educated, they can earn more money and improves the economy,” he said.
“I know the value of education and hard work. I’m the only candidate in this race who’s worked with the lands and communities of Arkansas for over 35 years,” Robertson said.
Robertson graduated from Northside High School in 1972 in Fort Smith, earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and received a master’s degree from the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. He has been the sole principal of MESA Landscape Architects Inc. since 2006.