http://www.pbcommercial.com

Ark state agency considering offering office to Mexican consulate


By ANDREW DeMILLO
Friday, July 21, 2006 3:50 PM CDT

LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas lawmakers on Friday questioned whether a state agency can offer temporary office space to the Mexican government.

Anita Murrell, director of the Arkansas Building Authority, told the Arkansas Legislative Council that the Mexican consulate is discussing leasing office space from Arkansas Rehabilitation Services.

Murrell said the state agency is considering offering the space for about 90 days to the consulate before it opens a permanent office in Little Rock.

Murrell said Rehabilitation Services is considering subleasing the office space or signing a memorandum of understanding with the Mexican government for the arrangement.

Rep. Bob Mathis, D-Hot Springs, questioned whether a state agency could enter into an agreement with another government without legislative oversight.

"I'd like to know what statutory authority Rehab Services has to do this," Mathis said. "I can't see how Rehab Services has anything to do with a foreign government."

Mathis said he wanted a breakdown of how much the agreeement would cost the state.

"Under no circumstance should we provide free space to a foreign government," Mathis said.

And Sen. Terry Smith said he was concerned the deal was being arranged without any review beforehand by lawmakers.

"What's bothering me is this was all done under the cloak of darkness," Smith, D-Hot Springs, said. "I just think the Legislature needs to know what's going on in these state agencies."

The Mexican government announced in 2004 that it planned to open a Little Rock consulate. The consulate has the support of officials including Gov. Mike Huckabee, who traveled to Mexico in 2003 to meet officials there and has said a consulate would be a boon to Arkansas companies doing business in Mexico.

Andres Chao, who will serve as consul in Little Rock, said last month the Little Rock consulate could open in September.

There was no answer at Chao's New York office Friday, and Arkansas Rehabilitation Services Commissioner Robert Trevino did not return a call Friday.