August 27, 2010

Fort Smith City Directors argue that their constituents AREN’T paying enough taxes.

Directors’ noon meeting, August 24, 2010, revealed their artful, sinister scheme to pass one & perhaps more of their potpourri of proposed new taxes, i.e. ½ % sales tax, or 1 % sales tax on prepared food or a 3^rd    option for the reallocation of 10% or less of the revenue from the 1% city sales tax dedicated to street improvements and a rider attached to this proposal to require voters to renew the tax in a decade, should they approve it in January, 2011.

Directors understand all too well what all politicians know, and also keeps them in office, is that Americans will in most cases always vote for the lesser of 2 evils…and all three of these proposals are evil.

In my last missive to the Fort Smith city government, I listed a plethora of unholy positions that city directors and other functionaries might be described as, dishonesty being one.

Observe their collective positions and decide for yourself regarding honesty in the F.S. city government:

1. Breaking into the 1% street tax which city government proclaimed they would never do prior to the election: hence the tax was passed.
2. The Directors stated that the U.S. Marshall’s Museum was a private endeavor, and would be so funded. As they are doling out hundreds of thousands of dollars…have they reneged?  If any of the 3 tax proposals pass, the Directors further support putting $250,000 annually into the Museum, and in all likelihood much much more. Presently it is not known how many thousands of dollars the Directors have already put into this $50 million+ government expansionist project just for openers.
3. Marshall’s Museum executive director, Jim Dunn, whoever he is, made a request for $100,000 from the city for operating funds (?)  The city has already put in another $250,000.
4. Slickster City Manager Dennis Kelley asked Dunn if “he could wait until after the vote on the Convention Center before a decision is made”.  Shades of Barack Obama & Harry Reid.

Does the above compute to Honesty?

The above, coupled with the Fort Smith Housing Authority are direct brutal assaults on taxpaying citizens.  The Griffin/Pyle cabal continues unabated. Trying to dissect Griffin’s operation that appears in the Times Record (8/27/10) is absolutely an exercise in verbal gymnastics. Griffin seems to treat those millions of dollars flowing from the U.S. Federal Government subsidies as REAL income. (?) Forced redistribution is not real income.

It is stated that there are cash outlays for administrative salaries in amount of $364,260 and $342,257 for management fees.  It is appropriate that Griffin name names and what these names are being paid, and the numbers in the administration. Perhaps the City Board is privy to this information and protecting it, and/or some of said Directors may have rings in their noses.

Ken Pyle, Authority Executive Director, described said Authority as an “innovative Authority, with an expanding portfolio of activities”.   Directors, do you not think it would be of benefit to yourselves and your constituents if you and we were acutely aware of the details of the Griffin/Pyle “Innovative Authority”?

Finally, why is so much emphasis, energy and capital being focused on Garrison Ave?  And why are taxpayer dollars being used to renovate private property?

Transparency? Logical explanations?—I think not.

Kindest regards,

Joe McCutchen

August 23, 2010

Fort Smith City Government—are they inept, dishonest, arrogant, corrupt or just plain dumb?

Observe:

Flashback :  13 years ago citizens stupidly passed a $55 million tax package to build a convention center, library and the first phase of a master riverfront plan.   I say stupidly because the much more efficient, larger, more attractive Hot Springs Convention Center cost $17 million and the Bud Walton Arena cost $32 million. Using the Walton Arena figures the Fort Smith Convention Center cost almost exactly the same, leaving $23 million out of the $55 million.  What was the Fort Smith library actual final cost? Using the Hot Springs Convention Center cost of $17 million, a surplus of $38 million would exist.  Why such an outrageous price paid for the F.S. Convention Center?  The question is, regarding the comparative costs between the Walton Arena and the Fort Smith Civic Center, why did the Fort Smith Center cost almost the same as the Walton Arena which is much larger and superior construction and many more venues?

It appears that contractors made out like bandits in the construction of the Fort Smith Civic Center. Same mentality that led the city to build the dysfunctional Lee Creek Dam debacle, and additionally, after many denials from the city government and an inordinate number of editorials by then Editor Jack Mosley of the Times Record that the Lake Ft. Smith dam could not possibly be raised, finally after 25 yrs or so it was determined it could be raised after all—why the drastic change in engineering studies (or was there a cover-up?) and what was the real cost to city residents because the city government refused to act honorably and raise the lake dam when originally proposed?  Again, who benefited?  Another question: who was feeding Moseley engineering data which said the dam could not be raised?

The Times Record reports that the Fort Smith Convention Center has a yearly deficit (in bureaucratic terms, that’s “shortfall”) ranging from$650,000 to $1.1 million leaving a $450,000 differential.   The T.R. did not bother to state how many years it was at the $1.1 million vs. the $650,000.   What we do know is since 2001 the city has received $17,700,000 to be applied to the Civic Center deficit over a 9 yr period.  Using the figure $1.1 million yearly, as opposed to the $650,000 yearly expense for 9 years would equal $9.9 million and that figure subtracted from the $17,700,000 would leave a $7,800,000 surplus. 

If these dedicated monies had been used properly, utilizing generously the $1.1 million figure as opposed to the $650,000 figure, the Convention Center’s deficits would have been paid for through at least 2018. Again, some of the surplus was used to pay down Sales & Use tax bond debt.  Why? By what authority?  What happened to the remaining balance? 

Regarding honesty: the city of Fort Smith appears to be plummeting headlong into a Rust Belt environment, while our administration is hell-bent on involving us, “we the citizens” in more hugely expensive, frivolous projects mirroring the $55 million Convention Center/Library tax package hike. This bunch has already cut up the proposed 1% food tax pie, before the vote.  The city directors either lied to citizens or were tricked into lying when stating the Civil Rights Mausoleum, AKA the Marshall’s Museum would be funded by private dollars.  Now we’re told the Board has already poured hundreds of thousands into this proposed $50 million (and counting) endeavor. How many employees are working allegedly for the Marshall’s Museum now, how much are they being paid and who’s providing the funds?  If one thinks the Convention Center is an expensive losing proposition, reflect a moment if you will on the actual construction cost and the continuing staff, maintenance, insurance, utilities, etc. and hence the enormous deficits this baby will surely produce.  Who paid and how much for the consultants and the architectural work already done? 

At tomorrow evening’s meeting (8/24/10), the Directors and other administrative functionaries of the city are going to propose dumping another $100,000 into the proposed Marshall’s Museum.

Other frivolities include another $100,000 (wow) for a Bass Reeve Monument, also billed as a private endeavor.  This expenditure comes in two $50,000 per year increments. After the Bass Reeve Monument is paid off, the $50,000 per year would go the City’s Arts Community…whatever that might be, in perpetuity.  Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago the city proclaimed revenues were down therefore cuts had to be made?  What happened to the suggestion that the City Board give up its $400 per month absurd car expense and absolutely no discussion regarding the Mayor’s $20,000 PER MONTH expense account, which should be only the starting point for cuts.  What happened to the deficit discussions?

The proposed takeover of the Convention Center by the F.S. Advertising & Promotion Commission should be inspected with a microscope. In this regard, Ray Gosack came forth with a heart wrenching decision, that the Commission “should not raise any salaries beyond the rate of inflation through Dec. 31, 2011”.  The arrogance of Gosack, a ward of the taxpayers, even contemplating raising government employee’s salaries at all as companies are downsizing, closing their doors, moving away, and taxpaying citizens are struggling mightily just to have a job. How asinine. “Let ‘em eat cake”?

Citizens, the Fort Smith city government is awash in taxpayer money, and at this time they should be sharply curtailing and cutting expenditures anticipating the bleak future that our nation faces, but all the while they continue their efforts to expand and demand more funding.

Remember, spending other people’s money is the easiest job in the whole world.

Kindest regards,

Joe McCutchen

All governments are cancerous—unfortunately the only means these cancers can be eradicated is the application of chemo-therapy to the cancerous cells in all government—elected and unelected.

In the midst of an economic depression and a bankrupt federal government, politicians and bureaucrats continue their adulterous spending orgy, reinforced by selective law enforcement.

A topical examination of the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

1. The city continues a blatant violation of an Arkansas statute which forbids government agencies from hiring illegals or those businesses who sub out to others who do hire illegals. The Fort city government turns a blind eye to said statute and violates the law with impunity. A city government insider opined the city didn’t have time to police businesses they hire. 
2. In 1986 a law was passed in Arkansas making English the official language. Gov. Bill Clinton signed this law making it official in 1987. (Arkansas Code Annotated, Section 1-4-117: Official Language 1987)
   1. Fort Smith Ark. Mayor Ray Baker proclaims English as the official language in 2007.
   2. There are at least 4 different ethnicities in Fort Smith who demand their native language be utilized in government transactions, i.e. food, shelter, meds, hospitals, etc. Most not mandated by the federal government.
   3. To make the above statement ring in the ears of the deaf & stupid, Barbara and I were in the Sebastian County Courthouse to vote today where there were more Hispanics coming and going into the courthouse who could not speak English, than there were American citizens.  These uninvited nesters knew exactly where to go to get their criminal unearned largesse dispensed by the equally criminal government employees.  Who says they’re “hiding in the shadows”?
   4. In an exaggerated effort by the Fort Smith city government to pass a “Hamburger Tax” or “Employee Tax” to bailout the $33 million failed Convention Center, the city again attacks the economic producers of the city. An abbreviated assessment of city revenues reveals that income for the city from tax revenues was $106 million with $103 million expenditures…a $3 million surplus in 1998.  In year 2008 revenues were $247 million, with spending at $214 million leaving a surplus of $33 million for that year alone.  Where is it?
3. Next comes another corrupted & bloated system, the Fort Smith school district, e.g. offering a “feeding program” for free breakfast & lunch for any child from 1 to 18 yrs of age.  Not one word from the self-serving, parasitic bureaucratic & political community.  Their mantra=Grow the Government! Printed “Free Food” invitations were offered in multiple languages.  Superintendent Benny Gooden allows that 70% of students qualify for “free” meals.  With illegal invasions and millions of Americans out of work, Gooden never challenges these outrages.  Question: On what authority does Gooden steal money by force from one group and dispense to another group? Particularly when many recipients are not legal citizens.  Remember, Gooden’s the guy who said “we’ll take all we can get” in reference to illegal aliens.  Why?  More expansion and funding. 
4. Another in line at the trough is Chancellor Paul Beran, Fort Smith’s own fundraising clone of Pastor John Hagee.  Beran’s shill in the UAFS budget department is Mark Horn.  Beran and Horn have raised next year’s budget by $3.13 million.  Herein lies the fuzzy math.  Horn projects a 3% growth in the 2010-2011 fiscal period, yet he and Beran have increased the budget by 5.74% and they sign off on the robbery by stating “they won’t know the actual numbers until well into the year”.  What happens to the money if their fuzzy projections don’t materialize?

The Fort Smith city government, over the years, has inflated its budgets which produces huge surpluses at the end of each fiscal year.  As already pointed out, 2008 produced a $33 million surplus.  Why then is this city administration fanning the flames for another tax increase?

The Mayor’s projected slush-fund for FY 10 is $246, 330.00. 

What say the citizen Jury?

Kindest regards,

Joe McCutchen

Fort Smith