Category Archives: Forced redistribution

City Politics, Forced redistribution

Government always wants more!

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Times Record 12.01.17…City proposes new business fees/$100 per business.

The arrogance of City Manager Carl Geffken proposing another tax increase, this one on city businesses—far too much political & economic control.

In view of the Ft. Smith’s city government ongoing incompetence, ineptness and failures the pomposity & disrespect for local taxpayers is unfathomable, Softball Complexes, Trails, “Propelling Downtown Forward”, 113 page document compiled by Gateway Planning in Dallas, accompanied by in all likelihood millions for the 501c3 Establishment…specifically for what? Then there is the more recent $38 MILLION Bond deal—government’s way of raising taxes without citizen’s knowledge, claiming all the while “it is not a tax increase”.

It may be a new thought to Geffken and the City Board, because they “Need” something that does not mean taxpayers should lay down and cough up the dough—improvise. Got it? Improvise.

Those nebulous figures thrown out for police needs by Geffken are anything but specific, as usual—meaning they can spend any way they desire.

In the manner of the police purview is the $790,000 surplus residing in the coffers of the FSPD and demanding more while an alleged deficiency in police & fire retirement funds. How about Sgts & officers going to FBI training schools in Conroe, Tx using city transportation, staying in a Day’s Inn 4 nights at a cost of $23,000 for 7 officers & Sgts?

The point: the majority of the Board, maybe by design, appears blandly unaware of who is really running the government and seems to be sorely lacking in business experience and knowledge.

The Board should temporarily ask Geffken to step aside and demand he implement a government that is efficient, transparent and certainly less fat.

The only way to utilize taxpayer dollars efficiently is Zero Based Budgetry, which means every department Head does not begin with a budget with built-in increases year after year. It means every single expense has to be anticipated and accounted for and that each succeeding year begins with reducing the outgo. Some departments could actually increase revenue.

Joe McCutchen

P.S. In Director Don Hutchings political ad yesterday he said “I am trying my hardest to keep fees (taxes) from going up in this community”. So Director Hutchings this is your big chance to back up your statement.

arkansasfreedom.net

city government offenses, City Politics, Forced redistribution

Beleaguered taxpayer questions

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More beleaguered taxpayer questions October 6, 2017

Announced Thursday, Oct. 5, 2017 that 7 Police Officers were taking a 4 ½ day trip allegedly for training, costing $23,000, which breaks down to $3,204 for each.

The T.R. is a paralyzed institution when it comes to asking pertinent questions, i.e. in this case, where does the training take place and the name of the organization designated to do the training. At that price I don’t have to tell you that this trip is not to Little Rock. Would the agency designated to do the training be an international organization to which the PD belongs and uses their protocols?

At the same time the Police Department announced it possessed a $790,000 surplus while maintaining Police & Firemen retirement funds are in the arrears, in all probability a lie, but if not?

Two curious purchases, 3 new fully loaded Harleys & gasmasks. How are they to be used? This brings memories of the Bass Brothers.

Also announced today regarding the water park…giant water slides coming, and the justification given, “some people just prefer those types of slides”. How many is “some”? Approximate cost $1.6 million, and I emphasize, that is approximate. Maintenance, insurance, more government hiring’s, etc. etc. and Judge Hudson states “it’s all in the name of profitability”.

As Fort Smithians sleep politicians & bureaucrats are stripping our economic hides to bare bones. Don’t count on the Times Record ever performing their professional duties by investigative reporting.

Incumbency is a toxic weed—fatal.

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

Boozman record, Federal Government, Forced redistribution

The “Free Food” Racket & other musings

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THE FREE FOOD RACKET & OTHER MUSINGS—Senator John Boozman (R) & Friends August 26, 2017

Those that control the belly, own the soul—The “Free Food” Folly.

A landmass too large, a national government too large, too corrupt & self-serving to govern constitutionally & legally, e.g. mass immigration, global preemptive wars, Charlottesville, VA. , Baltimore, confederate statues destroyed by savages, etc. etc. Observe the ongoing national carnage! We’re the global enemy?

Citizens are to blame for continuing to embrace the two political cesspools—Democrat & Republican. Government keeps on lyin’ and citizens keep on buyin’.

This article is an attempt to present another enigma and a devastating government policy in league with 501c3’s so-called non-profits (disguised in altruistic clothing)–another nation killer. The subject is the ever-expanding faux “Free Food” racket.

To my knowledge there have been no scientific or legislative studies, no public outcry, no comments re the cause, no exegesis, the brevity & escalation and no strategies to mollify the growing dispensing of the “Free Food” frenzy awarded to all on demand and representing another huge step in creating a dependency on government, not self-sufficiency, an unconstitutional practice that kills self-reliance, by design brought about by mostly alien invasions accompanied by their failed cultures & philosophies numbering in the tens of millions and multiplying.

“Free Food” merchants and their recipients continue to multiply at a meteoric rate, contributing mightily to plunging our nation squarely into Cultural Marxism, i.e. Third World status. This is only one of many Government endeavors that was launched to destroy the white middleclass, the foundation of our republic and the last bastion of constitutional government. You see, the middleclass are the funders being exploited by force by all U.S. counties, cities, states, & federal government entities. Middleclass Americans create 67% of all the jobs in our nation. America’s growing scrambled populations enhances the “Free Food” explosion and will ultimately destabilize our society and give rise to the implementation of a full blown police state, abetted by 501c3’s Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s) which are all taxpayer funded with lucrative job securities and serve as a conduit for political correctness, another nation-killer creating a national crisis. So, why does government want to kill the Golden Goose and replace with Third Worlders?

Fort Smith, a microcosm of maleficent federal bureaucracies & their NGO’s laboring under the aegis of altruistic benevolence—“Free Food”.
Just a tip of the iceberg re recent quotes, statistics, & actual practices of dispensing the PC phrase “Free Food”.

1. Fort Smith schools dispense 1,100 “free” meals daily, a disgrace and an unbridled taxpayer theft coupled to other unconstitutional government programs while educators, bureaucrats & politicians wear the ”Free Food” giveaway as a badge of honor, and the above dispensers are benefiting economically. As a sidebar, the Regional Valley Food Bank provides at least 55,000 meals each month! Antioch for Youth & Family feeds 7,000 per month. Another new entry into the 501c3 Free Food Fest Combine is to be the Riverview Hope Campus with more free food provisions. The Next Step Day Room, the Community Clearing House, followed by others. The 501c3’s, commonly called non-profits are all about profits for their progenitors…taxpayer funded. Americans should view the dispensers & receivers with alarm & revulsion. The Spirit of our Founders gone forever.

2. Phillip Garcia: Child Nutrition Director said “kids do not have to be students at Fort Smith public schools, just have to be 18 years or younger.” Observe: no protocols.

3. Also from Mr. Garcia, leaving the impression the school systems are “conquering heroes”, “if we (who is we?) didn’t see growth then we would not have been doing it for 10 years”(Why would you be proud of creating child welfare addiction & growth?) Mr. Garcia obviously has no shame or concern about the faux “Free Food” explosion or identifying the alleged causes. Garcia revels in the “Free Food” expansion since it means more funding for the program and job security for him.

4. A congenital patron of the Fort Smith welfare “Free Food” scam and her appraisal, “Parents and their children come every summer and the kids enjoy the meals and it helps (in this case) with her budgeting”. “Free Food” giveaways now factor into family budgetary preparations, subsidized by the productive middleclass.

5. Deputy Superintendent Gordon Floyd and his benevolent remarks re “Free Food”: “There is no written protocol”, i.e. obviously no limitations or oversight. “Staff encourages (advertises) them (adults) to apply for free food or reduced lunch”. “They don’t realize they qualify for free or reduced lunch and they can apply anytime.” “Breakfast is free for all students”. What ever happened to parental responsibilities? Unbridled welfare. Even animals take care of their own! Dr. Floyd should be reminded that those folks paying for the “Free Food” scam are also the ones paying for your inflated salary.

6. More benevolence via the FS School Board…”The Board voted to make free breakfast a permanent program.” No deliberative thought that would effectuate cause & effects by their action…i.e. perpetuation of dependence.

7. Dr. Floyd proclaims the district made $7.8 million last year from the “Free Food” giveaway. How is that possible? Making a huge profit for giving something away. Was the funding amount left over from the “Free Food” grants? Will the $7.8 million be returned to the taxpayers or will it be banked & applied to the current year’s funding, or more aptly will the District keep the $7.8 million and ask for an increase in funding for expansion of the “Free Food” racket? After all, Garcia has had a 10 year increase in numbers of people and dollars drawn to the welfare trough. Question: how much of this “Free Food” is dumped into garbage containers each day? I have been told by educators, tons in a school year.
8. The last session of the Ark. State Legislature passed a bill that provides that drug offenders can begin signing up for all public benefits, including food. Is that supposed to help with their rehabilitation—removing responsibility for self?

9. Crawford-Sebastian Community Council (C-SCDC) (501c3) to help. CEO Marc Baker, “The Food Bank distributes grocery products to more than 190 501c3’s in 8 counties.” That 23 additional food banks in each of 8 counties. Baker continues, “I just want to get the word out that, with these needs (what are the needs?), we’re the people to come to”. No proven justified need, just takers plea! Just show up. Hardly a day goes by that some new “Free Food” 501c3 operation is announced, and good food is dumped daily. Baker and the rest of the “Free Food” merchants are a despicable lot.

The exacerbation of such magnitudes and practices in our republic, a land of plenty, is an abomination that destroys two of our Founding Fathers’ Principles—self-reliance and independence, tools that led to national preeminence.

Citizens forced to carry out orders by the federal government and enforced by city, county, regional, & state agencies additionally have their own 501c3 NGO organizations. They have little or no oversight, elected & non-elected, tax exempt, and anointed by elected officials who delegate their sworn responsibilities to those creating the 501c3’s (NGO’s). As an example, The Arkansas Municipal League, taxpayer funded as are all local, regional, city, county & state NGO political organizations & numerous others unrelated to food dispensing. All take their orders from the federal government, not we the people. All are politically powerful agents of the Federal government and Deep State Industrialists.

Why does CEO Marc Baker feel the need to advertise for individuals to avail themselves of “Free Food”—grants, funding, and more profit for himself & his cronies.

Federal government statistics claim 3% of citizens are mentally/physically or both incapable of caring for themselves. Realistically the percentage should be raised to 5 % and the percentages in that category must be taken care of with no limitations.

And the other 95%? In addition to the 3%, 37% of the 95% are on some type of welfare, i.e. food, equaling 40% of our national population! Very conservative. Translation: 60%, mostly middleclass Americans are feeding 40% of the national population, not including illegals. How is it possible to terminate the illegitimacy of these “free food” tsunamis? Not possible. The “Free Food” practice expands yearly if for no other reason than used as an excuse for the introduction of new politically destructive nation-killing government programs. Government’s most reliable asset & the major purveyor of the “Free Food” programs are the public schools.

It would not be politically correct for government to identify the hundreds of ethnicities and their numbers who have invaded and are slopping at the “Free Food” welfare trough, and the inherent costs to taxpayers. The newest wave of unwanted invaders is the Mideast Muslims practicing primitive Sharia Law & already leaving their fingerprints on the U.S. judicial system. They have nothing in common with western culture but are welcomed by progressive Marxists, i.e. Democrats & various splinter groups. What fools we are!

Today there are 50 million American citizens and millions of illegal alien nesters receiving food stamps, and are beneficiaries of other existing welfare programs, some have been specifically crafted for blacks & Mexicans—why? How could anyone be hungry?

Food Stamps are available and advertised by government to every soul in America, why then the existence of multiplying 501c3 Food Banks by the thousands? Money, influence, and to initiate & foster government dependency.

Again my sense is the most egregious & corrupt of all the “free food” factories are the enabling nation’s public school systems, the vehicles for economic, political, social, educational indoctrination & expansion. Most importantly, teachers are pretzelizing the minds of young children carried out in these once proud institutions while many of the teachers are unaware of their complicity & their debilitating influences due to their own indoctrination in the very system they’re teaching. Of course, there is the teacher fear factor & job security that permeates every facet of the public school workforce.

The contravening reason for government expanding “Free Food” policy on demand? Answer: again, to achieve citizen dependency on government by instituting a political/social/economic genocide on middleclass white Americans, making it easier for the Deep State to bring down our current President or future presidents and our Constitutional government that is occurring as I write.

Notice the huge dollar amount spent by government and NGO’s encouraging and almost demanding individuals & families enroll in the free food & reduced price programs. Additionally, I would say that over the years I have encountered only 2 locally that I define as genuinely legitimate free food & lodging facilities, those being the Salvation Army in Fort Smith and the Gospel Rescue Mission in Van Buren.

Locally other taxpayer subsidized “Free Food” merchants, other than those previously named; Meals on Wheels, Senior Centers, Area Agency on Aging, Western Arkansas Planning & Development, a new huge entry by the name of Antioch Community Food Pantry, as well as various homeless agencies…and the NGO 501c3 beat goes on.

By chance, if the outcry continues that there remain enormous numbers of hungry folks (locally & nationally), where is the proof?

The following is a hypothesis & only a hypothesis, if there are thousands of hungry souls residing in America, why? Perhaps it is government’s priority, e.g. our Southern border of 2200 miles is virtually unprotected and been so for decades. Over 1 million illegal foreign national invaders enter our republic yearly, added to the entrance of 1.2 million legals, coupled to a lottery system & visas, most of them never leave, and eat at “Free Food” dispensaries. This alone proves the dispensing of “Free Food” by our government is unnecessary and a deranged ruse. There is no intention to terminate mass immigration, legal & illegal by government whose intentions are for global hegemony.

Republican Arkansas Senator John Boozman lobbied for and received low-wage illegal Mexican foreign workers on behalf of a personal friend. Boozman emailed the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, Mex. asking for 80 illegal Mexican workers for a farm in Arkansas. This activity was on behalf of his friend Doug Gillam of Gillam Farms of Arkansas. Gillam owns the farm with his brother Jeremy Gillam, who is the Speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives. A culpable offense by both Boozman & the Gillams—see below, 1324a.

Why does the criminally corrupt American government, both parties, NOT enforce existing U.S. immigration law 8-USC, Section 1325, 1324a, & 1324c? 1324a = “Any person who knowingly hires/harbors/transports any illegal alien is guilty of a felony punishable by 10 years in jail, plus $2,000 fine per illegal alien”. Answer: they are never held accountable by their all-encompassing protection racket.
There is the matter of the 17 year ongoing preemptive wars by the U.S. and at least 4 more in the hamper and no end in sight. Congress this year added $80 Billion to the bloated U.S. military budget which approaches $1 Trillion yearly. Government’s sordid phony excuse for subsidizing this massive military/industrial complex is “We’re keeping you safe”. War is America’s economic engine, unfortunately and is rapidly approaching the point of destroying all mankind—there are no winners in a nuclear war, but the psychopaths in DC disagree.

Incumbency is a toxic weed…Deadly

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

city government offenses, City Politics, Forced redistribution, Political Correctness - The Destroyer

The Fort Smith Quick-Sand Money Pit

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The Fort Smith Quick-Sand Money Pit July 7, 2017

“Propelling Downtown Forward”—Why? Who pays? Methods of money received? Source of funding? Who benefits?

We the people (citizen taxpayers) must, in this case, be afforded the opportunity to vote on this massive hundred million + utopian project that requires 113 pages of explanations/expectations if the Board succumbs and passes “Propelling”. The genesis of this plan comes from a non-profit 501c3-c4 called 64.6 Downtown (?) formulated by Gateway Planning of Dallas. The cost & source of funding not reported.

“Non-profits”, funded in the main with taxpayer monies, little to no oversight, impregnated with notoriously high salaries & overstaffing, e.g. the Convention Center.

The two major propellants of this self-serving scheme appear to be Richard Griffin & Sam Sicard. They are heavily invested on the Avenue with government cash, grants, New Market Tax Credits, HUD, WAPDD. The cash coming from Sebastian county, Fort Smith, the Ark. State Capitol, and divisions of the national government, e.g. the nascent Marshal’s Museum (initially billed as a private endeavor), ad infinitum.

It is not the city’s responsibility in any manner to prepare, build, and/or sustain a stage for private businesses, as is the intent with the utopic “Propelling Downtown Forward”.

The City Board is scheduled to decide the fate of the Propulsion plan July 11, 2017. Actually it is determining the fate of the taxpaying citizen.

In light of the recent past City Government fiascos, either by design or incompetence, the only honorable position for the Board to take is to quash “Propelling”, if not, then afford a citizen vote. Such a massive potential undertaking under the aegis of a small number of downtown stakeholders is financially & politically extremely dangerous and if enacted another forced theft of taxpayer dollars.

The question that immediately arises, do the City Administrator, Mayor, & Board have the will, the courage & moral fortitude to reject the insider political pressures that they are experiencing re: “Propulsion”.

To refresh the minds of citizens re recent past failures and improper spending of taxpayer monies by the City Board, e.g. forced fluoridation; the nascent Marshal’s Museum; the failed Convention Center ( Legris and two city staffs are soon off to New Orleans for another “convention”!); current Trails and a proposed 87 miles system, apparently without an enforceable bid process in place; the 1985 1% street/sewer tax that generated $650 million in the first 25 years of the ongoing tax + an additional 7 years specifically earmarked for sewers/streets that never occurred, followed by a $400 million EPA mandate (see above, should have already been paid for many times over) accompanied by a $300,000 EPA non-performance fine, and Manager Carl Geffken wants an additional 12 year extension totaling 24 more years to meet EPA mandates and citizen needs, i.e. no sewer/street refurbishing completion; the $2 million (city, state, national) Files/Webb softball debacle; the hundreds of thousands spent in the recycling cover-up (i.e. $52,000 per month x 3 years); a lawsuit against the city pertaining to illegally conducting city business via email (lack of transparency); & a police/fire deficit in their respective retirement funds.

Added to this list of tawdry failures, Police Chief Nathanial Clark was apparently hired for two reasons, he is black and his plans are to install minorities in police command positions, while publicly stating he was going to install a paramilitary unit in the police dept.—Chilling, and why? Also, for the public’s edification the Chief has prevailed on the Board to dissolve the efficient and honorable Civil Service Commission in order to eliminate citizen oversight & scrutiny of the FSPD.

Our Founding Documents intended America to act in the manner of a Constitutional Republic where merit, education, competition, accomplishments reign supreme not “set-asides, quotas”, etc. which are addiction liabilities.

In view of the above listed incompetency’s, wastefulness, lack of oversight, absent a stated & detailed enforceable transparent bidding process, and management mediocrities, citizens should expect the Board to recognize their frailties and resume their sworn responsibilities that address citizens’ needs, not the downtown special interests and pay the city’s financial obligations in a timely manner, e.g. Zero Budgetry. Not to revitalize (pay for) the insiders’ Downtown Avenue skeleton that would enhance the value & profit of their personal private properties, would subsidize existing businesses (structurally & monetarily) and underwrite new construction, along with the introduction of privately owned new entertainment venues—all the responsibilities of individuals, i.e. genuine private enterprise.

Our republic was founded by & until recently has functioned AS A NATION OF SELF-SUFFICIENTS, NOT A NATION OF DEPENDENT BEGGARS.

Citizens, if Propulsion is installed you will be paying dearly for the Downtown Stakeholders’ apartments, work units, town homes, residentials, small grocery, dry cleaners, convenience shop, gym, sidewalks, trails, rerouting truck traffic, street cars, etc. etc. by their own printed words.

To the FS City Board: Either quash “Propulsion” or grant a citizen vote.

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

city government offenses, City Politics, Forced redistribution

Transparency needed–“Propelling Downtown” project

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“Propelling Downtown Forward Plan”….who pays, what is the legal authority, what are the details, and is it Constitutional? June 19, 2017

Recent city government history indicates a government of incompetence, malfeasance, lack of transparency, massive foolish spending and cover-ups. While the City Manager Geffken wants “to move-on”.

Fluoridation, nascent Marshal’s Museum, street/sewer tax, softball complex, recycling, continued subsidizing of the Convention Center, proposed 87 miles of trails, fire & police retirement fund deficits, a new police chief by his own words in public print wants to install a paramilitary police force and put police Command under the control of minorities or anyone else without Commission Approval is a dangerous & an unintelligible means of building and sustaining an accountable policing agency.

All the above is against the will of the people, without detailed knowledge/planning, without approval and is mostly unconstitutional.
What Sicard & Griffin and other lesser lights, e.g. McIntosh, White, are proposing is simply that Fort Smith taxpayers will pay for their utopic visions of rehabbing their buildings, businesses, and developing their raw property for their own personal economic gain, always under the umbrella of tourism, jobs & new industry, which is farcical.

Bring “Propelling” to a citizen vote.

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

City Politics, Forced redistribution

New attempt at Urban Renewal using tax money for private property

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June 13, 2017
“Propelling Downtown Forward plan”…and how does Griffin, Sicard and all their downtown cronies plan to pay for the Garrison Resurrection?

This is to inform each of you that in the 1960’s the federal government passed what was known as “Urban Renewal”, wherein city taxpayers paid for the reviving & restoration of privately owned downtown properties.

A vote was forced in Fort Smith and Urban Renewal was overwhelmingly defeated. R.A. Young (ABF) was chairman of the proposal to use city taxpayer dollars for his & others’ private property enhancements in downtown Fort Smith.

The “Propelling” appears to be the same proposed theft by another name. In view of the city’s massive spending, cover-ups, and failures one would think you folks would be more tentative. In addition to Files/Webb, Recycling, there is the matter of injecting millions of taxpayer dollars (city, state, national) into the nascent Marshal’s Museum originally billed as a “private endeavor “and the city’s 24 year history of misappropriating the 1% city street/sewer tax.

Another issue in question is Griffin’s use of the New Market Tax Credit designed for use in blighted areas and his long time involvements in HUD.

Just as any private property owner must be responsible for their property so do the owners of downtown properties. The City Government is not constitutionally or legally empowered in any manner to subsidize privately owned property. Hopefully you will refrain from cover ups and incompetence and let the light shine in…referencing your constituencies.

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

Education Morass, Forced redistribution, Political Correctness - The Destroyer

Government schools expand by abetting dependency & robbing taxpayers

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The Fort Smith School Board has all the appearances of a rogue operation under the leadership of President Deanie Mehl. April 19, 2017

The School Board, uncontrolled, dispensing of taxpayer dollars by force is a criminal act.

Since “we the people” are unaware of the demographics of those who are participating in this unearned assault on taxpayers (free meals), we can only surmise.

Yesterday’s T.R. carried a quote by Charles Warren who is Director of Financial Services for the school district directed to Superintendent Doug Brubaker that states “We believe that it is time to end the pilot status of the program (alleged free breakfasts to the throngs) and recognize the program as a service (?) to the District to be incorporated in the District budget in future years”. The arrogance of Warren & his masters, as if it were the duty or obligation of the taxpayers to run a feeding program and as Warren indicated, no caps, and the magnitude now coupled to the unbridled future of the dispensing of unearned largesse is breathtaking.

We can assume that these moochers who line up for what the schoolhouse bunch claim to be a “free” breakfast are all on welfare, i.e. food stamps, housing support, child care, Medicaid, Arkansas Works, etc.

Another assumption is that they all receive monthly food stamps and if that is the case, these moochers have breakfast paid for twice—food stamps & locally taxpayer funded breakfasts. Never did Mehl or Superintendent Brubaker disclose the cost of the present and future breakfast program that Charles Warren bloviated about. Warren and his associates occupy another form of government welfare.

The average U.S. household below the poverty line received $168 per day in government support. The median household income in America is just over $50,000, which averages out to $137.13 per day!

To put another way, being on welfare now pays the equivalent of $30 an hour for a 40 hour week while the average job pays $24 an hour. This study was done 4 years ago and welfare addicts have seen their benefits rise.

Here are 10 states that now have more people on welfare than they do employed: California, New Mexico, Mississippi, Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, New York, Maine, & So. Carolina. Governor Asa Hutchinson is working hard to add Arkansas to that list, i.e. unlimited corporate welfare (bonds), tire taxes, gas taxes, internet taxes (a privacy buster), added 340,000 to Medicaid (AR Works) in the last 1 ½ years, no cap, etc. etc.

President Mehl pontificated re: giving raises to Ft. Smith teachers; “We’re behind NW Ark. they receive $8,000 to $9,000 more in starting salaries than F.S. teachers”. Does Mehl not realize the economy in NW Ark is nearly 30% higher than Fort Smith? An old political game—if one city does something, we should do likewise whether we can afford it or not. We, like the U.S., should mind our own business.
The lack of Constitutional & economic awareness by Mehl, her 4 toadies, Brubaker & Warren is beyond belief.

They are practicing psychopathic altruism which would be fine if they were using their own money—but of course they are not. The easiest job in the whole world is to criminally spend other people’s money.

INCUMBENCY IS A TOXIC WEED.

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

city government offenses, City Politics, Forced redistribution

WHERE DID/DOES THE MONEY GO???

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ANOTHER WHY? FOR THE UBER CORRUPT FORT SMITH CITY GOVERNMENT.
March 20, 2017

T.R. article this date states that City Administrator Jeff Geffken wants to renegotiate the latest EPA decree which demands the city pay $400 million worth of upgrades to the city’s sewer system. Note, I stated this was the 2nd EPA decree regarding the crumbling Ft. Smith sewer system.

In 1985 the Fort Smith city voters voted for a 1% street/sewer tax and said tax has never been interrupted. In 2015 the Times Record reported that the street/sewer tax was generating $21 million per year. Therefore; in that 30 year period (`1985-2015) the street/sewer tax generated at least $630 million. The TR data just mentioned was published Jan. 6, 2015 which adds on another $50 million or so. Now Geffken is being told by the downtown insiders (Griffin & Sicard) to put the citizen tax collar on for the 3rd time, extending the EPA decree for another 25 years!

The above money would have paid for the street & sewer tax improvements by the year 2007, yet the streets & sewers are crumbling. It is my belief that the FS city government’s activities go far past incompetence, but citizens, who really is to blame? Once again I will say in the eyes of incumbents, incumbency is ownership! Only citizens with smarts can redirect this idiocy, i.e. incumbency.

So where did the $650 million go? It is said the fire/police retirement funds are deficient, while the city subsidizes the Civic Center with $700,000 per year, streets/sewer deficiencies, Trails, Marshal’s Museum, downtown Urban Renewal, consultants, faux bidding on city equipment, and the latest of their WHY dedication of $2 million or so to two politicians by the name of Sen. Jake Files & Lee Webb…2 insider government cronies with no qualifications for inheriting such a potentially lucrative project, i.e. the River Valley Sports Complex. Not to mention the monies they give to non-profits which are all subsidized by government, one way or another and the delegation of citizen authority to Planners & Regional government organization (NGO’s) that have no oversight. There is more incompetency?

There is absolutely no transparency in this government that allows city citizens to become informed. It is corrupt to core.

Joe McCutchen

arkansasfreedom.net

P.S. Governor Hutchinson and the Arkansas legislature have introduced this session 10 different bills to castrate the FOIA!

city government offenses, Forced redistribution

INCUMBENCY IS A TOXIC WEED

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Incumbency is the toxic weed that is destroying we the people and our native culture—Western Civilization. March 10, 2017

The Fort Smith Mayor and Board of Directors, current and past 30 year members (starting with the 1% Sewer/Road tax hoax) will not & cannot be absolved from what appears to be, with available information, a position that resides somewhere between a political protection racket and/or outright criminal activities revolving today around the nascent River Valley Sports Complex, absent transparency.

At this juncture (today) there have been little discussions and facts available for public consumption by the former City Manager, the Mayor & the City Directors. The members of this government indicate they do not wish to pursue this debacle and since the new City Manager stated on TV-5, “move on”. The politician’s/bureaucrat’s credo is bury their missteps and “move on”…always leaving the citizens in a monetary lurch.

Regarding the principal proponent of this engagement is Ark. State Senator Jake Files. There apparently, at least not known to the public, has been no movement by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the State Board of Ethics, or any legal establishment to remove Files from State government for misapplication of public monies, dallying with & exploiting lobbyists, liberties in handling financial instruments, ad infinitum.
Until the Fort Smith city government answers in some detail one can only conclude that this body is corrupt. Attached to this statement the following questions have been asked 16 times during the past 5 years and can be found on the website arkansasfreedom.net This government, like all governments, is not a model for transparency; always devolving into a protection racket & much worse.
Government is subsuming our national independence—all U.S. governments.

Questions:
1. Why were Republican Ark. State Senator Jake Files & Democrat Election Commissioner Lee Webb (both deeply embedded officially in Ark. government) awarded this contract—conflicts & criminal behavior?

2. When Fort Smith citizen taxpayer monies were disbursed to Files & Webb why was there not professional oversight & accounting procedures employed from day one.

3. Why—neither of the two had any successful free market experience/accomplishments in construction, but a laundry list of failures? Explain.

4. If the Fed was doing its job (& maybe they are) they would be searching for the elusive Ms. Gonzales & questionable activities & documents and foremost, is she an illegal?

5. Why are the government functionaries so quiet on the above matters?

More “fool’s gold”, in the eyes of incumbents, incumbency is ownership.

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

city government offenses, Forced redistribution, U.S. Constitution

Pinning the tails on the Donkeys & the Elephants!

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Deep City Fort Smith—related to the DC Deep State— the unelected always control the process. February 26, 2017

The primary question remains unanswered: Why were State Senator Jake Files (R) Chairman of the Ark. Senate Revenue & Taxation Committee and Lee Webb (D) member of the Board of Election Commissioners & also the chairman of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission awarded the political, potentially lucrative contract/agreement for the construction and ownership of the River Valley Sports Complex located at Chaffee Crossing?

The above question alone is evidence that there were/are substantive numbers of economic & political conflicts embedded in this odoriferous deal! Arrows also point to a possible complicity of some sort by the former City Administrator, the present City’s Mayor and one or more of the Board of Directors for allowing this travesty to be created & continued to exist for 5 years. Omitted from the equation are recently appointed City Administrator Carl Geffken & newly seated Director Tracy Pennartz.

Both Files & Webb have shown themselves to be in positions of influence peddling pertaining to government money pits, i.e. Files position as Chairman & Webb’s position with the AEDC. The conflicts, minus details, explanations, lack of transparency should have been investigated by city government & reported to the taxpaying citizens. A partial list of taxpayer concerns: contractual obligations, no apparent oversight during the 5 year project, no information regarding insurance, accounting practices, ownership, liability concerns, 501c3’s & their officers & salaries, lucrative venues related to the project, e.g. concessions, parking, multiple other entertainment venues, Files & Webb’s fiduciary obligations & other responsibilities, and in case of failure (which is the status) what restitution is due, if any?

Obviously the project was erected on sinking sand.

Since November 26, 2011 (“Sticking pins in the eyes”), I have written at least 16 articles asking the questions posed above and many more specifically directed to the former City Manager, the Mayor and the Board of Directors and may be found on arkansasfreedom.net.

Furthermore; one such article titled “Hold your horses” was posted on April 17, 2012 regarding the Times Record front page story “Developers take stand on sports complex”, another article titled “Is this political patronage” dated Aug. 29, 2012 detailed multiple questions, legal, ethical & financial. Another was devoted to an FOIA sent to Mayor Sandy Sanders by certified mail/receipt requested. The U.S. Postal Service informed me that Sanders refused to sign for delivery which lay on his desk unopened for 1 month at which time it was returned to the sender.

The city of Fort Smith has dumped $1.6 million in cash, plus other in-kind taxpayer services, e.g. the National Guard, the regular Army & Army reserves which if, (as previously stated) the city had employed accepted accounting practices & monitoring, they would have known Files & Webb have spent over $2 million on this nefarious project…and nothing to show for it. Question: did some of these funds pay for any of Files & Webb’s personal expenses and are there still unpaid bills? Then of course there is the matter of some bids that appear to be fraudulent. (Was the disappearing Hispanic contractor an illegal?)

An editorial that appeared in the DemGaz Sunday February 19, 2017 excoriated Files for his manipulation of the General Improvement Fund for $46,500 that the city government obediently applied for & received to help with the Park project. Why? This is in addition to the $1.6 million the city paid Files & Webb for work allegedly completed since 2014. The GIF is a slush fund for politicians, in this case, Senator Jake Files, to buy votes, incur other favors and enrich themselves. Senator Files has a roadmap of business failures and unsavory dealings and some appear to be outright illegal.

That the Fort Smith city government could be this incompetent & dysfunctional is hard to swallow. It is my belief that a maelstrom now exists in the Deep City, e.g. the $400 million EPA mandate the $300,000 EPA fine, the demand for an EPA 12 year completion…followed by Geffken’s request for a 25 more year extension, the shortfall in the police & fireman retirement fund, the huge amount of taxpayer money being spent on private property in Downtown Fort Smith (1960’s Urban Renewal), large subsidies to the proposed Marshal’s Museum (billed as a private endeavor & who owns?), the bankrupt City Civic Center (costing the taxpayers $700,000 per year), and the shell games go on.

In a recent TV-5 interview with Manager Geffken, he made some brief remarks, e.g. “we need to move on” which to me is indicative that he & the Board want to scrub the River Valley Sports Complex, if not true, then where did Geffken want “to move on” to? What is needed here is that Geffken call for an official, independent investigation, criminal & otherwise, into the actions of all parties since November 2011 involving the softball complex. Soon we will find out where Geffken stands on accountability & transparency.

Why is Senator Files allowed to remain a functionary in state government in view of his sordid political & economic adventures using hard earned taxpayer dollars, and same for the Mayor & City Directors? Do contractual obligations/responsibilities no longer exist?

Joe McCutchen
arkansasfreedom.net

P.S. One has to wonder if double government dipper, Rep. Matt Pitsch, Arkansas Speaker of the House & Regional (government Change Agent) Czar for RITA is anxiously waiting in the wings for Senator Files to fall on his sword. (Regional government=non-elected officials appointed by elected city officials to plan and hold control over large swaths of land, water, & people, and are the “PLANNERS” & those plans always come with a huge price, not only of money but of loss of freedoms.)

I direct your attention to both Files & Pitsch who are both lead dogs in the proposed legislation SJR8 (tort reform) that leads to the abolishment of our Founding Fathers’ Bill of Rights, Amendment 7 guaranteeing citizen rights to trial by a jury of our peers. Files, Pitsch and other traitorous Republicans in the Ark. General Assembly are bribed by nursing homes, insurance companies, and many corporate interests. They have totally abandoned their constituencies, as well as their ethics, morality & history of our republic.

What Constitutional Amendment will these Republicans attack next?