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