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