October 1, 2009

Fort Smith city government’s Battle Cry—Keep Them New Taxes
Commin’!

The City Administration, et al, has an absolute
comprehension that spending other people’s money is the easiest job in the
whole world–$16,000 for Pistachio Trees at the Landfill?

1.      
West End ….the political/economic ownership of downtown
Fort Smith, the CBID, stated they had no money to put into this quaint little
venue and the CBID, i.e. Richard Griffin, declared “disregard financial
concerns and look at West End as a recreational amenity”.   Griffin further went on to state that West
End “sparkles” and he continued by saying “where did we get the idea that parks
have to show a profit?”  West End is not
a public park.

Griffin’s awfully tight with his money and very loose with
taxpayers’ money.  Griffin obviously
understands that West End is a financial loser and I’m amused that Mike Alsup
pulled figures out of the sky and reached the conclusion that $45,500 would be
the operating expense and revenues would be within $500 of break-even.  Spoken like a true bureaucrat.

The Times Record stated to its readership that “Phil White
offers to lease the property cheaply to the city just to keep it open”.   If anybody should keep it open it should be
the owner.  By the way, how much is “cheaply”?

2.      
Ben Geren Park…..before getting into Ben Geren
and the salivating city & county governments, I keep seeing the phrase “Quality
of Place” being bandied around. The first question that comes to mind is how
much did it cost taxpayers for some low level bureaucrat to create this touchy
little phrase?  Fess up, where did you
get this phrase and while you are at it, tell us what it really means?  Reminiscent of government school phrases
which are designed to make the taxpayers look simple and parasitic bureaucrats
& politicians look smart.

It appears the deal has been cut for the city to annex some
of Ben Geren and join hands with the county to create a huge expansionist
program.

City Administrator Kelly already has the restaurant sales
tax passed, the revenues calculated and spent.

I will say here that I’m madder than hell that any
individual that is a ward of the taxpayers, advocating a tax increase in these
tough economic times, should be kicked out in the street forthwith—Kelly and
others fit this description.  He goes on
to say “750,000 for 2 girls’ softball fields, $2 ½ million for an aquatic
center, and oh yes, 10 or more soccer fields (no cost given purposely?) specifically
for illegal Mexicans & OTM’s, and poses questions, do we have more illegals
in these environs than reported or is the city anticipating another groundswell
of more illegal Mexican aliens…which is it? 
If the county Sheriff, the Fort Smith Chief of Police, the FBI and other
alleged law enforcement agencies were doing their jobs, soccer fields would never
be in the mindset, re:  multitudinous
fields.

I have a suggestion, let the open-borders crowd, the
slave-labor employers, the destructors of our standard of living, and those enamored
with the “quality of place” jargon, pay the price for ALL the horrific costs
illegals create.  I’m speaking of course
of Tyson’s, Simmon’s, OK Foods, Butterball, etc. and a host of construction
companies in the area, as well as organizations like the Chambers of Commerce,
LULAC, MALDEF, LaRaza, Catholic Charities, and the Arkansas Friendship
Coalition.

Kindest regards,

Joe McCutchen

Fort Smith