There is a Washington County Quorum Court meeting on Thursday, January 12, at 6 p.m. I noticed on the agenda (link below) #10 is our old friend-mass transportation. This is being introduced by John Firmin, a Democrat, who is asking for a tax increase. I don’t know the details, but I would think this has light rail. This is the first reading. We need a mass of people at each reading and there is prep work to be done. This needs a quick response so we can prepare for it. Anyone who can attend, please send an email to me so we can get our strategy together. I want us prepared before going, so it may require a meeting Wednesday night or at some other day before Thursday. We can stay ahead of this one. We fight it now or we fight it when it is presented to the electorate and that will be more difficult. My email is: debibecker@gmail.com
http://www.co.washington.ar.us/index.aspx?recordid=496&page=269
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A meeting of theFayetteville City Council will be held on Tuesday, December 6, 2011, at 6:00p.m. in Room 219 of the CityAdministration Buildinglocated at 113 WestMountain Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas. (Agendaattached)
You will recall that back inOctober, we opposed Fayetteville’sproposed continuation of the one-cent sales tax. At the time, we made thepoint that it is common liberal practice to insist that if we don’tgive government more money, either with debt or with taxes, ”the sky willfall.” In this case, they were going to close a fire station and lay off policeand firemen if we didn’t agree to pay that tax, even in a down economy.
Some of you may recall that the same week that the special election washeld (October 11, 2011), the City sent out a press release announcing free trees forFayetteville residents, to be given away that Saturday, paid for out of thesales tax fund! The cost was a little less than $8,000, whichsupporters will claim is a small amount compared to the total budget, but thepoint is the whole mindset that taxes must be paid, not for necessities, but sothe government can provide things for people. Once you accept thatpremise, there is no limit to what government “should” and will do.
So, it came as no surprise to uswhen, barely a month later, Fayetteville’s city council is proposing a newbudget for 2012 with increased spending over last year and all sorts of goodiesthrown in. They are hinting at raises for employees, too! Here’s aquote from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (NWA edition), November 20, 2011: [Among proposedbudget items:] “$337,000 for material purchases at the FayettevillePublic Library and $216,000 for development of a regional park in southwest Fayetteville. Sarah Lewis,Ward 4 alderwoman, said she wants to increase the $200,000 budgeted forstormwater drainage improvement.” Things like parks and new librarymaterials are wonderful things, but not when we are broke, overspending, andovertaxed!
Then there is this rich quote:“Next year’s increase is because predicted sales tax growth of more than $1million, said PaulBecker, financedirector…“Generally, things are getting a little better,” he said. “The cityand the economy are picking up a little bit…” Excuse me? Isn’t thisthe same city council that was claiming they were going to close a fire stationif their tax didn’t pass? The City of Fayetteville apparently lives in afishbowl world where they can simply demand your tax dollars by force,threatening you with cutting necessities if you don’t, and then proclaim thattheir economic situation is better now so they can spend, spend, spend! Whatabout the taxpayers who are taxed enough already?
But wait; there’s more! According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette article, “Even with more money tospend, Jordan’sadministration proposed a budget that requires dipping into reserve.” What? Even with the continuance of the sunsetted one-cent tax, they areeating into reserves, to the tune of just slightly under half a million dollars,in order to cover this bigger budget.
As we recently reported to you,the same city council had an agenda item in November about issuing bonds tocover construction costs for a new parking facility. There is nosense at all that the financial situation everywhere is dire, and spendinghas to be CUT!
Especially if you live in Fayetteville, it would be good to have somepeople there speaking up. If you have friends in Fayetteville, forward the information tothem. It sounds foreign to too many people, but the taxing and especiallythe spending MUST STOP! More taxes simply empower government to spend andcontrol us. We have our work cut out for us trying to educate a publicthat seems unconcerned about the loss of freedom due to overtaxing andoverspending by all levels of government.
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Check the Washington County Elections Commission page here to see sample ballots, find your polling precinct and location, and see upcoming elections and election results.
List of Cities and Counties With Local Sales and Use Tax (see how your city’s tax compares to other cities in Arkansas)
To check your voter registration status and find your polling place go to www.voterview.org. If your voter registration has changed and if you have questions concerning your eligibility to vote, or don’t have access to the internet, please call the County Clerk’s office at 444-1711 prior to Election Day.
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WASHINGTON COUNTY QUORUM COURT
The Washington County Quorum Court is the equivalent of our local government at the county level, with justices of the peace (jp’s) being similar to councilmen and the county judge being similar to the mayor. The quorum court meets the second Thursday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the Washington County Courthouse (corner of College and Dickson in Fayetteville, map here).
See Washington County Quorum Court’s monthly calendar here. The public is welcome to attend these meetings. We welcome watch dogs at these meetings.
Contact members of Washington County Quorum Court here.
Read Washington County Tea Party’s blog post about the recent budget battle at Washington County Quorum Court here.
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FAYETTEVILLE CITY COUNCIL
Contact Fayetteville City Council members here.
Fayetteville City Council meeting calendar.
Fayetteville City Council meeting September 6, 2011 meeting agenda.
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