Written by Nick Horton
Iam confused. For the past year, the people of Searcy have been told that the proposed Advertising and Promotions tax was designed to improve our parks system. I personally thought this was a bit silly, considering our parks are wonderful and have been for several years. I spent my youth on those fields and spent several years working out there as an umpire. We have hosted many competitive tournaments and been praised by visitors for the quality of our facilities. What needs do the parks have that are so dire that we must raise taxes? I would like to hear some from the proponents of the tax. Don’t they know that we built the new soccer fields, expanded the baseball facility and remodeled Spring Park without raising taxes?
Now the proponents’ message has changed. We have gone from “improving parks” to “promoting Searcy” — I suppose this is a more popular platform during an economic recession. And again, I would like to know why taxes must be raised to accomplish this goal of bringing new businesses into town? This flies in the face of economic history. You do not raise taxes to entice businesses — you cut taxes. I am all for promoting Searcy, but raising taxes to do it is illogical. Searcy can be (and is) promoted through organizations like the Chamber of Commerce. Also, in cities like Searcy that do not have A&P commissions, mayors spend their time recruiting new business. Perhaps the problem is not a lack of funds or commissions but a lack of leadership in city hall?
The people of Searcy deserve to know what an A&P commission really is. An A&P commission is an appointed, unelected board (with the exception of the two alderman members) that has complete control over the A&P Food Tax revenue. The mayor and council can promise the people of Searcy whatever they want to hear — new parks, tourism, etc. — but they cannot fulfill these promises because they have zero control over how the money will be spent.
Members of the A&P Commission cannot be removed by the city council or mayor, nor can their actions be repealed. There is absolutely no oversight of such a body. In Searcy, at least three of the already-appointed members of the A&P Commission do not even live in the city of Searcy. Do Searcy residents wish to give non-residents unchecked control over $1 million tax dollars each year? If the A&P Tax is voted into law, that is what they will get.
In cities like Hot Springs and Ft. Smith, the A&P commissions have spent 50-70 percent of their revenues on salaries and benefits for their staff, which can include family and friends of commission members or elected city officials. In Little Rock, the A&P commission has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on no-bid contracts with businesses owned by members of the A&P commission. Is this “promoting” their city or improving their parks? Or is it “promoting” businesses owned by A&P commissioners with taxpayer money?
I am also appalled at the pro-tax talking point that this tax “will be paid mostly by tourists.” How outrageous. I eat out for lunch everyday in this city. A lot of other people do as well. Last time I checked, Searcy was not a “tourist hot-spot” where we can rely on tourists to pay our bills for us. This is a small town being built on the backs of the same people this tax will punish — you and me. One county-elected official even told me that these tourists (whoever they are) that travel through our city use our roads and infrastructure and therefore “we have a right to their money,” he said. This shocked me. Governments do not have rights. The people have rights. And no one has rights to someone else’s hard-earned money.
So I ask the proponents of higher taxes: is this tax about improving parks? Why? What’s wrong with them?
Is this tax about promoting Searcy? How will raising taxes accomplish this goal? Why do we have to raise taxes to improve our city? Was Little Rock built by an A&P commission? Was New York City? Was Rome?
Personally, I will be voting against the A&P tax on April 13 because it is unnecessary and will be bad for business, especially in an economic recession. You do not raise taxes or increase government spending to stimulate business. If you don’t believe me, ask President Obama how that is going (unemployment is above 10 percent).
Furthermore, I absolutely oppose giving $1 million a year to unelected commissioners who are unaccountable to the voters. I have no personal concerns about the prematurely appointed commissioners, but three of them are not residents of Searcy and given the history of corruption that surrounds these commissions, I do not trust this type of unelected body and oppose it based on the belief that taxpayer money should only be spent by people who are accountable to the taxpayers.
For these reasons, I state my opposition to the A&P tax. I challenge the proponents of the tax to answer the questions posed here.The people of Searcy deserve no less.
