Fort Smith Board: Better connection with citizens needed

The five members of the Fort Smith Board of Directors who responded to questions about the voter rejection of the 1% prepared food tax believe the city needs to better communicate with and listen to citizens.

On Tuesday (Nov. 8), 62.7% of voters rejected passage of a 1% prepared food tax to support the marketing and operations of the Fort Smith Convention Center.

Without the tax, estimated to raise about $1.8 million a year, the city Board will cut into the about $42 million general fund budget to find money to support the convention center. The Board begins at 6 p.m., tonight (Nov. 10) its review of the 2012 proposed budget. The meeting will be held at in the Community Room of the Fort Smith Police Department. A second budget review meeting is set for Nov. 17, at the same time and the same location.

The City Wire sent the following questions to the seven members of the city Board and to Fort Smith Mayor Sandy Sanders. Responses were received from City Directors George Catsavis, Andre Good, Philip Merry Jr., Steve Tyler and Pam Weber. (Area business leaders responded to the same questions. Link here for their input.)
• What reasons do you give as to why the 1% PFT was so overwhelmingly rejected? (And please feel free to note what the Board of Directors might do in the future to address the reasons you mention.)
• Do you believe another attempt within the next 1-2 years should be made to seek voter approval for a prepared food tax to support the convention center operations?
• Early commentary from citizens about the failure of the tax to pass appears to indicate a lack of trust and/or communication between city leadership (Board, top city staff) and citizens. Do you agree with such commentary? If you do agree, what would you suggest is the remedy to the problem?

CITIZEN FRUSTRATION
Catsavis, who opposed the tax at every stage of the process, said the tax failed because many in the area are “struggling financially (and) do not (know) what the future holds for them.” He said the vote “is a measure of peoples frustration and a demand for more efficient city government and transparency.”

Tyler said it ultimately proved hard to explain the benefit of the tax.

“I don’t think citizens could get their mind around what the $1.8 million a year was going for. You can talk all day about a parking lot and ticketing system but the average citizen has a hard time envisioning how the convention center is going to be different or better. This is something that you can’t draw a picture of,” Tyler noted.

Merry said he is still “sorting through my thoughts,” and prefers to be in “a listening mode” instead of pushing his analysis of the election results.

“Lots to sort through,” Merry wrote. “I know that I want to keep trying to do my best to help (Fort Smith) be a place that businesses will want to come to locate and to be a place where our children and grandchildren will want to live.”

WILL OF THE PEOPLE
Good, who prefaced his remarks by saying he respects the will of the people, said the tough economy and political mood killed any chances of passing the tax.

He noted: “While I do not agree with the rejection of the prepared food tax, I understand some of the factors that may have led voters to so resoundingly defeat it. Times are hard economically. People are hurting. We were essentially asking citizens to look beyond the present to the long-term health of our community — admittedly, a hard sell. Also, anti-government sentiment seems to be at an all-time high. That works against any kind of taxation.”

Weber said the citizens simply made an investment decision.

“I believe there are many reasons the PFT did not pass, but ultimately the voters decided not to invest in the future of the Convention Center with a 1% tax. Reasons given for the no vote have been varied but ultimately, I respect the voters’ decision,” Weber said.

REVISIT THE TAX?
Directors Catsavis, Merry and Weber do not think the tax will be returned to the voters within the next 2 years.

Tyler believes re-engaging a convention center commission may result in a revisit of the issue.

“The Convention Center Commission needs to be reestablished with the task of reorganizing for efficiency and developing ideas for funding possibly a one half cent prepared food tax referendum in the near future. This commission or task force needs to be made up of citizens who support a convention center that were on both sides of the 1% PFT issue,” Tyler said.

Good’s answer was more complicated. He suggests the convention center be part of a larger discussion.

“We have to focus on our future. Support for the convention center is a part of that, but there is so much more to consider (e.g., economic development; branding/marketing; servant-leadership; civility). A future attempt to pass a prepared food tax is possible, but we have to sort out our priorities,” Good noted. “As a community, we have to decide whether Fort Smith will step back, stay stagnant, or move forward. I am all for leaping forward; for leading. Sometimes, that means going out on a limb and supporting something that proves to be unpopular.”

TRUST, COMMUNICATION
There appears to be a clear desire to seek better communication between city leadership and citizen.

“I have always believed  that communication and transparency are two important facets of government. I will continue to work toward improving these two areas within our City government. … My love for this community outweighs any temporary disappointment I have experienced over the failure of the passage of the PFT. … I truly believe our best days are ahead of us and am going to work daily to help reach our full potential,” Weber said.

She also noted her push to see the city update its Comprehensive Plan by included citizens in several citywide forums.

Good detailed three points when asked about the real and/or perceived lack of trust and communication.

“Part of this comes from frustration. People are frustrated with and aggravated by government at all levels. The economy is under-performing. For some, one way to release this pent-up frustration is to lash out. Local government is a close and easy target.

“Local leadership changes. Board members come and go. City staff members do, too. We have a new mayor. It is important that citizens give our city’s leadership the benefit of the doubt. We all want what is best for the city. We try to be as transparent as possible. If we sometime fall short, let us know in a constructive way. Get involved. Learn the facts.

“We need dialogue to move the city forward. To get there, both sides, city leadership and Fort Smith citizens, have to come together around common goals. What could be more important than our shared future? Let’s tone down the rhetoric and dial up the civility. If we do that, our community will soar.”

Tyler said city leadership and citizens must better connect to ensure a shared vision.

“I think lack of trust and communication is an issue that needs to be addressed. It brings to question the vision this board has for Fort Smith. You can’t take people where they don’t want to go and citizen engagement and involvement is needed now more than ever,” he wrote.