Anti-tax advocate enters Fort Smith Director race

The Ward 1 race for Fort Smith City Director is now a three-person race.

Liz Berry-Armstrong, one of the leaders in the successful effort to defeat the 1% prepared food tax, announced Friday (April 6) she would enter the race.

City Director Steve Tyler, who now holds the Ward 1 post, has said he will not seek a second, four-year term. Fort Smith Realtor Keith Lau and former City Director Ken Pevehouse have announced for the Ward 1 position.

Elections will be held for Fort Smith’s four wards in 2012. Directors serve four-year terms. The city filing period is May 16 through June 5. If needed, a municipal primary will be held Aug. 14.

Following are the list of incumbents and candidates in the Ward races.
WARD 1
Keith Lau
Kenneth Pevehouse

WARD 2
Fort Smith City Director Andre Good

WARD 3
Salvatore Salamone

WARD 4
Fort Smith City Director George Catsavis
John Cooley

TAX OPPOSITION
Berry-Armstrong was one of several people to actively campaign against a city-proposed 1% prepared food tax that was eventually defeated by voters in November 2011. The special election had 62.71% of voters opposing the tax.

The vote capped about three years of study on how best to fund the Fort Smith Convention Center that was expanded in the late 1990s. A 1% prepared food tax is estimated to raise about $1.8 million annually.

STATEMENT FROM LIZ BERRY-ARMSTRONG
I would like to take this opportunity to announce my candidacy for Fort Smith Board of Directors Ward 1.  Ward 1 will be vacated by Director Tyler after four years of dedicated service to the citizens of Fort Smith.

I am interested in bringing focus of Fort Smith government back to the residents of our city.  Elected city officials should be accountable to and represent the voters who elect them.  In the current financial climate, all decisions should be made representing the citizen's best interest.

As Fort Smith natives, my husband Joe and I have chosen to raise our two daughters in our hometown.  We relocated back to Fort Smith in 2001 just prior to Joe's retirement from U.S. Army.  We have three children, Elli, is in severe to profound special education class at Southside High School, Walker enjoys ju jitsu, competition pistol shooting, Fort Smith Jr. Cotillion and will begin Junior High School this fall.  Tyler, attends college and works in California.

I am employed in the payroll department by one of the largest locally owned staffing agency in the region.  I am a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church.  I volunteer weekly at Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith as well as volunteering time to support causes important to my family and community.

After hearing that Darby Jr. High was raising funds to purchase a new marquee, Joe and I sponsored an event to help the school succeed in their efforts.  The "Darby Run for the Marquee" raised approximately $5000 for the school marquee fund.  With the success of the first year we will continue by making the "Darby Run" a yearly event to raise funds for programs at the school.

In 2011, I helped successfully advocated for vote against the 1% Prepared Food Tax.  This was a tax implemented by the sitting Board of Directors with the no citizen's vote or consideration of the citizen's preference.

With each of these causes I have learned much about the importance of a citizen's voice to be heard and working with the City.

The vision I have for the City of Fort Smith is to bring honesty, accountability and efficiency in government on behalf of all residents.  We all have friends, family and neighbors who are out of work and who have tightened their belt to cut spending.  The City should make decisions with this in mind and be good stewards of tax dollars.  As your Ward 1 Director I will make decisions to use our tax dollars both efficiently and effectively to best represent you.