jobs going going gone

Submitted by deere40 on Thu, 01/26/2012 - 12:34pm

i am really frustrated at the city of fort smith, all one hears about is the civic center, water front, water park( which should have been done long ago  seeing how a town alma's size has had one for a while and expanding each year). What about all the jobs leaving our area, jobs leave so does the income to spend in our town. Maybe instead of trying to get more industry why not tyr to keep what we have. Trane just announced another lay off, what next shut the doors? WAKE UP Fort Smith not everyone can get a job at wal mart and mc donalds.,

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Citizens pay for

Submitted by Bradley Martin on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 2:25pm.

I understand your Frustration but it is misdirected. Alma's water park is paid for with a prepared food tax, their excellent performing arts center is paid for with their property taxes. See the similarity paid for with taxes. Fort Smith voters have traditional voted down funds to pay amenities that improve the quality of life that encourages business to locate and hire in Fort Smith.

since businesses are coming

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 4:16pm.

since businesses are coming here at such a blistering pace, we better tax tax tax, and create all kinds of unneeded things hun Bradley? Thats nonsense.

Busineses come where there employes want to live.

Submitted by Bradley Martin on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 12:37am.

Business locate in places they feel their employees will want to live. Every wide place in the road wants businesses to locate but they pick the places where they feel they can have happy employes that will remain their employes. A good example is a landscape architect from little rock told me of a city that was hoping to attract a new manufacture. The search committee sat down with the city leaders and first thing they ask was was to see the city's park and recreation plan. The City didn't have one so they got up and left for another city. The Landscape architect has a new client a little late for the city. Unless the citizens are willing to support the amenities that provide the quality of life that is expected in a city you can forget about new business and jobs, or increasing the tax base. The city will slowly die and the jobs will go to the towns that are willing to provide the quality of life that is expected.
Business locate in places they feel their employees will want to live. Every wide place in the road wants businesses to locate but they pick the places where they feel they can have happy employes that will remain their employes. A good example is a landscape architect from little rock told me of a city that was hoping to attract a new manufacture. The search committee sat down with the city leaders and first thing they ask was was to see the city's park and recreation plan. The City didn't have one so they got up and left for another city. The Landscape architect has a new client a little late for the city. Unless the citizens are willing to support ...>> Read the entire comment.

Deere40, Don't Be Misled

Submitted by Jack Swink on Thu, 02/02/2012 - 12:48pm.

Deere40, don't be misled by what Bradley says. Our lack of growth and jobs can be placed directly on leadership in recent years. The thought that taxation is the answer to all our problems will not past the test. Sure the taxpayers of this great city deserve better, but until the taxpayers demand fiscal responsibility from their leaders, we will continue to fall further and further behind.

Sorry Jack someone has to pay

Submitted by Bradley Martin on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 9:09am.

Jack someone has to pay to have the things taxpayer demand in the place they live. 100s of businesses have expanded creating 1,000s of new jobs in recent times. Many new commercial buildings are being built in Fort Smith to expand an existing business or add a new one. If you would do a little checking instead of trying to find the small percentage of spending you call wasteful you will find that the city departments constantly strive to perform their job and city services more efficiently. Check other cites with a manufacturing base about the size of Fort Smith and you will find we are doing quite well in a bad economy. Like it or not the city government of Fort Smith does very well with the money they have to spend.
Jack someone has to pay to have the things taxpayer demand in the place they live. 100s of businesses have expanded creating 1,000s of new jobs in recent times. Many new commercial buildings are being built in Fort Smith to expand an existing business or add a new one. If you would do a little checking instead of trying to find the small percentage of spending you call wasteful you will find that the city departments constantly strive to perform their job and city services more efficiently. Check other cites with a manufacturing base about the size of Fort Smith and you will find we are doing quite well in a bad economy. Like it or not the city government ...>> Read the entire comment.

Let the willing pay

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 10:47am.

Exploiting the government's authority to tax for nonessential ammenities, like a water park is quite simply an act of theft. This does not mean however, that the willing public should not build a water park. Most people would be offended if they found out that their tax dollars were paying for a country club. But there's nothing wrong with a group of people who are willing to pool their resources by paying dues to fund an open to the public facility that offers a discount to dues paying members, so long as it doesn't require and act of theft from uninvolved parties. Financing a facility through cooperation rather than mandatory taxation eliminates a completely understandable resentment from uninvolved parties.