Sin Tax not Family Meal Tax

Mismanagement of the FSCC is unacceptable. Department heads for the City of Fort Smith have been trimming budgets especially the Fort Smith Police and Fort Smith Fire Departments. I personally don’t want public safety to be compromised because of a failing business, FSCC. The leadership, if that’s what you call it, of Fort Smith wants to tax prepared food. I have a better idea. Why not create a sin tax like other large cities that use the money to fund athletic facilities and arts/entertainment districts. Yes there would still be a tax on people making purchases in Fort Smith. I say Tax alcohol and tobacco, cigarettes to be specific. I don’t smoke so it’s easy for me to say tax tobacco. However, I do drink and purchase alcohol. I don’t mind paying a sin tax if it is used for a specific item that benefits the entire city or region. I come from a large city that had a sin tax. The tax built new professional sports stadiums (3) and went to the various museums in the city. I think the “sin tax” is more palatable for citizens in Fort Smith. If you don’t want to pay the tax then don’t purchase your cigarettes or alcohol in the city. However, you’re forced to pay the prepared food tax every time you take your family out to eat.   I think the leadership is looking for a fast way out of the failing FSCC and haven’t really thought this through. Obviously they want $1.8 million to burn because they won’t tell anyone what the million plus dollars will be spent on. I would like to see a breakdown of each line item for the FSCC budget. I want to see where every penny is going. It’s not fair to weaken public safety and tax families going out of a meal. The leadership knows where every penny goes when department heads submit budget requests. Why not show the public where the money goes in regards to the FSCC?