Tagged: Searcy A&P Tax
Searcy Paper Picks Up White County Justice of the Peace DWI Story
Today’s Searcy paper includes an article about a story that we broke first here on The Patriot yesterday: the arrest of White County JP George “Bud” Osborn for drunk driving.
A few observations from the article that would be hilarious if they were not so sad, and related to such a serious matter:
- The paper spoke with Mr. Osborn about the incident. His response? ”I wasn’t THAT drunk!” Direct quote: “I wasn’t highly intoxicated and I wasn’t driving erratically.” Searcy PD seems to disagree with that assessment…as does Mr. Osborn’s breathalyzer.
- White County Judge Mike Lincoln was asked to comment about the incident. His response? “I would hope that [all county officials] would adhere to the law…I want to refrain from comment until we get more information.” Mr. Osborn’s blood-alchol level was .13. Respectfully, what further information is needed before this actions are condemned?
- Judge Lincoln also said he ‘wasn’t sure if the offense could lead to removal from office.’ Quite honestly, that could not be more irrelevant. Mr. Osborn should resign, and the judge should be demanding that he do so.
I think this incident demonstrates a broader problem that we have in our humble White County community: a lack of humility from public officials. Some would even call it arrogance. It is not only a feeling of entitlement and disregard for the law, but a failure to accept responsibility for mistakes.
“Donating To Parks Is Better Than Raising Taxes.”
Letter to the Editor
“Dear Editor of The Arkansas Patriot,
Today, April 13th, is election day for the Searcy A&P tax. Last year, I voiced my concerns to my aldermen about the A&P tax and its A&P commission and asked them to put Ordinance 2009-10 before the people rather than pass it themselves. Only one of them took the time to respond and explain his position, and I appreciated the congenial discussion I had with him. Before our email correspondence, he said he had not met anyone against the tax, and I had not met anyone for it. While the months since have been bumpy at times, I know both of us have talked to a variety of people who oppose our personal views on the A&P tax, and soon, we will know the voters will on the tax. I am grateful the voters of Searcy have a chance to air our views on the tax and, more importantly, vote on it.
Hopefully, most of you have seen the parks and recreation wish list, the list of things they say they need the A&P tax to fund. For some of those things, the A&P tax won’t be enough, and for others, it won’t be needed at all. Continue reading
Reader: “Fight To Keep Washington-Style Politics Out of Searcy.”
Letter To The Editor:
“In a few weeks the citizens of Searcy will finally have the opportunity to vote on whether or not they will be charged an Advertising and Promotion tax on prepared food and hotel services they purchase within the city limits. Proponents of the tax claim these funds will be used to improve the city of Searcy, mainly through the renovation of Parks and Recreation facilities, promotion of local fairs and festivals, and increased tourism from special city events. Opponents of the tax point out that the economic timing is poor for a new tax of any kind, especially one whose funds are not earmarked for such improvements and are managed by members of an unelected commission who are not answerable to the people as to how the funds are spent. Although I’m sure most of you reading this have already made up your minds on this issue, I urge all Searcy voters to CAREFULLY consider these two positions before voting in April.
I will be voting AGAINST the A&P Tax on April 13, and I’d like to explain why. Continue reading
