OPINION | LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Be wise with cash

Be wise with cash

Editor, The Commercial:

News headlines today are about the benefits of Artificial Intelligence, what it can bring to industrial nations through improved productivity while replacing people. Conversely, what the government might need to do to get out in front of it. More on that later.

Here at home in Pine Bluff, we appear to have our own Artificial Intelligence going on. Help us please!

To use a sports reference, a coach may be real smart, but unless he draws up and refines a game plan the players can execute, losses will mount. Well … it appears (you/we) have been duped by Go Forward Pine Bluff & Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency’s Artificial Intelligence and our losses will mount if we continue down their chosen path.

You mean our banks don’t have checks and balances to ensure the safety of our money and protect the bank’s integrity? Well, except for the three most recent U.S. charters going belly up, our locals probably do.

So how were we, in four short years, caught with our panties hanging out, while getting, what appears, taken to the laundry by GFPB and PBURA ? ( yes — they are one) A concern was recently raised by a GFPB team member, that being more efficient won’t be enough to offset the forthcoming lack of funding of their slush fund (our tax $).

What are they to do? Well, a short list includes:

You tighten your belt and eliminate waste like the rest of us do when money is tight.

You invest wisely in projects with a ROI (Let’s hope they don’t have to Google ROI)

You invest in your assets — Education, Revenue Generators, Local Businesses (i.e., job

creators). Target projects to Reduce Unemployment .9% from current level.

Work to reduce crime. (Apparently in the works.)

We must be wise with our money and resources. As a reminder, we have restaurants, a mall and movie theaters sitting empty. Add to that list in short time, a go-kart track boneyard.

Does one’s family buy a $100k car when they are trying to keep food on the table? I would think our primary concern is to get the appropriate controls on our spending to ensure we’re investing in what we think we are. In the alleged misappropriation of our tax dollars scheme, another point of concern, did multiple properties have the same owner who possibly pocketed our tax dollars — buy low-sell high?

As Marvin Gaye might say — What’s Going On?

Mike Lankford,

Pine Bluff