No on tax
Editor, The Commercial:
The Pine Bluff NAACP is asking the Divine Nine to help to get out every vote in our community.
Since 1909, the mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
We also recognize the contributions and influence Divine Nine organizations have made in African American communities. The NAACP has MOUs with all Black Greek Letter organizations and other civic and service organizations, to assist NAACP branches in fighting racism and social and/or economic injustice.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Thus, the Pine Bluff NAACP is calling on undergraduate and alumnae chapters of Alpha Kappa Alpha (1908), Delta Sigma Theta (1913), Sigma Gamma Rho (1922), Zeta Phi Beta (1920), Alpha Phi Alpha (1906), Kappa Alpha Psi (1911), Omega Psi Phi (1911), Phi Beta Sigma (1914), Iota Phi Theta (1963) and the Links Inc. (1946) to help protect our seniors, single mothers, and anyone on a fixed income.
We need your help … there is an alarm at the gate!
We need your help to protect our seniors, single mothers, and anyone on a fixed income. Pine Bluff is already the highest-taxed city in the state — and more new taxes are already on the way. A new millage for our schools and utilities tax increases are coming later this year.
The Pine Bluff Branch of the NAACP recently voted to oppose the city’s new Go Forward tax proposals because it imposes an unfair, regressive tax and represents a failed public-private partnership. Arkansas Community Organizations (ACO) and the Arkansas Libertarian Party of Arkansas have also voted to oppose the tax.
Similarly, the Fraternal Order of Police, the Fraternal Order of Firefighters, the firefighter’s union, and BRAVE have all refused to endorse the Go Forward 3/8 tax (for public safety). And the Arkansas State Police are currently investigating Go Forward Pine Bluff’s Urban Renewal Agency.
The NAACP has traditionally opposed regressive sales taxes because they hit poor people the hardest. Poor people and households lacking financial assets do not benefit equally from economic development tax initiatives. Yet, they bear the burden of the sales tax on every purchase they make, e.g., food, clothing, shelter, etc.
The Pine Bluff NAACP hosted a series of townhall meetings and informational sessions in all four wards to educate the public about the effect of the proposed new taxes and to solicit better ideas and community input on how to improve the wards and our city. Now it is time to go to the polls and let our collective voices be heard.
Consequently, we need your help to get out every vote in our community.
Whether you are for Go Forward or against Go Forward (like us), we believe that all Black Greek organizations agree that our people need to go to the polls and vote on such an important matter as this. So please help the NAACP ensure that our community shows up and turns out to the polls.
Kymara Seals,
Pine Bluff Branch NAACP/Divine Nine member