The tax failed … now what?
Tuesday’s election outcome resulted from weeks and months of “in the” public debate about the effectiveness of Go Forward Pine Bluff. When the dust cleared, the people’s verdict was no to both the five-eighths-cent Go Forward tax and Go Forward’s three-eighths-cent public safety tax. So it was effectively a referendum on Go Forward. The people have spoken. They want a better way forward. So what happens now … what’s next?
The reality is that Go Forward is not going away anytime soon. The current tax will not sunset until 2024. And GFPB Inc. will still receive another $4 million in taxpayer funds and purportedly has nearly $6 million in reserves. So Tuesday night was not the end but merely the beginning of a yearlong campaign to reshape the future of Pine Bluff.
The NAACP Economic Development Committee will review and adapt the existing development plans to find the highest and best use of the existing assets in our community for development. Then, we will present these plans and ideas to the citizenry in a series of town hall meetings.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Thus, the NAACP will lead a broad-based process to build a community-based plan to redevelop Pine Bluff. In contrast to Go Forward, our meetings will be open to the public. There will not be an application process or nondisclosure agreements. The NAACP will host a series of community town hall meetings to elicit citizen input to support the plan and build community consensus.
The NAACP will also visit and present to churches, civic groups and neighborhood watches to elicit input from these organizations. We hope to produce not an “NAACP Plan” but a Comprehensive Community Plan, which the NAACP will endorse. We will offer all community members and civic groups a seat at the table, even Go Forward — if they are willing to work with us. The banking and business sector are members of our community, too.
Finally, we will also review the city budget and existing revenue projections. Based on these financial constraints, we will recommend alternative funding measures that are fair and equitable to all of the residents of Pine Bluff. So let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work — together.
Next Steps Forward:
The NAACP will be asking for the city budget. With the knowledge of new tax revenue from the casino and medical marijuana, we need to understand where the revenue has been placed. This will allow us to determine what funds are available for use and make recommendations to generate additional funds.
NAACP will hold four town hall meetings to listen to the people. There will be a facilitator asking the citizen what are the most pressing issues in their neighborhood through a community survey, e.g., what type of eatery and activities they would enjoy in Pine Bluff.
Ultimately, this will help develop the “People’s Plan.” This information will be presented to our elected officials, who are sworn to do a job that includes leading this city back to better days.
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Ivan Whitfield is president of the Pine Bluff Branch of the NAACP.