PINE BLUFF - The son of a Pine Bluff alderman has filed a complaint with the Arkansas Ethics Commission against Pine Bluff Mayor Debe Hollingsworth, saying that the mayor has, among other things, tried to force the closure of his restaurant because he failed to pay his taxes.
In the complaint, Stanley Walker, son of Alderman Thelma Walker, asks the Ethics Commission to review seven issues.
Hollingsworth admitted that her campaign did not file a final election report after her 2012 run for the mayor’s seat - as Walker’s complaint alleges - but said that it has since been filed and “all of that paperwork is in order.”
His complaint also said the mayor’s campaign made numerous errors in accounting for funds, including failing “to give cumulative totals from contributors.”
Hollingsworth said she is working with the Ethics Commission to provide proper documentation.
“As soon as I received this complaint, I got in touch with our campaign manager and our CPA, and they reviewed the allegations,” the mayor said. “Our CPA had a conference call with the Ethics Commission to understand what needed to be done because we are going to be very transparent and very open.”
In addition, Stanley Walker’s complaint states that Hollingsworth “picked [his] name from the delinquent tax list” and used her “position as Pine Bluff mayor to try and force the closure” of his business, according to a written response dated Oct. 17 from the Ethics Commission to Stanley Walker.
According to the Pine Bluff city collector’s office, Stanley Walker’s taxes are now up to date, though he said he had been behind before.
“The mayor knows that the issue about me and my taxes is not about me not wanting to pay but about who my mother is,” Walker said.
Thelma Walker ran against Hollingsworth in the 2012 mayoral election, and their relationship has appeared to be frosty at several city meetings this year. Thelma Walker issued a “no comment” when asked about her son and the mayor.
Stanley Walker’s back-taxes have been the subject of several meetings between the mayor and officials with the city collector’s office.
Hollingsworth said she feels that Stanley Walker’s complaints against her stem from those meetings.
“Absolutely, absolutely,” she said. “I do feel targeted because of this. But I still remain very firm on the fact that if someone owes taxes, they need to pay - regardless.”
Like the mayor, Thelma Walker and two other aldermen are currently under investigation by the Ethics Commission. Jefferson County Election Commissioner Stu Soffer filed complaints against Thelma Walker, George Stepps and Glen Brown last month.
Ethics Commission Director Graham Sloan said he could not comment on any of the cases because of the ongoing investigations. Sloan said the commission has 150 days to review the complaints before issuing a ruling.
Soffer’s complaint against Thelma Walker said she used her position as a Pine Bluff alderman “to obtain special privileges or exemptions in connection with her son [Stanley] Walker’s restaurant.”
He was “several years in arrears in paying City of Pine Bluff Advertising and Promotion taxes,” resulting in liens against his business, Soffer’s complaint said.
“After paying only $1,074” of the $9,499 he owed, her son was “inappropriately issued an occupation license in July.” It was reportedly issued by former Pine Bluff City Collector Albert Ridgell.
Ridgell was fired twice by Hollingsworth - first in August and again in October. The Pine Bluff City Council overturned Ridgell’s August firing. Thelma Walker was among those voting to reinstate him.
Earlier this month, the council declined to reinstate Ridgell during a meeting in which Thelma Walker again voted to give Ridgell his job back.
Soffer’s complaint against the alderman said Thelma Walker used her position on the City Council to protect Ridgell by voting to override the mayor’s decision to fire him.
Hollingsworth had “terminated Mr. Ridgell’s employment for ‘poor job performance,’ which included acts such as inappropriately issuing Mr. Walker an occupation permit. … Ms. Walker did not recuse herself from voting for Mr. Ridgell’s reinstatement,” Soffer wrote.
Arkansas, Pages 8 on 10/30/2013