No on GFPB tax
Editor, The Commercial:
The first thing I want to get perfectly clear as a citizen of Pine Bluff and a boxing coach of the youth organization Gloves Not Guns, I'm totally in agreement with any kind of improvement for Pine Bluff.
But for the last six years of Go Forward Pine Bluff, I'm just not impressed with the progress and the no accountability of spending the money to the tune of $25 million, and I support the groups that are requesting GFPB to clearly show where the money has been spent. I don't see how anyone could argue with the fact that GFPB doesn't have to show this information.
Well, they are wrong. These are taxpayer dollars and they must be accounted for and held to a standard to each citizen of Pine Bluff. As I stated earlier in one of my posts, the only ones that benefit from GFPB is if you're connected to their inner circle or associated with businesses that are connected to GFPB circle.
And I have to honestly ask myself if GFPB had held up to their promise to put my organizations on their circuit rather than partner with someone who tried to take over my organization. Because I didn't cooperate, GFPB chose not to help.
But I chose to keep moving on and Gloves Not Guns has done very well on the backs of the citizens of Pine Bluff and Advertising and Promotion Commission and especially standing on the corners asking for donations.
It's a shame that the young man that stands out by Walmart at the I-530 exit stopped me. I thought he was going to ask me for money, but he asked if I was the guy that works with those kids. I said yes. And he went into his pocket and gave me a dollar. There are groups and organizations that are designed to help youth, but because you're not part of this inner circle, you're left out.
Yes, I've seen the figures on one of the budgets of King Cotton. Hundreds of thousands were spent on flying in kids from other states and flew them in first class and housed them first class and fed them first class and flew them home first class. But they refused to help our own youth in our own community. Yes, I have a problem with that.
Imagine how many youth organizations could have benefited. I'm talking about local Little League football, baseball, basketball. I thought I was struggling until I saw first hand what the others are going through. Trust me, it's cheaper for youth intervention than locking them up.
In the past seven years, there have been 142 murders and over 50 unsolved. Our youth are dying and shooting each other at an alarming rate and GFPB is the organization that's been chosen to move Pine Bluff Forward. And yes, I understand this is a big task and it's not going to happen overnight, but we have given GFPB seven years and GFPB has spent entirely too much money on concerts, partying, etc. What are we celebrating, failure?
As I stated earlier to the supporters of GFPB, just keep an open mind because I know I'm not the only one that's been involved in a relationship or involved with someone or something and friends, relatives, and even strangers have told you something about this person or something and then it was revealed that those people were right all along.
I'm just simply saying out of $25 million spent, we still are 40 positions short on the police department. Please make it make sense (not cents). Too much money has been spent and not one completed project.
Yes, I'm upset our community is being shot up and citizens are themselves being shot and murdered. I've had three 16-year-olds murdered in the last year. Now a public safety tax is being put on the ballot. As I stated before, I'm all in for moving forward. We got to go back to the drawing board. I personally think Go Forward needs to Go Home.
Yes, there is no unity in the community, but hopefully some eyes and ears are being opened. Yes, I was for GFPB when they first launched it, but as I learned of their operation and from first hand dealing with them, GFPB is only out to help a select few as the money disappears -- and now GFPB wants some more. If someone could show me something different I'm open minded with nothing to gain.
I just love Pine Bluff and there's nothing you can do about that.
Albert Brewer,
Pine Bluff