Let's be perfectly frank here.
While the city of Fort Smith is the most historically logical location for the US Marshal Museum, which will be built come hell or high water, the fanciful notion the project was ever going to be entirely "privately funded" was a misnomer from the outset.
Just given the cost of the infrastructure to prepare for construction (not to mention "other considerations") the taxpayers are already waist deep in revenue they have provided to this pie-in-the-sky cure all for what ails the city.
And now, even after ignoring the shallow promises made about the funding of the project from Day One, here comes the "movers and shakers" with a proposed 1% sales tax to "provide for furnishings, startup costs, working capital and contingencies".
Contingencies. That's the bottom line. There are always contingencies.
The contingency here is simple. After announcing this white elephant back in 2007, those entrusted with (and paid to secure) the future of the museum have done an incredible job of procuring an incredible $35 million-plus to fund the process.
Even given the taxpayer money that has been bundled into the process by governmental sleight-of-hand, that accomplishment can not be denied and should be applauded.
However, you guys are still $17 million short of your goal. And you started construction a lot farther way from your goal than that. I get the fact that this has been eleven years in the making and you want to accelerate the process. It's fully understandable that those that plan to profit privately from the project are getting anxious.
Rest assured. If there were not those that anticipated their coffers getting fuller after the fact the museum would have been built elsewhere. It all goes back to who has controlling interest in the city of Fort Smith, the stranglehold they have on the policy-makers and administrators and which arm of the Star Chamber will benefit the most from any project.
So on Tuesday, your city board of directors will vote (probably by a margin of 6-1) to spend even more taxpayer money by putting together a special election calling for a "nine-month" 1% sales tax to raise the additional $15-$17 million needed to finish out the boondoggle.
Because, by damn, 11 years of waiting is long enough. They don't have enough money to do what they set out to do and just like always, poor planning and execution on their part is somehow your and mine responsibility.
Here is a direct quote from a statewide publication about the situation(emphasis added):
"Museum Foundation President Jim Dunn told city directors that after raising more than $35 million over the past nine years, there WASN'T ENOUGH TIME to raise more. Delaying the start of construction would risk having to pay more for steel and labor. The PAID STAFF was a continuing drain on finances and the number of potential donors WOULD NOT bring in enough money to finish the project, even after cutting the budget by $4 million to about $53.5 million."
"They" (in a collective sense) have known that from the beginning. And they will have their way. You have been mislead from Day One on the "privately funded" aspect of the project and this is your day of reckoning.
And there is even rumor that if the fickle tax-payer/voters fail to fall for their scheme (read "fall in line and do their bidding") that there are "other ways" to fleece the commoners anyway.
And as the city board of directors readies to do away with several city commissions, the proposal to make Fort Smith a "partner" in the Marshal Museum would facilitate a "new" commission.
And I quote: (emphasis added)
"Because the NONPROFIT museum would be using TAX MONEY for the project, museum officials proposed the formation of a public facilities board composed of community members that would own the grounds and the museum building and LEASE it to the U.S. Marshals Museum to run.
The proposal said the board would PURCHASE the property from the museum for what the sales tax GENERATED . Museum officials have insisted the city would have no financial responsibility for the museum and(but) would have NO control over it."
So there you go. You and I will "own" the museum. But we'll have no say so in the day-to-day operation. And we'll have to pay admission to get in along with the projected 370,000 paid visitors per year.
Do the math. I have no idea what they plan on charging at the door but I'm guessing. Salaries, maintenance and other overhead will eat that up in a heartbeat. And there will be other "tax breaks, credits and considerations" down the road.
Much like the turnpike situation in Oklahoma, which was set up tolls to "pay for the project" in 1947, we'll be paying for this "non-profit" museum for the rest of our lives.
Honoring the men and women of the US Marshal Service is a worthy and noble endeavor. But Fort Smith being selected to host that museum is both a blessing and a curse.
Fictional US Marshal Rooster Cogburn wore an eye patch because he was blind in one eye.
So am I, but I can still see well enough to see the future
And just like Rooster we're all going to be "fat old men" someday.
And we will still be jumping this rail fence called the Marshal's Museum for a very long time.
