Republican Tax and Spend Brigade

The All-Republican Benton County Committee of 13 voted 11-1 to join the Northwest Arkansas Council's Regional Mobility Authority scheme. This is the first step to allow them to increase taxes on Benton County residents and spend millions on two major highway construction projects they want.

The ordinance, deemed so important that it will go through all three readings at the Quorum Court meeting next week, authorizes County Judge Gary Black to enter into a binding agreement with Washington County and creates the authority, but Judge Black would not be expected to micromanage whatever the Northwest Arkansas Council of Corporations and Wealthy Business Executives decides to do with your tax money.

The Bella Vista Bypass needs an additional $140 million in funding to begin construction, said Mike Malone, the Northwest Arkansas Council's paid executive director. This will allow the trucking industry and discount distributors to get their big rigs up to I-44 more profitably, and it would allow the moral citizens of Benton County to get to Macadoodles more quickly for beverages and lottery tickets.

The Northwest Arkansas Council has also thrown in proposed local funding for a 412 Bypass around Springdale. It would be funded by Benton County taxpayers, too, but it will also serve as bait to get Fayetteville, Springdale, and Washington County to raise taxes for construction and for funding the Council's Regional Mobility Authority. That would also be a benefit for the poultry and trucking interests, and it might speed travel time to the Cherokee Casino in West Siloam Springs and the raccoon nailings and dog skinnings in Huntsville.

You'd think that our local government leaders would be too smart to fall for this scam, but it is being pushed by the same gang that got the Fayetteville Chamber of Cowbirds to support killing passenger service at Drake Field to support the XNA Airport for Wal-Mart. Just because Fayetteville, Springdale, and Washington County governments have refused to raise taxes for essential local services does not mean they won't raise them to oblige the Good Suit Club.