Vote No on POA's assessment plan
Though I have often considered the aim and ideas of Jim Parsons as half-daffy, I do like his notion that a "no" vote on raising our POA assessment may hasten the dead-but-dying life of the POA Board.
In my 17 years in Bella Vista, I have probably been anti-POA Board about 16 of those, for a variety of reasons. My main complaint is its secrecy -- secrecy from the very members of the POA itself.
As a minister in a congregational-polity governed church, every member, and even nonmembers, knew how every dollar was spent, how much reserve there might be -- little! -- and who was paid what.
So I have to ask, what prevents the POA Board from such disclosure? What possible reason might there be? In short, I see no explanation for secrecy ... except deception! Or embarrassment upon public disclosure?
I ask any dues-paying property owner in Bella Vista to offer, simply offer, another reasonable explanation. In short, the issue is nothing short of POA secrecy from itself, not by its own choice, but by edict from its "representative" body -- the POA Board.
If our nation, our state and our city can function within the guidelines of the Freedom of Information Act, why not a local, nine-member board of some insignificant property owners association?
And they ask us to trust -- simply trust! -- that they need more money? With the city now handling the streets, police and fire protection? Remember the argument for tiered assessment to those of us who live here and use the streets, need police and fire protection? And why does the board continue to endeavor to sway nonresidents with merely a 50-cent raise, hoping their majority vote will make our resident vote nonessential?
People! The argument that our property values will go down if we vote "no" is the lowest of low scare tactics! It is nothing more than the POA Board endeavoring to prolong its own existence.
Yes, Jim Parsons, I will consider my negative vote on the added assessment as a positive vote for the earlier demise of the dead-but-dying POA Board.
J.R. 'Doc' Irwin
Bella Vista
Editorial on 04/09/2014