FORT SMITH — City directors plan to attend a forum Saturday about a 1 percent prepared-food tax being proposed to help operate the Fort Smith Convention Center, City Administrator Ray Gosack said.
The forum is set for 9 a.m. at Sweet Bay Coffee Co., 3400 Rogers Ave.
Gosack said he plans to attend and take with him updated financial information about the convention center.
He did not know who organized the forum but said it was initiated by residents.
The forum comes days after city directors passed an ordinance instituting the 1 percent prepared-food tax, which city officials expect togenerate about $1.8 million annually to operate the convention center. The ordinance must be read twice more before it goes into effect.
City directors and the Fort Smith Advertising and Promotion Commission entered into an agreement to lease the convention center to the commission if the tax is instituted.
The directors have kicked around the issue for the last several months, at times wanting to pass the tax themselves and at other times wanting to ask for a voter referendum.
Directors are scheduled to vote on the second and third readings of the ordinance at meetings Tuesday and Thursday.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 11 on 02/19/2011