Conservative Cause

in their own words...

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With our mission of promoting constitutional government and fiscal responsibility in mind, we first began attending every local City Council, Quorum Court (county government) and School Board meeting in our county. Our town, Conway -- like many --has experienced money issues. Conway now has a contracted Finance Officer (one of our organizers) who previously worked as a finance officer for a large pharmaceutical company. His affiliation with our tea party is well known. His experience helps many taxpayers feel more trust with city government about local finances, and his guidance means that Conway will go forward in a fiscally
responsible manner.

Our local school board is seeking a millage increase to build a very fancy new school. We publicized our many financial concerns about this project at a public forum we sponsored with the Superintendent. As with this project, we are awakening people every day to financial excesses around our city and county by investigating, writing, and reporting to our members and writing letters to the local newspaper.
In less than a year our councils and school boards now know we will question them about spending and ask for details so we can inform our members about specifics. These groups had a habit of bringing up issues, discussing, and approving funding all at one meeting under “emergency clauses.” We’ve successfully broken them of that habit because our “boots on the ground” group asks so many questions, calls and writes the officials, posts on Facebook & Twitter, and writes letters to the editor to let people know. We learned that “sunshine” can quickly bring about change!

For years, our city and county have funded various needs for various local charities, by vote of the city council and/or quorum court, without “taxpayer permission.” As FCTP knows it is unconstitutional to tax citizens and then spend taxpayer funds on specific charities personally selected by the government, we are pushing through
an ordnance(written by one of our members) that allows “optional taxes,” listed specifically, on annual tax bills so citizens can designate their taxes to go to the charities they choose.

Our group includes about 225+ members, as well as almost 500 “associates” who are Facebook page members and/or Twitter followers. We host at least seven regularly scheduled monthly events, and also set up special events with both members and the public.
Our monthly forums aim to inform and educate by using local and well known conservative motivational speakers and educators and videos. Our weekly lunches provide a place where individuals can articulate concerns and ambitions and react to current news events. We also use lunches to give more in-depth information about specific issues of concern. Politicians and candidates are welcome to attend and engage with our group. Lunches are open to the public and are advertised as such.

Past special events have included candidate forums, town hall meetings, and our first ever Independence Day reading of the Declaration of Independence.

FCTP also offers an ongoing twice monthly education/study group on the Founders, the Constitution, economics and public policy, and how to be effective activists.

We believe in giving back to the tea party community: Our leaders’ group spends volunteer time across Arkansas helping other tea party groups define their vision, get organized, and hold events. FCTP also sponsors national events in Arkansas through American Majority, Americans for Prosperity, and Tea Party Patriots. We also spearhead, with Arkansas Tea Party Inc., constant cross-communication among various Arkansas tea party leaders.

We anticipate that by expanding membership, identifying conservative candidates for office, and increased educational opportunities we’ll see a long term benefit of increased conservative values as well as the election of conservative public officials who govern constitutionally and with fiscal responsibility.

Faulkner County Tea Party