Who Is Costing The City Money?

This is a request from a reader and is posted as it was presented.

"I wish you would start a thread about "who is costing the City money??" I live inside the city limits and I want to know if my tax dollars are being spent on the city's attorney fees for this doctor's lawsuit. Someone with the city should come forward and make a public appearance to inform the citizens about all the lawsuits that the police department is and has been involved in. We deserve answers!!!"

From the Insurance Committee Held This Morning

During this mornings Insurance Committee Meeting it was discussed and agreed that finally county employees would be required to pay a portion of their health insurance premiums.
The premiums are scheduled to go up 7.1% this year and the county just don't have the money to continue paying all the cost. This means that the approximate increase of $42.00 will be paid by the employee if this is passed in the Budget Committee and the full Commission.
The resolution that was passed this morning states that the county will pay the first $590.00 of an individual employee's health insurance premium and the employee will be obligated for the rest of the cost.

Blog Was Closed For Repairs

The blog has been down for repairs by the main administrator. I have been just as frustrated as anyone about it being down and not knowing why, especially when topics and post were deleted. Last night I received a message that it had been closed for repairs and updating but should be back up sometime today. They stated that they would try to re-post the items that were deleted but could not guarantee it. Finally it came back but apparently the deleted items could not be re-posted by the administrator.

Just Who Is Costing The County Money?????

Well it seems that, if you believe everything you read, the county is almost bankrupt because of me.
The newspaper reported that the County Attorney Lucy Henson, has billed the county $16,638.00 for defending the county in a lawsuit filed by me, “an unsuccessful 7th District County Commission Candidate in 2010”.

Boy was I shocked to learn how much the County Attorney had charged the county and then to learn that the County Executive Janet Vanzant the former director of the Senior Citizens Center that lost so much toilet tissue and food under her leadership, believes that it will require hiring another attorney to assist Ms. Henson because of the appeal.

As I total up the cost of my defense against the incompetent, illegal and abusive behavior of the Election Office I am amazed that my attorney charged so little. You see my attorney charged me $150.00 an hour his fee was just at $9,000.00, but he did travel from Columbia several times, then another $2,000.00 for an expert witness, filing fees, subpoenas and such the cost was just over $11,000.00 dollars on an itemized bill. Because there is basically nothing that can be added in the appeal process there is really very little cost other than the administrative matters which I have to pay. Certainly nothing that would require an additional attorney, unless of course that additional attorney might be Mr. Williams who defended Mrs Coleman at no cost as was been reported.

Hummmm, at $150.00 an hour that means Mrs. Henson spent about 110 hours on my suit. Wonder if she has submitted an itemized bill for her services?

Some questions that come to my mind as I ponder this matter; Ms. Henson is paid $40,000.00 a year to handle county business has she really exceeded that amount on other matters of county business. I realize her standard response to very question is “I have to research it”. Heck, she’s been researching the question of the illegal action taken by Mrs Vanzant in overriding the County Commission decision about the distance rule to sell alcohol for over a year now.

I’m sure it took a lot of time dealing with the order that came down from the State Attorney General that the county had to alter their distance law or face legal action.
I wonder since, in court, under oath Mrs Bassham admitted to a number of very serious “errors and mistakes” that led to this lawsuit if she has receive any type reprimand or given any reprimands to she staff? I mean after all had her office fulfilled there duties properly and responsibly there never would have been a suit to file.

I wonder why there has been more embellished exaggeration from the County Executives office about my cost to the county than about Mrs Vanzants cost to the county, after all the county didn’t have to pay me $70,000.00 for racial discrimination against Mrs. White or several million spent on the jail mess over none existent dangerous mold, and I haven’t even heard anything about what she cost the county in mishandling the Hunter Smith Building. Will I guess she just don’t want to brag about her accomplishments.

Oh, for the folks who were so critical of this lawsuit, as Judge Jones stated to Mr. Williams in court, “this is no frivolous lawsuit so you can forget throwing it out”, the lawsuit I filed was not by my choosing but was forced on me by a government and individuals who refused to follow the law or respect the basic rights of citizens.

HONK AGAINST THE WHEEL TAX

On Monday morning 16 May 2011 at 9:00 AM the County Legislative Body will come into session and on the agenda for that meeting is the issue of circumventing the voters of Giles County by passing a Private Act to implement a Wheel Tax of $50.00 per vehicle on the citizens of the county. If this passes it will be given to Representative Eddie Bass to take before the state legislature for approval. My understanding, at this time, is that Rep. Bass has agreed to do this. Understand that there is nothing that legally requires Rep. Bass to do this. It is merely an act of courtesy to the County Legislative Body.
While a Private Act usually applies to such things as a state recognition of an individual, event or place it seldom is used for such an odious deed as imposing an unwanted and unneeded tax on citizens.
Because this Private Act, if approved, will not allow the people to vote on it our only opportunity to express our opposition will be in the form of a "Honkathon" around the square. While we will be limited to only four sign holders on the corners of county property we are asking that everyone who is opposed to this abusive action come to the square and honk your horns as you travel past the courthouse.
We plan to begin around 8:30 and continue throughout the meeting.

Understand there are a number of Commissioners who have committed to vote against this sleazy maneuver and are just as disgusted as anyone about it, they need our support. Call your commissioner and the County Executive ask where they stand on this issue politely express your objection to the wheel tax then on Monday come to the Courthouse Square and "honk" your opposition.

“Commissioners Consider A Wheel Tax”

“Commissioners Consider A Wheel Tax”
That was the headlines in the newspaper but there was much that was left out about the consideration for a Wheel Tax.

According to the paper the Financial Management Director says the proposed Wheel Tax of $50.00 would provide $1,600,000.00 a year for the Highway Department if all the money went to the Highway Department. While I agree the Highway Department needs to be properly funded this is not the way as it creates an additional financial burden on citizens at a time when many are hardly making ends meet. There is sufficient money in the county revenues to fund the Highway Department even give an increase over last years budget but it would require cutting the hefty budgets of other less necessary departments.

Some Commissioners led by Commissioners Campbell, Holt and County Executive Vanzant are using the same scare tactics as the federal government liars who continue to pad their own pet projects while crying that any cuts would result in Grandma starving.
Have you ever had someone ask you to buy their beer and cigarettes for them? I’ve had many people come and ask for help paying their utility bill or buy groceries for their kids while they reeked of tobacco or beer. You see some people will use the claim of need as a means of getting others to pay for their wants. This is what some on the Commission are doing now, using the Highway Department to increase revenue while continuing to spend wastefully in other areas. They have blown through six million dollars in reserves because they lack fiscal discipline and responsibility. If a Wheel Tax is passed it will only free up other money for these same spendthrifts to waste.

Another tactic is to make people believe that if a Wheel Tax is implemented there will be no need for a property tax increase or even the more outrageous lie that a Wheel Tax will mean a reduction in property tax. Incompetence and stupidity have not balanced the books in Giles County for several years and as long as the arrogant incompetence that currently exists continues to lead the budget will never be balanced regardless of how much money is made available.

Another thing that’s driving this desire for a Wheel Tax is envy. Some have expressed the idea that not everyone pays a property tax and a wheel tax would make them pay their fair share. To date no one has told me how they would be better off paying a $50.00 Wheel Tax because someone living in an apartment is paying it.
People who rent do not pay a direct property tax but they do pay the tax indirectly. It would be a terribly poor manager or government official to not pass the expenses of owning a property on to the one renting that property. How can a person who owns their own home have envy toward one who has to rent theirs? Does a person whose income is $80,000.00 a year envy the person’s salary that is only $20,000.00. If the tax must be imposed at least don’t let it be because of envy and contempt for the poor among us.

The proposal is for a Wheel Tax of fifty dollars for twenty years but the truth of the matter is that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, that can be done by this legislative body that can inhibit future legislative bodies. In other words if later on the desire is to increase the amount of the tax, it can be done. If later on the desire is to extend the time, it can be done? After the tax is implemented there’s nothing to prevent changes being made as has been done in every other county that has adopted a wheel tax. Some started with a mere five dollar tax for schools now it’s increased to seventy dollars for schools, highways, recreation facilities, salaries, practically any and every thing government desires it for.

Another thing to question is why a private act? By doing this with a Private Act it simply takes away any involvement by the citizens the tax will be imposed on. In other words silence the voice of the voters. Understand there is absolutely nothing that legally requires Representative Bass to accept this and present it to the state legislature for approval. It is merely a courtesy and normally is used for non-controversial things such as state recognition of a person, an event or a place. A private Act to impose an unwanted tax increase on citizens is as sleazy as politics gets.