Should The County Borrow Ten Million Dollars For Proposed School Improvements?

At the County School Committee Meeting yesterday the proposal was presented for the county to have a bond issue of ten million dollars for twelve years. This would result in a payback of over twelve million dollars.

I don't believe there are many who have been in the school buildings that would disagree there is a great need for many repairs to those buildings. The problem is how to pay for such repairs. The county last year spent what was left of the hospital money, money that was bound by Legislative restrictions to be kept on deposit and only the interest used. So the committee was told that such an expenditure would require at least a twenty one cent increase to the tax rate. To Mrs Vanzant's credit she impressively stated to the committee that there was no way to know if twenty one cents would be enough since the tax penny has not had it's value established and the collections for the past year have been down.  The reality of the matter is that the increase would be more in the area of a twenty five cent property tax increase. The alternative would be a wheel tax.

It was stated by a commissioner that with this being an election year it would be hard to raise taxes especially this high. Does that mean such a tax increase would come only after the election, in September perhaps? 

The county simply can not afford such a debt considering the population is not increasing and a large number of people in the county are living under the poverty level or on fixed incomes. A huge tax loss will be experienced with the closing of Fafnir and some of the newer companies are operating on tax deferred programs.

The school buildings need repairs but part of the money will be for administration buildings on East Hill and the bus garage and with a lowered student population is there really that great a need for the number of schools currently in use?   

Lost Tax Monies At Milky Way

Yesterday at the Financial Management Committee a proposal was offered by the owner of the Milky Way Farm that would have provided the county with a tremendous boost to tax revenues.

Currently, as a result of the previous bankruptcy, the owner of the farm has thirty two undeveloped lots in a proposed subdivision. In this subdivision there is an existing house on one lot and four lots now owned by the county from non payment of taxes. The county is required to sell their lots for not less than the amount the county is owed, approximately $40,000. 

The roads and lot boundaries have been laid out and all the lots are available for purchase. The problem is that the road is not paved and until the road is paved, all are in agreement on this, the lots have little value especially when compared to their potential with a paved road. The majority owner of the property offered to pave the road at no expense to the county if the county would continue to tax the property at the current rate until the properties are sold and the owner recoups the cost of the road. This is the very same policy used to build most factories and develop industrial properties. With this proposal everyone wins. The severe building restrictions are changed to allow more affordable houses and the lots become far more attractive to buyers and realtors.  The county gains value on their four lots and the future tax value is increased greatly. 

The alternative offered by the owner of the farm is to forget the road paving and regroup the lots into one parcel to raise hay on. This would cut the tax liability to the county from thousands of dollars per year to a couple of hundred. 

So what was the recommendation by the Committee  to delay a decision and have the county attorney research whether the owner of the property can restore it to a hay field, if he can change the restrictions in place even as the majority owner of the lots. 

        

No Interlocal Agreement For Operation Of Abernathy Field Airport

Why is there no inter-local agreement for the operation of Abernathy Airport?

Why has the county been required to pay half the bills but have no say in any of it's operations?

It seems like with the EDC/IDB, the airport has told the county to give us your money but don't bother us about how we spend it. 

It's past time for the county to simply stop funding programs they don't understand, have any control over or drains the coffers without any defined benefits to the citizens of the county. 

This also should go for the tax increase given the city to pay for the Sam Davis Park Rebuilding. There is no accounting for what the excess income from this tax is being spent on but one thing is certain the schools are not benefiting from this extra tax. 

City Suspends Rule of Law

The Pulaski Board of Mayor and Aldermen met Monday for a work session and decided that they were not bound by the rule of law. 

Inspite of the State Attorney General's Opinion that communities have no authority to adopt ordinances that require a doctor's prescription for medicines containing pseudoephedrine and are in fact in violation of state law when they do, the Council decided they were above the law and would continue with their illegal requirements. 

With the attitude that they are above the law isn't the council actually setting the example for others to violate those laws they disapprove of? If the leaders have no respect for the law why should others, isn't that the very reason we have such a problem with criminals, the lack of respect for the law? 

The City Attorney stated that he believes the state legislature will address the issue in its upcoming session and that would decide the issue once and for all but unless the board repeals the ordinance, it will remain in effect until the state legislature overturns it.

 Now here's the problem, how about if someone decides "well, I believe the legislature will legalize Marijuana in it's next session so until then I will sell, use and ignore the law because I want too."  Perhaps someone will say, "I believe the legislature will do away with speed limits in the state so until then I can drive at any speed I choose."

The way the law works is not on the belief that something will be done at a later date therefore that law can be ignored until then, no until the law is changed or repealed it remains in effect and the same requirements to follow it are supposed to be the on every responsible person. 

The City Council, regardless of their motivations, is wrong on this matter and are setting a terrible example for all the people to see. Any drug store that follows this illegal action should be boycotted.