Should The Citizens Of Giles County Be Allowed To Decide If They Want The Largest Property Tax Increase In County History?

The County is being asked to spend over $53,000.000.00, fifty-three million dollars, for a new school and other school projects. That is more debt that the county has ever had at any one time and would require a property tax increase of between seventy and eighty cents. Keep in mind that to date there has not been one single independent study done that says a new school is needed for the county. There has not been one single independent assessment done that even mildly suggested that a new school is needed in the county.

The question was addressed in the County Legislative Meeting on Monday, 18 Sept. Commissioner Jackson proposed a resolution to ask for a private act of the State Legislature to allow for a referendum, during the next election, that would allow the voters of the county to decide if they want/need the proposed school projects totalling over fifty-three million dollars. Approval required a 2/3 majority to pass.

It came as somewhat of a surprise that four Commissioners voted to deny the taxpayers the opportunity to decide this issue. When the smoke cleared Commissioners Journey, Reedy, Brown and Cobb cast their votes to deny citizens the opportunity to vote on the matter of spending over $53,000,000.00 on new school projects, including a new high school.

Thankfully the 2/3 majority vote was attained when fifteen commissioners voted to approve the measure and send it forward.