Posted by AZSneed (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 3:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Welcome to the real world.
We all have had and still are cutting spending because of not having enough money.
It is not just a government problem, so stop wining!

Posted by ladybug2 (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 7:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

whining....

Posted by eagle1 (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 8:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

whyning .... well, since this is all out in the open now, there should be plenty of time to prepare for the 2010 budget, right?

Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sales tax money is going to Alabaster's shopping malls.

The big chain stores in Alabaster send their profits to the store's owners, mostly shareholders, folks that don't even live in Alabama, for clothing made overseas in sweatshops, sometimes by children.

This trend of lower services will continue, as long as folks think they are getting a better deal if they go outside Chilton county to shop. The deal they are really getting is giving their money away to make other communities richer, and driving locally owned businesses away.

Buy locally. Save Chilton county.

Posted by dandzinclanton (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It is hard to shop locally when there is only a very few places to shop in Clanton outside of Wal-Mart. I would love to be able to shop in Clanton but Clanton is going to have to bring in some retail stores so we can. We need to try to build up like Alabaster and Prattville have done.

Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 9:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well...

If the stores in Chilton County offered for sale the things I wanted and/or needed, I would be happy to spend my money here. The "Evil Wal-Mart Empire" is, at least, generating sales tax revenue for the county.

Wal-Mart, Winn Dixie and Durban Farms are usually the only businesses in Chilton Co. that I visit.

If the main source of revenue for the County is Ad Valorem taxes and property value is going down....I would hope that means a lot of people will get a LOWER property tax bill next year after the reappraisals. There might be a slight bit of good news in this!

Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Durban farms is a good example of keeping money in the county by shopping locally.

The best thing Chilton county can do to keep the town economically stable and healthy is to keep small businesses alive and vibrant, and support tourism.

Work in Birmingham or Montgomery, but buy locally and there will be no tax problems and local businesses will blossom.

Posted by juswannabeheard (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Perhaps the Commissioners will realize that there is more to Chilton County than Clanton or Jemison city limits. Expand outside of these places and reap the rewards

Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Speaking of supporting Chilton County, (this is off the topic a bit) A very nice person has donated a 1988 Jaguar XJS V-12 for sale on eBay for the Chilton County Humane Society. Chek it out..

http://offer.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayIS...

Posted by southernpride (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 11:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Give me a break! Where is there to shop locally? I don;t see a movie theatre here,. I don't see any major or chain department stores. Please tell me where they are in case I overlooked them.

Posted by NoSugar (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 12:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I too would like to be able to shop locally but just dont seem to be able to find anywhere to do that. The clothing stores here do not compare in quality, variety or price. It is also sad that this Wal-Mart carries fewer and fewer items than other Wal-Marts have and quite often the prices are higher than other Wal-Marts. And although we do now have some restaurants where you can get great meat and veggies and a few other good dishes we still do not have any good quality sit down restaurants. What percentage of this counties residents are required to work outside the county? If this trend of working and buying outside the county continues our local government will continue to be in trouble. The local government needs to focus on bringing in the things we continue to leave the county for.
Many of us had hoped to see jobs and growth come with and around Jeff State but that just does not seem to be happening either. What is being done to change any of this?

Posted by kittycreek (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 12:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Prattville and Alabaster have grown because of their proximity to the larger cities. The larger cities are where the jobs are, but, many people do not want to live in the larger cities so they move to places that are not too far to commute such as Alabaster or Prattville. It is Population that brings the shopping centers, restaurants and movie theaters and it is jobs that bring the population.

Chilton County is a bit too remote to reap many benefits of the nearby cities. It is unlikely things will change for us unless some major job producing businesses and/or factories come here. However, don’t be discouraged. A mere 100 years ago, the population of Las Vegas, Nevada was thirty. Now it’s around 2 million. --- Don’t worry. I’m not suggesting we build a “sin city” here. ---

Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 1:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Major chain stores are not the answer. The largest amount of revenue from a chain goes somewhere else, not here. It sucks money out of the local economy.

The govenrment doesn't bring in theaters or restaurants, investors do. Why would folks invest in an area that would prefer to spend their money else where? It's population that wants to spend their money locally that feeds the businesses.

There are alot of local businesses that would love to help you get the types of products you need, if you just tell them what you want. So much spending at the big stores is impulse buying and isn't about what people really need.
There are a whole lot of people that work outside Chilton co but live in this county.

Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 1:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Many would argue that we've got a sin city here now. But anyhow...

The Clanton Wal-Mart is atrocious. The remodel it received a while back was like whitewashing a shotgun shack; it didn't improve the store's quality one bit. I can go to Millbrook and shop. Clanton's store lines the aisles with pallets all day long and you can't move around.

I went in Sunday evening and I couldn't find a dozen or 1-1/2 dozen large eggs. Every one of the cartons I checked looked like they had been dropped. I looked for 5 minutes for someone working in that section to report the problem and see if there were more eggs in back and never found anyone.

Maybe the Winn Dixie has gotten better since the remodel, but their prices are too high on many of the things we buy.

Amen to the lack of variety argument. Look how many schools require uniforms in the county now. Then try to buy a school-age girl a pair of khaki or navy slacks anywhere in the county. You can either buy them from the uniform company (which may not take orders for mid year replacements), or go to Prattville and Alabaster to the bigger stores.

Wal-Mart's previous manager told principals that if they set a uniform policy, the store would stock items that met the uniform rules. AFAIK, they never did anything for the girls. Bennett's rarely has anything either.

I try to shop locally first, but I refuse to pay more for less and if I'm going South to find hard-to-find items, I'm going to pick up the other items I need while I'm there.

Besides, I've lived here though good times and bad and the commission's been poor mouthing through it all. A lack of tax revenue is a good excuse for not doing anything. When Alabaster, Calera and Prattville didn't have big shopping centers to steal our revenue, the roads and bridges in Chilton County were just as bad as they are now.

There's a very vocal group on this site that would oppose the addition of big shopping centers and the fast food restaurants that would accompany them anyway. Remember, all growth is evil, even if it produces revenue and helps keep Chilton County shoppers here in the county.

Until the CoCo gets off the "you won't vote us more taxes" bus and starts looking at reasonable alternative revenue streams, nothing's going to change.

Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Growth is not evil. It helps us make a future to take care of our children.

http://www.the350project.net/home.html

This is a project that is getting national attention. It's not suggesting that you spend ALL of your money locally, just making an effort to spend some of it with your neighbors.

Posted by dixiedreaming (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ad valorem taxes have decreased???? Where? I got my valuation a week ago and it showed a 13% INCREASE even though I actually deeded away 12% of my property.

Who actually saw a decrease?

I think they had better research the property appraisals better or I got a really bad valuation.

How did everyone else fare?

Posted by cheeta (anonymous) on June 16, 2009 at 9:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Dixiedreamer:
You are one of few to receive a valuation notice and there is no way to know if it is correct.I also deeded out over 90% of my property and the taxes remain essentially the same on the remaining small tract. I am told that evaluation notices are sent only to those with increased taxes. But there is no list of these in the Appraisel Office. I have not received one. Now, the tax bills will go out around September. Then it will be too late to contest or protest if you feel it is not correct. This is a mess and everyone needs to know their tax evaluation NOW. This a vast difference from the Auto tag notices... and far more crucial in having correct information. To my knowledge, there has been none provided to the media or the citizens thus far.

Posted by shenley (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 8:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Shop in Chilton County? We don't have much to choose from.
I agree that we should shop in Chilton County, but we don't
have the retail stores that cities like Alabaster, Prattville and those places have. I will be glad to shop in Chilton County when we get some stores to shop in.

Posted by shenley (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 8:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The Clanton Wal-Mart does not compare to the one at Calera.
I went last Saturday night to pick up three items and it took me 30 minutes to get checked out. Why have an express check-out that states "20 Items or less" if you're not going to enforce it? There were carts overflowing in front of me and it took 30 minutes to check out 3 items. I can go to the Wal-Mart at Calera, park close up, get checked out much quickly than ours. They also have more items to choose from. I will be glad to shop in Clanton when our Wal-Mart equals to those in other areas.

Posted by jsfpilot2b (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 10:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Government must downsize. Locally and nationally. I know it sux having to work a real job, without all the perks. Tighten your belts and adjust your budgets. Do the right thing.....

Posted by realistic (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We could add some revenue by selling some of the unneccessary items the county owns....such as an army tank used by the Sheriffs Office...? Is that really neccessary?

Posted by SouthernWalker (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 1:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I moved back to Chilton County about 20 years ago and at that time a manger chain store had just open its doors. The thing that caught my attention was the fact that the local business that I had grew up with were beggining to struggle to survive. One by one I saw them closed. After the Grand Retailer accomplished their objective with their LOW LOW pricing the pricing of their merchandise began to climb.

Some of you have said there is no where to shop. I say you have failed to support what you had. I believe in shopping at home.

Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 2:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Thank you SouthernWalker! I agree with all my heart.

You can look at Downtown Clanton and see that it was once a proud strong town. Beautiful old brick buildings were built to hold businesses.

I fear we have sold our civic pride for a low low price.

Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

How many empty stores do you see downtown? Those beautiful old brick buildings have businesses in them today. The vast majority of those buildings are occupied.

Revitalization is occuring in towns and cities all over the country. If someone opens a business that serves a need better than Wal-Mart, it thrives. And let's be honest, how hard is it to serve needs better than Wal-Mart? Maybe you can't beat their prices, but you beat them by knowing your products and standing behind them.

On the other hand, if I walk into your store and you are on the phone complaining about the umpire who blew the call in little Billy's game last night or arguing with your husband about who was supposed to go pay the water bill, I'm no better off than I am when I can't find an employee in Wal-Mart. That being the case, you lost the sale.

Serve me better and I will return. If I have to pay a few bucks more to get KNOWLEDGEABLE help, I'll do it. I don't buy supplies to repair toilets and stuff around my house from Wal-Mart, even though they are cheaper there. I buy them at Ace, Acme or Russell because the men in those stores can help make sure I get the right part.

Struggling retailers complain about big box stores because it's easier to blame them than it is to get better at what you do. Add a service to improve your marketability and keep right on trucking. Sure, you'll have to work hard, but if you do, you'll stay in business.

Posted by southernpride (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Okay, I do not agree that Clanton will nnot grow on account of it's location. No major restaraunt will build here along the interstate because of our ridiculous no alcohol policy.

A major reason there is no growth is because of the backward thinking of people wanting to keep a small town. Chilton County has a high crime rate. If you don't think so, just go to the courthouse on days court is held!!

I don't want to be a Chicago size town but a Prattville or Alabaster sized town would be okay.

I try to support the local businesses when I can. But i dont mind driving to Prattville or Alabaster to have more variety and better prices. Face it, the local businesses will never offer the things that the bigger towns have. For example, do you really think that Ace or Russell will have the merchandise of Lowes or Home Depot? If you do, that could explain why you think everything here is hunky dory as it is.

Posted by bama1870 (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 3:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

southernpride, funny you should mention Russell, I needed a small plastic gas can a couple of weeks ago and stopped there. They did not have one!!! How can a place that sells mowers, weedeaters, and chainsaws not have a gas can??? You guessed it, had to go to WalMart..... Nothing else open......

Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The "no alcohol policy" story has been a story I've heard repeated for years, but why are there no major restaurants at Exit 205? That's inside the city limits and you can buy all the alcohol you want there.

The major restaurants aren't locating here because the average household income is 10K-25K lower than our interstate neighbors. People who earn 35,000 a year don't eat at O'Charley's nearly as often as those earn 60,000. It's simple math.

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 6:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)

southernpride: Are you suggesting that if Clanton becomes the size of Prattville or Alabaster that our crime rate will go DOWN? Please explain.

Are you people saying that Applebee's, O'Charley's, Ruby Tuesday, etc., are GOOD places to eat? If y'all think those are good places to eat then you're WAY too easy to please. My job requires near constant travel, consequently I eat out A LOT. I always avoid the aforementioned places. They're terrible, in my opinion, and if you've been in one, you've been in all the others. They're all the same. Now, Ruth's Chris Steak House, that's nice dining. The one in Birmingham is nice, but I try to always hit the one in Baton Rouge when I'm there.

Posted by bama1870 (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 7:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree November, Ruth's Chris is great, Expensive, but great. I, like yourself, don't really care for Applebee's or Ruby Tuesday's either, but a LongHorn or an Outback would be kinda nice if you didn't have to drive 40 miles. Two people can have a pretty good meal for around $60.00.

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 8:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah, LawnCorn is alright, but the rest of them are about like eating at a trough as far as I'm concerned. But I don't want one in Clanton, Prattville is PLENTY close enough.

Posted by Care4GodsEarth (anonymous) on June 17, 2009 at 9:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'd rather see someone local expand to a more expansive menu than to see the same old same old you see everywhere. You can buy some real good steaks in some county restaurants already- I wonder why they don't move closer to the interstates like the car dealers do. Lots of folks specifically look for local fare when they travel.

Why does the answer have to be some chain?

Posted by steve42 (anonymous) on June 18, 2009 at 2:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The best steak in the county, IMHO, is at Hickory Chip. I'll take a good 10 oz. ribeye from there over anything I can get at Applebee's, O'Charley's, Ruby Tuesday, etc.

IMHO, the biggest problem with restaurants in Chilton Co. is the lack of variety. Do we REALLY need another meat and three? I can think of 8 right off the top of my head, and there's not a nickel's worth of difference between their greens and creamed corn at any of them!

No one has the gumption to learn how to cook real Italian, or Greek, or anything else. They go into the restaurant business because their family said "Mama, this shore is sum good cookin', you oughter open a restaurant!"

When something new does come to town, the Clanton Cascade effect takes over. Everyone in town eats there until the next new place opens, then they never go back again. You couldn't get a seat in Guthries until Zaxby's opened, then Guthries shut down. Then Whatburger opens, and Zaxby's becomes a ghost town. What will be interesting is to find out if the new Jack's (why did we need a new Jack's?) qualifies as NEW enough to pull the crowd back up there!

Posted by November162000 (anonymous) on June 19, 2009 at 8:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)

steve42: We agree much more than we disagree. For instance, the steaks at Hickory Chip ARE the best in the county! (Unless, of course, I'm cooking out on the deck! :D)

I never tried Guthries, for some reason it just never made me hungry. I see no reason for Zaxby's or Whatabugger to exist, they both SUCK! The french fries at That'saheckofabugger litterally make me want to throw up. And, to round it out, WHY do we need a new Jack's? The only problem with the old one is the STUPID LAZY people blocking Blacksnake Road trying to get to the drive thru during breakfast hours. I say lazy because it's just not that hard to park, get your fat --- out and go inside. You're still going to have stupid people trying to get to the new one, though. But, I digress.

Posted by fshrman (anonymous) on June 21, 2009 at 8:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I always hear people compare what Chilton Co needs to what Autauga Co has. Being former resident of Clanton let me say that Chilton Co will never have what Autauga Co has because you always re-elect the same people (city and county). True meaning of insanity is performing the same actions and expecting different results.