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This tax is needed
Published Tuesday, June 30, 2009
The Chilton County Commission continues to discuss ideas around a proposed one-cent sales tax; a sales tax that is desperately needed to bring the county back to solvency.
In many cases, we have taken a strong opposition to some of the county’s plans, and in some cases, vehemently opposed some of the comments and thoughts of some commissioners. But, in this case, we will stand firmly behind a well-developed, well-articulated one-cent sales tax plan that will provide the adequate funding to our county services.
Those who have opposed the idea of a sales tax source the need for the county to better manage its finances and “live within its means.” We agree.
But, there comes a point, where the services that must be provided to the citizens of a county must be paid for. And, as with everything else in life, costs do go up.
The commission has already instituted drastic cuts and ordered what is called “emergency spending.” These two measures have put the county into a less severe funding situation, but the coming months are only going to get worse.
At some point, further county cuts will reduce the quality of living we, as residents of Chilton County, have come to expect.
It is never easy to support a tax. For politicians, suggesting a one-cent sales tax is “bad politics,” but today it is necessary.
The plan the commissions are developing must be well thought out and properly explained to the voters of Chilton County. It is up to the commission now to do the job of convincing the people of what is needed or, if unsuccessful, what could happen.
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Comments
Posted by blackwater (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 6:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Looks like Allen Caton has the Clanton Advertiser in his hip pocket. They will be trumpeting the tax anthem for the next 2 years until we vote on this thing. DON'T LISTEN TO THEM FOLKS. We have an opportunity to increase revenue without increasing sales tax. LEGALIZE ALCOHOL SALES COUNTY-WIDE. Do we want to raise taxes on food, water, clothes and other essentials in this economy? I've got news for the County Commission; the residents of Chilton Co. are already strapped for cash. If we have a referendum for alcohol, and it passes, just watch how fast restaurants go up at the 219, 212, and 205 exits on I-65.
Posted by livinginthorsby (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You want the residents of CC to consider a vote on a new tax when the Commissioners are planning their retreat/vacation/semiar in Gulf Shores next month, that's hilarious. You guys have lost your minds. I truly believe in my heart that the CC residents are smarter than you give them credit for and you will NOT receive the votes necessary to raise taxes!!!!
Posted by NoSugar (anonymous) on July 1, 2009 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Until this Commission proves that they have taken a long hard look at their budget basics and have made cuts where needed they will have a hard time getting this tax to pass. Emergency Spending does not mean a thing other than they are keeping a closer watch on the department spending, tightening the purse strings. I want to hear from them that they have disected the budget and found that they can spend less on certain items. I want to know that they have made adjustments and sacrifices to their budget just like we all have to our household budgets. We dont just put our households on emergency spending, we have to take a long hard look at the budget and determine what changes we can make to stretch it. There is a lot of waste that goes on there, waste on goods and services purchased due to not comparing prices or because of political favors, and waste in many employees salaries who are using the taxpayers money for a cash cow while they goof off and conduct personal business on the taxpayers time. I also want to know they are working with a lean budget instead of a poorly overestimated one like they have in the past. They can easily say they have cut budgets when the budgets were excessively inflated in the first place. This results in nothing more than giving them an avenue to appear that they have done something when in reality they have done nothing more than change some numbers on paper. That is the kind of financial finagling that has put our country in the sad state it is in today.
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