Commission votes no to tax hike – Increase avoided for fifth straight year

As expected, the County Commission voted overwhelmingly to pass a budget with no property tax increase for the fifth consecutive year.

With 23 of 24 commissioners present, the official vote was 21-2 to set a tax rate of $2.31 for fiscal year 2007-08, exactly the same as last year’s rate.

The county’s total budget is $70.3 million.

Monday’s vote was decidedly less controversial than the 2006-07 last-minute budget coup, thanks to a $600,000 windfall in county income. But at least two commissioners did not support the move. Both Budget and Finance chairman George Smartt and Education Committee chairman Bill Zechman posted symbolic no votes to voice their disapproval.

‘As I have mentioned the Budget and Finance Committee recommended this 4-1,’ Smartt said. ‘I was the dissenting vote. I was the dissenting vote because this is not what the county needs. The county needs more income. The reason I say that is because the beginning fund balance and the ending fund balance show a big difference. If you look at it you’ll see that the ending fund balance is considerably less than the beginning fund balance. We need to either increase our income or decrease our spending.’

Zechman expressed his concerns during discussion of the Public Schools Budget, which followed the Tax Levy vote.

‘As chairman of the Education Committee I feel obligated to support the committee,’ Zechman said. ‘And again I’d like to associate myself with the remarks Commissioner Smartt made, expressing respect and esteem for our fellow county commissioners who worked very hard to try and bring in a budget this year that had no tax increase.’

‘I cast my symbolic no vote on the levy simply because I agree that now is the time to address what is not speculated as a future shortfall, but is a guaranteed certainty,’ continued Zechman.

Zechman said he believes continually decreasing fund balances will eventually lead to fiscal disaster.

‘We’re passing on the bill for present spending to future generations,’ Zechman said. ‘To our children and our grandchildren.

‘At some point there is going to have to be some reckoning,’ Zechman added. ‘We’re going to have to get this thing back in balance.’

Monday’s meeting also marked the first where commissioners had to announce any conflict of interest during their votes, such as commissioners voting on the school budget who work for the school system or have spouses or relatives working for the school system.