wrobert
Beach Fanatic
The forum in DeFuniak Springs was very well attended by the public. Approximately 150 residents showed up and several did voice concerns about spending levels of local government. Things that were learned at the forum:
During the property tax run-up of the last four years, Walton County BCC also has incurred an additional 20 million dollars in debt they we now must pay.
The tax run-up was used to catch up with all the buildings that we now have in both the north and south end. No other major buildings are planned but there is a need for the money that will be found as time progresses.
Amendment 1 will affect the school district approximately $400K per year. But we transfer more than $4 million per year from capital outlay taxes into the general operating fund. This $400k will, according to school officials, severely impact teacher salaries over the next four years.
No one in the north end understands how the SWFD is funded.
Some NO advocates repeatedly claimed that if this passes that we will see closures of fire stations and layoffs of emergency personell. County officials disagreed this would occur.
State Representative Don Brown personally supports the amendment.
Oh yeah, and the class size amendment is bad, very, very bad. I never really could understand what this had to do with amendment 1, but a lot of time was spent discussing how bad it was.
Overall, a very good session. Now to see if the citizens of south Walton are going to participate to the same degree when they do this in south Walton.
During the property tax run-up of the last four years, Walton County BCC also has incurred an additional 20 million dollars in debt they we now must pay.
The tax run-up was used to catch up with all the buildings that we now have in both the north and south end. No other major buildings are planned but there is a need for the money that will be found as time progresses.
Amendment 1 will affect the school district approximately $400K per year. But we transfer more than $4 million per year from capital outlay taxes into the general operating fund. This $400k will, according to school officials, severely impact teacher salaries over the next four years.
No one in the north end understands how the SWFD is funded.
Some NO advocates repeatedly claimed that if this passes that we will see closures of fire stations and layoffs of emergency personell. County officials disagreed this would occur.
State Representative Don Brown personally supports the amendment.
Oh yeah, and the class size amendment is bad, very, very bad. I never really could understand what this had to do with amendment 1, but a lot of time was spent discussing how bad it was.
Overall, a very good session. Now to see if the citizens of south Walton are going to participate to the same degree when they do this in south Walton.
