walton co. milleage increase, why...

[happydays32]

As a Walton County Taxpayer, I am furious with the board of County Commissioners decision to increase the milleage rate from last year. One board member was quoted as stating that its due to a decline in tourist dollars coming into the economy. I agree due to the economy and the Oil Crisis tourist dollars are down.
My point of contention. Instead of feeding the govt. bureaucracy, it's time to "cut". A decline in property value means that our land is worth less today than just a few months-ago.
As President Reagan taught us in the early-1980's (Reaganomics), don't feed government. It's a time to do less with government, don't feed more pork.
The only Republican bone to Walton Co. Sheriff Mike Adkinson is the (R) he places next to his name on the ballot. In just the last few months, he has hired a one hundred thousand dollar staff attorney and we (taxpayers) are paying for a million dollar expansion of an emergency operations center. The only thing is we have a more than adequate EOC building off Hwy. 90 that will be abandoned. This building is even designated as a shelter for the governor in the event of a natural or manmade disaster.
County Commissioners say "NO" to the furious appetite to the sheriff which does not provide us "the public" any more safety in our own homes.

 

[passin thru]

A decline in tourism, a decline in property values, doesn't mean that we require fewer services or a lower quality of life though.

Reaganomics wasn't the best help to our culture & way of life either. Many programs, like education & roads/highways, have never recovered since. He slashed the federal funding for highway & bridge building & maintenance, and they've never been the same since.

 

[Yzarctoo]

You are wrong about the Sherriff...and perhaps right about the County Commissioners.

 

[idlewind]

A decline in tourism, a decline in property values, doesn't mean that we require fewer services or a lower quality of life though.

Reaganomics wasn't the best help to our culture & way of life either. Many programs, like education & roads/highways, have never recovered since. He slashed the federal funding for highway & bridge building & maintenance, and they've never been the same since.

The increase the trol refers to exceeds the rate needed to fund the proposed budget and creates a 2 million dollar slush fund that no one knows how will be spent.

As to Reaganomics you are way off base. Programs were not cut in real dollars, only the rate of growth was cut. And as far as education spending as a percentage of GDP the percentage was just of 5% of GDP in 1980 and is over 7% today. I would say the spending levels have recovered.

 

[idlewind]

You are wrong about the Sherriff...and perhaps right about the County Commissioners.

I don't disagree with you but it is an interesting question as to why the Sheriffs needs a $100,000 attorney in addition to the $100,000 county attorney. If this is true, which I no idea.