Woody’s tax talk shut down by committee
Members of the Polk County commission’s budget committee approved the county’s tax rate, but not without a brief exchange over revenue.
Meeting in Benton Thursday, July 30, the tax rate was set at $2.5120, the same as the previous year.
But prior to the vote, Commissioner James Woody said the commission had talked about the need to raise revenue and “this would be the best time to do that.”
He specifically mentioned raising revenue through property taxes, and said the county would have “no extra money coming in from the state” next year.
Commissioner Debbie Davis said the current rate would allow the county to
“get through where we’re at.”
Commissioner Greg Brooks echoed, “by the skin of our teeth.”
Woody repeated his previous concern that money would be needed.
Budget oommittee Chairman John Pippenger explained that the budget year is covered by the current tax rate.
Davis reminded the committee of her long-standing pledge that she would not support a property tax increase. “We all aren’t going to agree,” she said.
Pippenger then told Woody any tax increase discussion “should have started in the first day of our budget meetings ... three months ago.”
In a roll call vote, commissioners Davis, Brooks, Pippenger, Samantha Trantham, and Mark Evans voted yes. Woody voted no, and Commissioner Dewey Esquinance passed.
The commissioners then addressed the $3,000 line item for donations, which had to be decided in the meeting and presented to the full commission.
Woody first motioned that $2,000 be given to the Boys & Girls Club and $1,000 to Living Free. That motion died for lack of a second.
Esquinance then motioned that the $3,000 be divided between the commissioners – $333.33 each – and each commissioner could pick one or more charities
When a suggestion was made that $1,000 be given to commissioners to divide in their districts, Esquinance said he wanted part of his contribution to go to the Third District, so the $1,000 split wouldn’t work.
Since the amount had to be decided in the committee meeting, the commissioners agreed with Esquinance’s idea and split the $3,000 between the eight commissioners present – $375.00 each.
That resulted in the following donations:
•Boys & Girls Club, $1,212.50;
•People Helping People, $587.50;
•Living Free ministries, $300;
•Baptist association, $537.50;
•SHARP, $300; and,
•Tennessee Overhill, $62.50.