The Fannin County Board of Commissioners are on the right track, raising the county’s hotel/motel tax from five to six percent.
It’s an easy way to raise much needed revenue while not hurting the tourism industry. The six percent levy will still be lower than tourists face in many locations. The fact is, they won’t even notice.
And Commission Chairman Stan Helton’s desire to see the added revenue relieve some of the stress on public safety is the perfect plan.
Fannin County needs paid firefighters, and more deputies and higher pay for deputies. The pay structure for EMS personnel also needs restructured – no more 50-plus-hour workweeks before overtime is paid. When these goals are achieved, Fannin is on par with neighboring counties instead of being behind.
Raising the hotel/motel tax is projected to add about $230,000 a year in revenue. That money – all that money – would go a long way to solving the county’s public safety problems.
And in the process, the county should prove that is exactly where the money is going.
With departmental budget hearings starting today (Wednesday, October 9) commissioners and department heads should look at specific needs within the sheriff’s department, fire department and EMS and fund them with the anticipated revenue. $230,000 won’t solve all the problems, but it’s a starting point.
But if putting the money into budgets now doesn’t follow the rules, then, once the tax hike is passed in the state legislature and the money starts coming in to the county, commissioners should show what is collected and where it goes every month. This is a perfect time to prove that public safety is a priority, just like every elected official has promised.
The board of commissioners have a plan, and a good one. Fannin County’s citizens deserve to see the results.