Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Commission Will Move County Forward Or Back
Last Thursday night, County Commissioners voted down a proposal from the Budget Committee to hold a wheel tax referendum, eliminating one option we had to fix our 
budget problems.
I am disappointed that Lawrence Countians didn’t get the opportunity to make a choice in this matter. The wheel tax increase would have been the most equitable way for us to share responsibility for the services on which we all depend.
Because of that decision, the Budget Committee will meet tomorrow morning to restart a process they felt was already complete. Members spent 40+ hours going through the proposed 2015-16 budget line by line, eliminating almost $1 million in spending. After cutting everything they felt they could without hurting programs, there was still a big difference between county spending and revenue. The wheel tax increase would have provided funding to change that.
Now, the Budget Committee must come up with a plan that balances spending and revenue with a property tax increase, more spending cuts, or a combination of the two. Then, their proposal will have to be approved by a majority of the County Commission.
However the Commission chooses to close the gap between spending and revenue, it has to be done this year. Costs have risen while revenue lagged, so revenue has been supplemented with the county’s savings, or fund balances. Now those fund balances are too low to allow that to continue. You would see the same thing happen if you used your savings to pay your bills – eventually, you would run out of money.
As County Executive, I have short- and long-term goals for this community. The first is to stabilize our finances by eliminating the deficit spending that depleted our fund balances. We must then rebuild them so they can serve as the rainy day (rather than every day) funds they are intended to be, to help our community grow and thrive.
A healthy bottom line will help us achieve not only my long-term goal but everyone’s: more higher-paying jobs for our community. We are working hard to make that happen, and several prospects have toured our new spec building in Team Lawrence Park. I’m encouraged by the work of our new Chamber president, Ethan Hadley, who arrived in Lawrence County with a tremendous record of success in economic development.
We want our county to stand out because of its well-educated, skilled workforce. I hope parents are already talking to next spring’s high school graduates about the Tennessee Promise, which provides two years’ tuition at a community college or technical school; and returning students take advantage of the Tennessee Reconnect grant, which allows adults to attend technical school free of charge. For more information about these and other programs, visit the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation at TN.gov/collegepays.
We do not want our county to stand out because our roads and schools are in terrible condition; law enforcement and emergency services are underequipped; or because we do not support the work of dedicated volunteers in our communities.
A property tax increase and/or spending cuts are on the table for Commissioners. As I see it, their vote can move our county forward or backward. Standing still isn’t an option.
