A Question Before Commissioners Nov. 25

For the past two years, Lawrence County has contracted with the Barrett Group, a firm that examines revenue streams to help counties find income sources that can take some of the burden off property tax payers.
Donna Barrett served as a State Representative for ten years and was known as one of the state’s fiscal “watchdogs” by identifying $37 million in cost savings. She put her skills to work in healthcare and automotive industries before forming her own company 20 years ago.
She appeared before our Budget Committee November 10 to report annual, re-occurring revenue totaling $218,377 – so far. Put in perspective, one penny of our property tax rate ($2.0105 per $100 of assessed value) produces $106,916.
Her discoveries included utility sales tax revenues that were meant to come to the county but have not. Lobbied by Barrett and others, the Legislature approved increases to the mineral severance tax fee over the next ten years that will produce an undetermined amount of revenue for our Highway Department. The state also agreed that counties can hold a special census between national censuses conducted every decade, and qualify for additional federal funds for each new resident.
Over the last two years, Commissioners approved new Archives fees and Jail Litigation taxes that are paid by users and go to our General fund and Jail Maintenance fund, respectively. At their November 25 meeting, Commissioners will consider a similar fee increase that’s expected to produce $30,000 a year.
I say similar because it, too, would be paid by users – those who are convicted of crimes in General Sessions Court. It would add $10 to an existing $18 fee that hasn’t been changed in 10 years. The General Assembly allows this particular fee to help offset the salary of the General Sessions Judge, whose pay, like other elected officials, is set by the state and based on our population.
Passage requires approval by a 2/3 majority, or 12 of 18 votes. Commissioners considered this fee increase in March and July 2025 and it failed to get a majority vote both times. The issue is being taken before them again, sponsored by myself and the Budget Committee.
I posted about this situation on the Concerned Citizens of Lawrence County Facebook page, and the vast majority of comments were in favor of the additional fee. Like me, most feel if you do the crime, you pay the fine and/or do the time.
Some voiced concern about additional fees being paid by those who go through our court system. On the flip side, those convicted of crimes will save money under our county probation service, which we are structuring to eliminate for-profit entities.
I encourage you to contact Commissioners before tomorrow’s 5 p.m. meeting to voice support for the additional fee. It will take away a bit more of the burden shouldered by the county’s property tax payers, the majority of whom are not convicted of anything in General Sessions Court.