Newspaper Page Text
Trouble Is Near, Salarywise
At this time we are
working on what appears to
be an impossible task, setting
up next year’s Budget to meet
the needs of our county.
Several problems are in
volved including trying to
keep our tax rate in line,
meeting the needs of the
different departments and
including extra programs for
the county that are very much
needed. During a period of
inflation, it is almost im
possible to operate a county
as it should be just as it is for
individuals.
We now owe $140,000 and
will have to borrow additional
money to operate the balance
of this year before taxes begin
to come in. We have already
raised every employee of the
county and most elected of
ficials this year. From
checking Budget requests, we
have for the coming year, it
appears that we would have to
raise our taxes to begin to
comply with all we are being
asked for. In salaries alone,
the increased requests are
beyond anything we expected.
Our past years’ Budget set up
50 per cent of our total revenue
for salaries. We increased this
during the year. When we
reach the 55 to 60 per cent of
our total revenue being used
for salaries, we are in bad
trouble, as there will not be
enough left to provide ser
vices.
I fully understand the
position of our employees and
elected officials who are
caught in the middle of in
flated prices. I also un
derstand the positions of
our taxpayers who are caught
in this same position. Many of
these taxpayers are on fixed
incomes and these ever in
creasing taxes are proving
to be a way of taking their
property-Little by Little. We
all know that this is not
right. What we have not been
able to do is come up with
something better and fairer. I
will state that any salaries
this year and next year ex
ceeding more than 55 per cent
of our total revenue will not be
looked on by me with any
favor at all. In other words,
my vote will be cast against
these raises.
Many of you people have
asked me just what I think
you are getting for your taxes
which you didn’t get before
the large increases.
Frankly, I don’t know. You
sure can’t see a whole lot. At
the end of the year, I intend to
make a detailed study of each
department to see what extra
services are being furnished
by them. In fact, I believe it
might be worthwhile to you
taxpayers to be able to see the
costs of operating the larger
departments of the county
and what services that you
are getting from them. We
may try and gather this in
formation and present it to
you in a form that you can
easily understand.
Another interesting question
many of you have raised
involves the question of all
this new building going on
throughout the county and its
effects on our tax base. This is
an interesting question as we
all can see the many, many
new homes being built in
every section of our county.
These aren’t cheap homes
and the tax increase from
them should be tremendous.
Unfortunately, we do not have
sufficient records to deter
mine our actual increase in
Digest by new growth each
year. This is a shame and we
hope to try and correct this
situation in the near future.
The same situation exists
with the new Commercial
properties such as the new
shopping center at Buford
Crossing. I hope that a part of
: our planning process will
' involve the extra taxable
increase resulting from
Zoning changes and
development.
Many of you people from
near the Cherokee county. It
appears that our county, only,
half the size of Cherokee, with
less commercial taxable
; property, is raising more
; taxes than is Cherokee. This
: appears to be the case. It also
I
| Armed services are
maintaining
communications
! The Department ot Defense
and the U.S. military services
issued more than 1,440 period
icals last year, according to
the Tax Foundation, which
quotes Sen. J.W. Fulbright.
The Air Force started more
than 200 during the period, cut
out 400 others and the Army
discontinued 59 periodicals
but started 102 new ones. The
bills for these publications ran
to over $12.5 million.
appears that Cherokee County
is providing at least the same
quality service or more with
ess taxes collected. I really
am unable to explain this
matter but some of the
reasons must lie in better
management of county affairs
in the past. They have had a
very capable single com
missioner for many years who
values the dollar highly and
who doesn’t waste money.
This is the only answer I can
come up with regarding this
situation.
Since this Five man Board
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took over the operation of the
county this past January, we
have tried to squeeze every
dollar we could get to make
them go further. We have
Lanier
Bannister
County Commission
tried to get other sources of
revenue rather than property
taxes. Some of these involve
commissions, fees, permits
and interest. Anything we
try, affecting our receiving a
few more dollars, stirs up a
hornets’ nest from those
affected. The old saying that
“No one objects To Raising
Taxes as Long As the Other
Person Pays,” is certainly
true. We know from first hand
experience.
After attending several
important meetings this week
with County Commissioners
in this area, we may have
more information to provide
you at a later date. We are all
in the same boat regarding
the subjects discussed above.
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THE FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS-WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1973-
Memorial Fund Honors
James A. Otwell Jr.
A Memorial Fund in honor
of JAMES A OTWELL, JR.
has been established with the
American Cancer Society
through its Forsyth County
Unit.
Mrs. Lanier C. Bagwell,
Chairman Memorial Funds,
said that gifts to the Memorial
Fund help support the Cancer
Society’s programs of
research, public and
professional education and
services to needy cancer
patients.
Making a contribution to
the Society’s Memorial Fund
is a thoughtful and practical
way to help save the living
and commemorate a loved
one who had died of cancer or
any other cause.
The American Cancer
Society sends a dignified
Memorial Card to the family
of the person in whose
memory the gift is made, and
also sends
acknowledgement and receipt
to the donor. Gifts to the
PAGE 9
Memorial Fund are income
tax deductible.
The Society’s major source
of funds is its annual
EDUCATION-Funds Crusade
in April, but that Memorial
gifts on a year-round basis
are becoming more and more
important in the fight against
cancer. “Memorial gifts
should be sent to the Forsyth
County Unit, Memorial Funds
Chairman, Mrs. Lanier C.
Bagwell.” Rt. 5, Stoney Point
Road, Cumming, Ga. 30130.