Worley to have tax hike recommendation next week

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Friday, July 22. 2011

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Barrow County taxpayers should have a better idea next week just how much their taxes are likely to go up this year.

Commissioner Steve Worley, who is taking a lead in this year’s county budget planning, said he plans to have a tax rate recommendation at the county’s next budget committee meeting slated next Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

While that won’t be the final word on the matter — the full Barrow County Board of Commissioners still has to vote on a tax rate for this year — Worley’s recommendation will likely carry a lot of weight. This is the third year in a row that he has been a major player in the county’s budget process.

And at issue isn’t “if” a tax hike will happen, the question now is “how much?”

Though county departments will be spending about what they have spent this year, there are a couple of big expenses coming due in FY2012 – long-term debt payments on properties the previous board purchased in a hot economy and the full premium for the retirement fund.

To balance the current budget, the county paid less toward retirement this year. But that option is not available for FY2012.

Compounding the problem from the higher expenses is the drop in revenue due to lower property values. Without a tax rate increase, ad valorem taxes are expected to drop $1.8 million for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1.

For the full story, see the July 20 issue of the Barrow Journal.

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#1 Jonathan on 07/22/11 at 09:28 AM [Reply]

How in the hell is a tax hike justifiable?

#2 Anonymous on 07/22/11 at 10:57 AM [Reply]

Thank you BOC and Yearwood for messing up the SPLOST tax vote. Had you ACTUALLY BOTHERED TO UNDERSTAND HB240, that debt coming due could have been paid for out of SPLOST funds. But no, as par for the course, you went off -- half chocked and sc$$$ed the citizens of Barrow AGAIN.

2012, four of you need to go -- Wilburn, Elder, Worley, Yearwood. Get a new batch of educationed, outsiders in.

#3 james on 07/23/11 at 06:42 AM [Reply]

barrow county BOC are like retards at chucky cheese will there parent plz pick them up at the door///////

#3.1 John Wages on 07/27/11 at 07:22 AM [Reply]

Oh my. Can you say that with out being stopped for a broken tail light the next time you are out and about?

#4 Fortitude on 07/23/11 at 11:08 AM [Reply]

Worley and BOC,
Remember, you have to live in this county when you are voted out next year and in three years.

Why would you raise taxes while give tax breaks to developers ? Property values are down now, raise taxes now and when values go up, so will the taxes, you think they will be redone ? Im sorry, but cut spending dont raise taxes, its te Republican way

#5 Phil on 07/23/11 at 07:22 PM [Reply]

Worley you do what you think you must do and the voters will do what we think is right. That's how it works in America. You vote yes we vote no.

#6 Chicken on 07/23/11 at 09:57 PM [Reply]

Why is the almighty chairman not at the budget meetings? He is being a "big chicken" by not showing up to represent the people. I hold Yearwood accountable for running off all the educated employees that could have brainstormed to get Barrow out of this budget mess. Barrow needs educated/government employees on staff.

#7 really on 07/24/11 at 09:13 AM [Reply]

Really guys come on. The county should of raised taxes years ago but didnt .I know that they might be able to cut in some areas but there is not much to cut back on. Most department are bare bones now. I just hope and pray that they leave publid safety alone. I know that you as tax payers would like to have police and fire protection 24 hours a day. That is what brings companies into the county.

#7.1 Tax Payer on 07/24/11 at 09:51 AM [Reply]

Tax hike? Take a hike, you two-bit solon! About half of the deppity law dawgs need to be cut. Most of these fake posts begging for more fire-eaters and do-nut scarfers are RELATED to those already on the public dole. IOW, their own ox is about to get gored, and they don't want the hog-feeding at the public trough to be curtailed. "Public safety" imperiled? What a crock. Not unlike those uneducated inbreds who always wail "Think of the children!" no matter what the issue.

#8 beth on 07/24/11 at 09:22 AM [Reply]

Thank you Mr. Worley for taking on this hard task. I just ask for the board to leave public safety alone. My family and I moved from another county to Barrow a few months ago because we didnt feel safe. Its nice to know that here if we need a fireman or a cop that we will get one in a few min.Unlike some counties where you have to wait 15-20 mins. or longer. BOC keep us safe , its your job. Raise taxes if you have to but keep us safe.

#9 TickedOff on 07/25/11 at 02:08 PM [Reply]

Mr. Yearwood ran on the premise and got elected that he wouldnt raise taxes. So did Mr. Worley. I'll even agree that the tax hike was probably justified 3 years ago. But not now while people are hurting. Danny has found numerous ways to save. Yet the other commissioners arent willing to support those ideas. It might somehow hurt their reelection chances. Given the abismal voter turnout in Barrow Co. they should concentrate on doing what is right. Heres a few thoughts:

Cut the sheriffs dept by 20 people. Thats over 1,000,000 in savings. We dont need 214 or so sheriffs on the road in a county that has 3 cities with police departments.

We have deputies driving cars home as far as 40 miles away. Make all sheriffs cars be parked at the end of a shift. There is no explanation why this is not being done. This move will save hundreds of thousands.

Put our county employees to work. We pay an enormous amount to outside contractors to do work that can be done in house. Don't believe this one? Just ask Worley himself. He touted how much he saved the city of Monroe by doing things in house. And he is actually telling the truth.

And for godness sake do something to enhance the pitiful state of parks and rec. in this county. You might just have people move here if we did.

Collect taxes from all the deadbeat builders you let skate by till they sold them there houses they built.

There are ways to get it done without putting it on the taxpayer. Its a problem when a commissioner is recommending a tax hike and the chairman doesnt want it.

#9.1 Random Anonymous Person on 07/25/11 at 02:22 PM [Reply]

I try to be civil, but anti-tax pledges are the most idiotic thing I've seen come from the more extreme factions of modern conservatism.

Why not just propose we dissolve government if we're going to fix its revenue to an arbitrary point in time and not permit it to raise money as the need arises?

The effect is the same, but one is at least honest, and doesn't dawdle for decades as the structure of government is disassembled piece by piece.

#9.1.1 Buddy Boy on 07/25/11 at 02:37 PM [Reply]

"as the NEED arises"
Ah, there's the rub.
How you define "need," and how I define it are two different things. Most importantly, it's how the mooches, leeches and lib-tards define it.
"Need" is what separates the jackasses from the elephants.
Both want to spend billions; the argument is what to spend it on.
So, your glib phrase makes it seem oh so simple and reasonable how to raise taxes in the proper manner.
'Tain't so, bub.

#9.1.1.1 Random Anonymous Person on 07/25/11 at 03:01 PM [Reply]

This false dichotomy between these artificial sets of ideas called "liberal" and "conservative" needs to end.

I prefer being careful with spending. I like building accountability into the social safety net. I prefer to work with business to address threats to the commons.

Try to find a label for that.

#9.1.1.1.1 Buddy Boy on 07/26/11 at 03:04 PM [Reply]

"careful" with spending
"accountability" with the safety net.

Again, just as with your simplistic "as the needs arise" phrase, your well-this-is-plain-as-day solution is subject to vast real-world interpretation.

I didn't employ the conservative-liberal "false dichotomy" in shooting down your silly scenario, so it is illogical to drag that that into your rebuttal. (for the record, I referred to Democrats & Republicans, two groups whose differences are not "artificial."

If it were as obvious to solve these issues as you seem to think, then they wouldn't be issues. However, since controversy surrounds the tax & conundrum, you might consider ruminating a bit further. Whatever spasm of genius you contrive will be equally as efficacious as your last theory.

#9.1.1.1.1.1 Random Anonymous Person on 07/26/11 at 03:32 PM [Reply]

You managed to go a whole comment without using think tank-created slang and catch phrases. This makes me think you're not a babbling idiot despite not agreeing with you.

Other people around here who share your views could learn something from this. This is the way discussion between opposing views should be in this country.

#9.1.1.2 Sheesh on 07/26/11 at 01:54 PM [Reply]

And another repebli-con man offers a grip without a solution. Move along - nothing to read here.

#9.2 patsy on 07/26/11 at 06:33 AM [Reply]

Not all 214 employees of the sheriff's office work the road and have a take home care. The majority of the employees that work for the sheriff's office work in the county jail and drive their own cars back and forth. Without these dedicated employees, you wouldn't have the criminals of Barrow County locked up. The road may have 4-5 deputies per shift. Our county jail tripled in size from 2008-2009. We went from a 90 bed jail to a 300 and something bed jail. For years the ppl of Barrow have been in denial about the crime. As for the other police depts of the county, NONE of them have their own holding facility and All of them bring "Their Detainees" to Barrow for HOUSING. So thats why the Sheriff's office has alot of employees, they work in our Jail. The Sheriff is doing the best he can with the budget he has been given and has been a good steward with it. One can't stay that for the Chairman!

#9.3 John Wages on 07/26/11 at 08:29 AM [Reply]

Well put.......We may not say it. But, I think we all agree. Thank you.

#10 MGJ on 07/25/11 at 04:41 PM [Reply]

I prefer calling it drinking the Liberal Obama Kool Aid.

#11 Anonymous on 07/25/11 at 09:34 PM [Reply]

I don't like paying more in taxes, but neither do I like laying on my floor waiting for an ambulance for 20 minutes with one man on a truck to put out the fire!

If you want cheap taxes, you get cheap service.

As the old Fram oil commercial goes; "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later!" Paying a little more now to keep essential services and employees on the job is cheaper than trying to play catch up later.

#12 Public Saftey IS the Counties business on 07/26/11 at 07:33 AM [Reply]

"Every person the right to defend - even by force - his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that a group of men have the right to organize and support a common force to protect these rights constantly." Frederic Bastiat ... "Government's first job is to Protect the People, Not run their lives" Ronald Reagan ...

If Barrow focused our taxes on the things that matter (Public Saftey), rather then running (ruining) our lives... We'd be glad to support the government (Taxes) because it would do the things that matter to us (Electorate) not them (BOC)

#12.1 Random Anonymous Person on 07/26/11 at 07:37 AM [Reply]

Then maybe you should quit electing people who try to convince you that running a business is the same as governing. How much more evidence do you need to prove the notion wrong?

#13 TickedOff on 07/26/11 at 09:50 AM [Reply]

Maybe we didnt need that big ole waaaaay overbudget courthouse either. Im not out to get Jud. I actually voted for him and would again. But facts are facts. The sheriffs dept. is overstaffed 20-30 employees. Like it or not. Ever been on jury duty? You ve got 10 people working to check folks in for maybe 1 hour. Cars going home should be a no no. And don't be so defensive about the sheriffs dept., they werent the only ones I mentioned that needs to cut. We are at 2003 revenue levels in the county, yet we have 200 more employees.

#13.1 I think I hear a puddy tat on 07/26/11 at 11:57 AM [Reply]

I think I hear a "TickedOff" BOC Chairman ...

#14 Beth on 07/26/11 at 12:19 PM [Reply]

There are MANY ways to cut the county's budget: Sheriff's Dept: Not only not taking county cars home, but EVERY time an officer is called out to a call no matter if it is a 5 minute call or a 45 minute call they always leave their patrol car running.....I realize it is HOT, but that is a WASTE of taxpayer dollars! Planning Dept: Wipe the slate clean and start over
Tag office: OMG They do absolutely NOTHING most of the day-CUT! CUT! CUT!
Tax Commissioner: Obviously a WASTE of $$ because of the MESS we're in, and the two "ladies" that work at the desk do absolutely NOTHING but listen to music, and GOSSIP out loud! BTW: To the older, whiny short haired lady:You should NOT be using peoples names when you gossip in front of customers: You never know who is related to who in this town.
Road Department: OMG Need I say anything??? Check out the director, Nat Dukes salary and see why the roads are in such a mess! 8 days before they salted my road when it snowed! 7 months to get a drainage issue resolved.....
Sheriff's Dept: While they do as good of a job as they can DRUGS are still rampant in this county and so is all crime.
Contracting out county work: NO WIN for the County! Let the employees we already have do most of this contract work..I could go on and on and on....but maybe I will save my ideas for someone that might actually listen LOL
Oh, Let's not forget our illustrious Commission Chairman Mr. Yearwood. While he is nice to look at, his idea of "work" is going around greeting and shaking hands with all the LADIES that come in during the day.
Until this county comes out of the "good ole boy" mentality nothing will change, unless US, the voters MAKE some changes!
Thanks for Listening

#15 Allah Akbar on 07/26/11 at 12:57 PM [Reply]

Beth,

Shut up!

#15.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 04:22 PM [Reply]

Beth continue telling the truth girlfriend. These idot guys can't handle the truth.

#15.1.1 Allah Akbar on 07/26/11 at 04:34 PM [Reply]

Anonymous,

You're an idiot too!

#15.1.1.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 05:31 PM [Reply]

Your are a BIGOT!

#16 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 04:57 PM [Reply]

Just cause I don't agree with you? Narrow minded aren't you. You MUST be one of those bashing DemoRats!

#17 John on 07/26/11 at 05:45 PM [Reply]

It appears first that we have more than a few in the county that need to go back to school and learn how to spell... And oh such big words for such small minds... The problem in this county and everywhere in this country is the WE THE PEOPLE... we have demanded more and more from our politicians and they have given us huge barrels of pork ... which must be paid for with revenue of some sort... Usually achieved through fees,taxes or by permits (usually large amounts)...If you want lower taxes and less government: Quit asking for it and take care of your own business. Our grandparents did this and were quite comfortable in their lives. We have become a nation of whiners: the gimmie,gimmie bunch.We are racing toward a socialist, welfare country. Bring back our manufacturing facilities, and our customer service work force and our desire to survive as a people and most of our problems will solve themselves

#17.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 06:14 PM [Reply]

John did you not look at your post before hitting the submit button? Never talk about anybody else’s grammar.

People open a word document and type your blog comments. Then hit the spell check. Then right click the mouse and hit copy. Then come back to the blog page and click on the open blog page and right click the mouse again and hit paste. Then we can talk about the issues and the spelling police will go away.

How come so many people complain about spelling? Makes it sound like people in Winder can spell. When the last grades from the school say we can't.

#17.1.1 Random Anonymous Person on 07/26/11 at 06:17 PM [Reply]

And LibreOffice/OpenOffice if MS Office is too steep a price

#17.1.1.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 06:33 PM [Reply]

Yea you are one of many of the smart arses in winder too. Just one of many. How many teeth do you have?

#17.1.1.2 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 06:36 PM [Reply]

Just winder babble. Bet somewhere in winder somebody understands what you said.

#17.1.1.2.1 Random Anonymous Person on 07/26/11 at 06:55 PM [Reply]

Not everyone can afford Word. I was offering free alternatives. No need to be hostile.

#17.1.1.2.2 Allah Akbar on 07/26/11 at 06:57 PM [Reply]

Anonymous = Idiot!

#17.1.1.2.2.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 07:07 PM [Reply]

Thank you! Coming from a fool like you I feel real superior over you now.

#17.1.1.2.2.1.1 Allah Akbar on 07/26/11 at 07:12 PM [Reply]

Anonymous is synonymous with idiot!

#17.1.1.2.2.1.1.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 07:14 PM [Reply]

Hey man you are funny ... where are you playing Saturday night? I will bring a crowd and hear your standup routine.

#17.1.1.3 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 07:11 PM [Reply]

I appoligize ... I reread the post and you were right. I thought you was being smart. Guess I have eye on my face now.

#17.1.2 Random Anonymous Person on 07/26/11 at 07:08 PM [Reply]

CTRL+C and CTRL+V are faster.

#18 John on 07/26/11 at 07:07 PM [Reply]

My mistake ..... I thought I was conversing with inteligent people.I won't write again

#18.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 07:09 PM [Reply]

BYE JOHN!!!

#18.1.1 Allah Akbar on 07/26/11 at 07:16 PM [Reply]

Stop yelling. My head hurts.

#18.1.1.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 07:17 PM [Reply]

Hey man a head like that should hurt.

#18.2 Random Anonymous Person on 07/26/11 at 08:20 PM [Reply]

You thought you were conversing with intelligent people in the comments section for a newspaper website?

#18.2.1 Anonymous on 07/26/11 at 08:24 PM [Reply]

I bet that hurt to think!

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Worley to have tax hike recommendation next week

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Worley to have tax hike recommendation next week

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