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digger07
Regular Forum Member
537 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 25 2009 : 09:02:28 AM
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I heard that the Commissioners were going to be on the radio this morning at 10am to talk about county budget issues, and whether or not they would institute a sales tax increase.
A 1/4% sales tax increase in Knox County would save at least a dozen deputies from getting laid off, plus make all county services be able to return to regular hours and days for the public. A small increase like that can be instituted by the Commissioners without a vote of the people, and can be done right away so that funds are available by the start of the new year.
If you have an opinion about this, please listen to the talk radio and call in with your opinion.
" I am willing to admit that I may not always be right, but I am never wrong."-Samuel Goldwyn, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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asd
New Forum Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 11:23:45 AM
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I think that a 1/4% increase in sales tax would not be that bad, considering that almost every county that boarders Knox is at 6.75% and higher except for Holmes county who is at 6.5%. If raising the sales tax helps save county jobs and returns things back to normal, I think that the citizens would appreciate that. We all know that if cuts are made it will turn into a snowball effect just like it has for every other county that has gone through this. If I have done my math right if you buy a $100.00 item in Knox county right now after tax you pay $106.50 if the sales tax increases to 6.75% and you buy that same $100.00 item you will pay $106.75 $0.25 more. Across the board I don't think that it would hurt to many people if any at all. If we want to see the economic crisis come to an end we have to be in this together, lets keep the quality of life in Knox county a high priority.
asd |
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lawncare extrodinair
New Forum Member
30 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 1:33:31 PM
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| i hate more taxes but i think this would be okay mainly on the pretence that we are saving jobs. |
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curious mind
Senior Forum Member
19920 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 3:46:24 PM
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Am for the increase
and am also for replacing the Commissioners who took someone else's word about investment income projections, without doing their own research. The buck stops at the top.
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
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Edited by - curious mind on Sep 28 2009 3:47:35 PM |
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design
Regular Forum Member
USA
808 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 6:02:38 PM
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Does this mean Jobs and Family Services will call back their employees? After the lay off, the Department received a Federal Stimulus and the employees were not called back
Guess the money went to provide for the welfare of the community?
design |
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Carlos
Regular Forum Member
195 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 6:17:22 PM
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| I'm certainly not a fan of more taxes, but I don't want to end up with no police like Morrow County. There needs to be some type of mandate to keep the commissioners from wasting the money on some other project. Have they ever showed what cuts they are making? |
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curious mind
Senior Forum Member
19920 Posts |
Posted - Sep 28 2009 : 6:48:32 PM
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Actually - I'd like to see what "cuts" they've (the Commissioners) made to their own staff and personnel - if that staff and personnel have suffered loss of hours and pay - and if they've (the Commissioners) returned 9 percent of their own salaries to the state......as a show of solidarity with the community
wanna bet none of that has happened?
to top it off, not only has Stockberger been the one to "point fingers" of blame for this financial crisis, he's bordering on downright nasty lately, too
http://www.knoxpages.com/?NewsID=7469&CatID=1
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
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Edited by - curious mind on Sep 29 2009 07:27:10 AM |
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asd
New Forum Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2009 : 09:01:24 AM
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Sheriff’s office response to the financial crunch in Knox Co.
-Suspended community programs (DARE & Community Relation: To cut back on overtime)
-Department wide furlough time over 3200 hours
-Reduced support staff hours (jail cooks, civil process and administrative assistant)
-Utilizing two man patrol cars and shutting down vehicles when possible to save fuel
-Utilizing bicycle officers as much as possible
-All car washes except during oil changes are done at the Sheriff’s Office
-Negotiated and reduced oil change rate below regular commercial rate
-Vehicle parts are purchased at a commercial rate cost (approximately a 40% discount)
-Reduced use of dry cleaners
-Local mail is hand delivered when ever possible
-Additional fees for cruisers at special events
-ELIMINATION OF NEARLY ALL OVERTIME
If action is not immediately taken to fix the financial situation at hand the following is the projected outcome and effects to the community, if a 20% reduction in budget comes.
-20% funding cuts in training, fuel, equipment, uniforms, and supplies
-Approximately 14 officers laid off (25% of the sworn personnel)
-Eliminate all 4 detectives including the child sex offense, neglect and abuse investigator
-Reduce jail officers (There is a state mandate to operate the jail)
-Reduce patrol officers to mostly 1-2 officers per shift
-Eliminate the response to most non-emergency calls
-Eliminate most follow up investigations to complaints
-Sex offender record including address changes, employment, and vehicle information will not be updated in a timely manner
-Delays in concealed carry licensing
This information is not for purposes of bashing any of the commissioners in any way shape or form, this is purely for general public information. The above is the effects that will be taken on local law enforcement, the information does not include the cuts and discomfort that will be induced upon the other county agency’s if anyone has any information that includes other county agencies please feel free to post more information, the more the better.
asd |
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hello
Senior Forum Member
1193 Posts |
Posted - Sep 29 2009 : 11:06:55 AM
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| bring on the tax increase. we have some of the lowest sales tax rates in ohio so this will ensure our departments can operate properlly. |
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asd
New Forum Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 10:13:46 AM
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I was kickin' this thought around last night, say the 1/4% increase was temporary just to get through the rough economic slump? Any thoughts on this?
This also something I just found out, if the commissioner wanted to they could raise the sales tax 1/4% with out a voter approval.
Bueller?
asd |
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magic805
New Forum Member
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 5:32:07 PM
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| Yep a 1/4 here a1/4 there a1/4 here a 1/4 there yada ,yada,yada hmmmmmmmmmm |
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Carlos
Regular Forum Member
195 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 5:48:06 PM
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Has anyone mentioned the county offices staying open a little later a couple of days a week and then closing on Fridays? That way people who works days could do business after work and they could save money by closing the building on Fridays. I'm still waiting to hear about the commissioners or their staff taking furlough days or giving money back.
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aproudamerican
Regular Forum Member
373 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 8:42:38 PM
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I certainly hope we will not become Morrow County, with their courts shutting down for lack of supplies and their almost non-existent Sheriff's Office. If all it will take to save our county offices and from shutting down our Sheriff's Office is a 1/4% sales tax then so be it. I would much rather pay 25 cents extra on a hundred dollar purchase than go without the services that our county offices provide.
Several articles in the paper concerning the commissioners stated that this year they wanted 9% and another 11% in cuts for 2010. Where do they want these cuts to come from???? The elected officials stated they were shutting down one day a week and poss. layoffs along with other cost saving measures is the only way to meet the commissioners expectations. This angered the commissioners??? Again where do the commissioners want the money to come from???
It seems the commissioners do not understand what each department does and why these are the only options for such drastic cuts.
I don’t understand why the commissioners want to wait until December to decide on the budget for 2010. They've already gave their expected cuts-11% so I would think they would want more time to try to solve the shortage before it happens in Jan.
It seems the commissioners don't want to look bad in front of the public because they are "Elected Officials" so they won't back a sales tax. But how will they look to the people when our offices are shut down, people are laid off and no sheriffs office???????
. It seems the commissioners want to force the department heads into making the cuts and layoffs so "they"(the commissioners) wont look so bad....I agree with asd that this could be a temporary tax until the county recovers. But with these commissioners who knows.....
A Proud American |
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curious mind
Senior Forum Member
19920 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 9:03:18 PM
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APA
with "these" commissioners, there's only one that's been testy, argumentative and demanding - stockberger - the only one to point fingers and refuse to accept responsibility
too bad he isn't up for re-election next year - however, I believe Bob Wise is next in line for re-election - and he, too, has a lot of explaining to do.......hopefully someone will challenge his seat........given that he doesn't understand what a co-signer is, yet is in control of the county finances.........
"You might have to fight a battle more than once to win it" - Margaret Thatcher
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cateyes
Senior Forum Member
USA
2930 Posts |
Posted - Sep 30 2009 : 11:07:26 PM
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The commissioiners already look bad...the ones been there for too long..
I can understand their asking the departments for where to make the cuts..figuring they would know best what areas to cut..BUT in truth cuts do have to be made.
And I too wonder WHERE the commissoners are cutting in their budget.
Staying open an extra hour each day...but closing on Friday sounds like a good idea.
“On every unauthoritative exercise of power by the legislature must the people rise in rebellion or their silence be construed into a surrender of that power to them? If so, how many rebellions should we have had already?” —Thomas Jefferson
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asd
New Forum Member
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - Oct 01 2009 : 8:48:18 PM
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So a general consensus would be nice to hear/see what do most of you think about this? Yeah or nah? I've talked to many strangers and most people seem to want to keep the county operating at full force.
Anyone?
asd |
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