Jackson Co. Commission Passes Budget After Large Turnout At Public Hearing

Standing room only at Jackson County’s budget hearing over concerns of the proposed 30 cent tax rate Monday night.

County leaders and residents spoke for almost an hour about how the tax rate would impact them. Most residents said while they support necessary raises for the county’s employees, it is not fair to put that burden of cost on the property owners.

Resident Robert Boyer:

“I’m already paying $1,500 a year in property taxes,” Boyer said. “How am I going to keep on being able to raise a family, work on a farm, if everything gets to the point where I can’t even afford to do anything.”

Resident Linda McNew said she would like to see alternative ways to find the funds needed.

“We do want to pay our bills and we do want to keep our employees happy I’m sure, we want to keep our sheriff’s deputies happy and our emergency personnel happy for sure,” McNew said. “But I think there needs to be something done.”

The county commission passed the budget during its regular meeting following the public hearing. It passed 13 to 5. Commissioners Jeff Smallwood, Shelby Fox, Gary Garrison, Troy York, among those who voted no.

Jackson County Mayor Randy Heady said the decision to implement this tax was not one taken lightly.

“As the budget committee proposed to send the budget to full commission, I wanted to note there wasn’t a smile on anybody’s face, no happiness, no laughter, no excitement about sending a proposed property tax increase to the full commission,” Heady said. “(…) The one that keeps me up at night are the ones on the fixed income and they’re sitting at the house and they’re the only person in the home and they’re on a fixed income and they’re going up, and I understand that. That’s the sleep I’ve lost, worrying about that person.”

The county commission meets next on Monday, September 18th.