THE HUNTER REPORT
thehunterreport.com
IT'S JUST YOUR MONEY -
BUDGET PROCESS BEGINS -
TAX HIKE ?? WHEN & HOW MUCH?
BY: PAT HUNTER
Loudon County Budget Committee Loudon County Taxpayers
Members: Budget Chair Mayor Estelle Herron, Ex-Officio Secretary Finance Director Tracy Blair, Commissioner Don Miller, Sharon Yarbrough, Austin Shaver, and Bob Franke
The Loudon County Budget Committee will meet in weeks to come to discuss the proposed FY11-12 budget. The county budget meeting schedule is listed below. The hours are not friendly for most working people.
This economy has been compared worse than The Great Depression. Government face shrinking federal, state, county, and city federal revenues; and federal, states, counties, and cities everywhere face tight budgets. Loudon County Mayor Estelle Herron and the Loudon County Budget Committee have yet to publicly ask all county offices to CUT SPENDING like some of our neighbors. In recent years, Loudon County budgets have spent more requiring dipping into fund balance (reserves funds). In the proposed FY 11-12 budget, most Loudon County departments are requesting 3-5 percent pay increase for personnel.
Is Loudon County about to embark down a slippery slope of more spending and tax hike?
Years of spending has caught up with Blount County and now desperate measures are under consideration. New Blount County's Mayor Ed Mitchell asked that all county government departments cut 12.8% percent from current levels. He started off by cutting his own pay by 12.8 %. He has also vowed to veto any property tax increase in 2011-2012 fiscal year budget but Blount County Commission may override the vote if the majority of commissioners vote to do so. Time will tell if Blount County Mayor Mitchell is good for his word. Blount County residents face nearly a $10 Million deficit attributed to government spending and debt. Roughly 73 percent of Blount County's expenditures are related to salaries, and employee benefits. To read more about Blount County's budget issues click http://www.thedailytimes.com/home
On April 6, 2011, the Blount County School Board approved a balanced budget of $78.3 Million, which included cuts. CLICK Blount schools approve $78.3M budget
The Loudon County Board of Education Budget Committee is still discussing the budget however, Mayor Herron has requested the school board's budget.
LOUDON COUNTY BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE
PROPOSED FY 11-12 LOUDON COUNTY BUDGET
Date: April 14, 2011 (THURSDAY)
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Place: Loudon County Office Bldg., Commission Conference Room, 100 River Rd., Loudon
Purpose: Budget Committee will work on the proposed FY 11-12 BUDGET
Date: APRIL 18, 2011 (MONDAY)
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Place: Loudon County Office Bldg., Commission Conference Room, 100 River Rd., Loudon
Purpose: Budget Committee will work on the proposed FY 11-12 BUDGET
Date: APRIL 25, 2011 (MONDAY)
Time: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Place: Loudon County Office Bldg., Commission Conference Room, 100 River Rd., Loudon
Purpose: Budget Committee will work on the proposed FY 11-12 BUDGET
Date: APRIL 26, 2011 (TUESDAY)
Time: 9:00 A.M - ?
Place: Loudon County Office Bldg., Commission Conference Room, 100 River Rd., Loudon
Purpose: Budget Committee will work on the proposed FY 11-12 BUDGET
04-09-2011