The News-Sentinel has an article and interesting comments on a second sales tax increase referendum in less than a year in Sevier County. Hamblen County also has a second sales tax increase referendum on the May ballot.
There are many similarities between the Sevier and Hamblen sales tax increase referenda. The article and online comments on the Sevier referendum are here.
Sevier County voters defeated a sales tax increase about 10 months ago. Hamblen County voters defeated a sales tax increase a little over a year ago.
The powers-that-be in Sevier (school board, county commission, etc.) have put the sales tax increase referendum back on the ballot in Sevier. Ditto for Hamblen County.
The leaders in Sevier think that the voters didn't understand the issue the first time. Ditto for Hamblen.
This time, the powers-that-be in Sevier are trying to better educate the public in order to get the voters to vote in favor of the sales tax increase. Ditto for Hamblen.
The sales tax increase in Sevier is, of course, for the children. Ditto for Hamblen.
There is one interesting difference, however, between Sevier and Hamblen.
Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters says he has agreements from the cities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg to give all the sales tax that would normally belong to each city to the schools.
Hamblen County Mayor David Purkey has never gotten an agreement from Morristown--the only city in Hamblen County--to give all or a large part of the sales tax that would normally belong to the city to the schools.
The City of Morristown goes on and on about education when the City is trying to garner votes for a sales tax increase. Click here.
But Morristown-- unlike Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg--quickly forgets about education once the sales tax increase passes. If a sales tax increase passes, Morristown keeps every penny that it can instead of giving all or a large portion of its share of the sales tax increase to the schools. Click here for more information.
Whether the current sales tax increase passes or not, Maybe Mayor Purkey and Director of Schools Dale Lynch ought to contact Morristown Mayor Barile and see if she can get the City to donate all or a large portion of the City's sales tax to education.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment