The Lamar County commission conducted another public hearing on taxes Tuesday night and a crowd of over 150 filled the courtroom to hold the commissioners' feet to the fire.

Walter Geiger of the Barnesville Herald Gazette reported that again, almost all the sentiment expressed over two and a half hours was to cut services and not raise taxes. The commission set budget workshops for 10 a.m. Thursday, August. 19 and 10 a.m. Monday, August 23. It will meet Tuesday, August 24 at 7 p.m. to set the millage rate.

Multiple citizens addressed the commission. Several seemed to sum up the majority opinion.

Julia Thomas:   Said:  "I am 82 years old. My taxes went up $400 last year and my son had to pay it. When you only have so much, you can't make more out of it. How can I make my budget go any further? Groceries have gone up. I will have to do without. What do I push aside to pay my taxes? Keep in mind the hardship (an increase) will work on me and all the other elderly in the county because I don't see where I can come up with another penny."

Jon Sexton: Also expressed concerns with : "Taxes have become the cocaine of government. The more you have, the more you need. I don't want anyone to lose their job but Lamar County government should not be a welfare program. You don't have to do this. Cut salaries across the board by 20%. Cut recreation. The health department refused to give my kids flu shots because they were not on Medicaid, so I say cut the health department or run it one day a week. This is a tax increase on inflated property values. It's not fair. It's not just and it's not right."

Penny McBroom:   Told the Commissioners; I think we need to turn our community back over to our community. We need to rely on our churches and families and cut these services.  I don't know how government got into it."

McBroom is the contact for the Lamar County TEA Party. Interested citizens may contact her at 770.358.0828.

All five commissioners seemed reluctant to raise the millage. Nancy Thrash advocated a 10% across the board pay cut for all county employees which would save over $350,000.

She singled out the school board for holding a $5 million surplus and not stepping in to help the county. She also lit into the public defender program and its class of clientele.

"We do have to have public defenders but I don't like defending people who are out selling drugs to our elementary school kids on Tuesday and picking up their welfare and food stamps on Wednesday," Thrash concluded.

 

Spalding County Residents are watching the reaction of the Lamar County Commissioners as many residents have contacted WKEU more than concerned over a tax digest that is unfair, in many cases wrong.  And no help or even concerns to assist property owners with falling values in this economy.  Also no consideration of a subdivision or homes that are n areas where foreclosures, according to state law, must be considered when revaluing property.  Citizens have stated to WKEU news that they are waiting to see what will take place, and if Spalding County Commissioners and managers  will follow through with state law in the revaluation.  Also all assessments have been frozen for a period of three years by the state legislature.  One individual told WKEU news if Spalding County continues down this path. All citizens need to ban together just like they have in Lamar County and raise Hell like never before. And if necessary re-call all elected officials.  Its getting totally out of hand.  We are spending money in Spalding county like there is no tomorrow at the homeowners and property owners expense in a inflated tax digest that is un fair and getting worse.  Bill Taylor said that he has received numerous calls at home and at the station from individuals that are fed up with escalating budgets, and no major cuts in services that we will have to face to give property owners relief.   One individual said the city is just as bad if not worse.  How much longer can we justify adding on fees to citizens from a unfriendly city government and expect us to continue to foot the bill with no major cuts in the heavy salaries at the top, or cuts in services to help citizens.  We understand what has to be done CUT SERVICES and the hefty salaries we pay individuals in this economy tht work in Government.   We foot the bill, and every day face the problem wondering if we can make ends meet, keep our children in college, give them a higher education, pay the utilities that go up every month, pay storm water run off that was sprung on us a few years ago as a service which is crap, just another way for them to make money and not cut services and I am tired as a property owner to continue to foot the bill.