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If Hall County increases the property tax, it will not have much impact on my standard of living and I doubt if it will have any impact on most of the commissioners.
However, if you look at the median income for the residents of this county and put yourself in their position, it becomes very significant to them. You will not see them at any of the budget meetings because they are too busy working, trying to make ends meet, and nobody is speaking out for them.
The articles in your paper stating that the majority of the people would rather raise taxes than cut services I believe expresses your position rather than the majority of the people.
I believe that we should "cut the cloth to fit the pattern." Take the income we have and spend it based on priorities. There are many good things the county could do, but if you don't have the money, you do without them which is what most of us are having to do. No one wants to cut services but it is better than creating a financial hardship on many of our people.
For years, this county was run on considerably less than $85 million and I might say run well. The size and scope of government in Hall County has grown disproportionally to our population, as well as most of our surrounding counties. We have let our county government grow beyond our means. It was no secret that the county income was going to drop in this economy.
How can we criticize our federal government's spending if our county government is doing the same?
Don DeLozier
Gainesville