<< Back 7/3/02 Budget keeps tax rate despite revaluation By Scott McLeod Process and priorities — not paying more taxes — dominated the public hearing July 1 on Haywood County’s $52 million budget. “I’m here as a daddy and a taxpayer,” said veterinarian Bill Snyder. “I pay a lot of taxes, and I feel better about paying those taxes when I feel it is being spent well. When money is tight, when the state is withholding revenues, it is the wrong time to spend on a massive capital project.” Snyder and a long list of other speakers told commissioners it was the wrong time begin work on the justice center, parking deck and jail project. Instead, the money would be better spent on by meeting the school system’s entire budget request, said Snyder and others. “I’m also asking you to fully fund the school system’s budget request,” said Snyder. What the school system got, however, was less than their request. On a 3-2 vote, Haywood commissioners approved a spending plan maintains the current tax rate of 61 cents per $100 of valuation and that hiked the school system’s budget request by $124,000, enough to raise teacher supplements to 2 percent of salary. Commissioners Jim Stevens, Bill Noland and Carlyle Ferguson voted for the spending plan, while Mary Ann Enloe and Wade Francis — both running for office in November — voted against it. Because this year’s property revaluation hiked values nearly 40 percent, almost all taxpayers will pay more in taxes despite the fact that the rate will remain the same. Three issues — the revaluation, spending on the new justice center, and the school system budget — were the main issues on the minds of the two dozen speakers and close to 150 people who crowded into the Superior Courtroom for the hearing. Included in the budget is about $1.1 million in loan and interest payments for the first installment on a $22 million loan to build a new justice center and parking deck. At the current tax rate, that is nearly 3 cents on the property value. Many speakers agreed that there was a need for the center but said it was simply a bad time to embark on such a project. “Last year, you used your reserve fund to pay for basic services. Legislators are still playing with your money,” said Mib Medford of Waynesville. “I would like for you to restore public faith as good stewards of our money. I would like for you to postpone spending on any public buildings and instead build your reserve fund beyond what is mandated and take care of the bricks and mortar you have.” Probably 100 of those attending worked for Haywood County schools, and they pleaded with commissioners for many items. The only addition to the schools budget was for the supplement, which means the system got $10.6 million of its $10.85 million request. Last year the system received $10 million. Trading the justice system for meeting school system requests irked many speakers, while others could not believe the county would approve the budget on the same night it held the public hearing. Commissioners Francis and Enloe echoed that sentiment. “I don’t think we ought to vote on this tonight. We ought to listen to the people and take it back and see what we can do,” said Francis, who said commissioners could probably cut 5 cents off the tax rate. Enloe agreed, and she added that she fully supported the school system’s request. She said Snyder's comment about the justice center echoed her own feelings — “We’ll do it, but now is not the time,” said Enloe.