Smyth County - puts us all in more debt

Smyth County Residents Be Aware!!

 

Each man, woman, and child in the county will OWE County Government

$1,667.00  

if they finance the proposed expenditures of $50,000,000 ($50 million)

Property tax rates will increase by at least $.07 per $100 or 10%.

 County debt creates a real cost for property owners: $70 to $350 or more per year, depending upon the property assessed value.  This is according to the consultants that the County hired to study the County financial status and impact to the residents.  We have copies of the report.  The yearly debt payments of up to nearly $4,000,000 will continue beyond the year 2043, even if the county doesn’t take more debt in later years.

What makes up the debt?

Over the last year, the County Board of Supervisors has voted “YES” to spending money we do not have, and need a HUGE loan.  Plus, they are considering spending MORE!

·         Courthouse expansion = $25,000,000            (MUST borrow)         Approved in 2010

·         New Marion School Campus = $25,000,000           Under consideration NOW

The Board of Supervisors also voted approval to:

·         Increased property tax rates by 10% (rate was supposed to be $0.52 per hundred, was increased to $0.69.)
·         Increased machinery taxes
·         Increased permit fees, including fees to church groups and other non-profits
·         AND (to add insult to injury,) increase their own salaries! **

** After Roscoe Call stated that they were “doing the citizens a favor” by coming to county meetings.  Since when?  Didn’t they volunteer?

Soon they will vote on whether or not to take the new debt and the additional tax increases for the new debt (the $.07 per $100.)  If the county takes on this new debt, it will not be paid off until years after our grammar school age children are holding their grandchildren!  Let’s hope they don’t need even MORE loans during the next 40 years.

When did YOU get a pay raise?  Have your utility bills gone down? Property taxes gone down? Gas prices gone down? Groceries or household supplies gone down?

YOU can make a difference!!!  Just a phone call!!

It’s hard to influence Washington DC, but local representatives need your input.

PLEASE TELL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE “NO MORE TAXES or DEBT!!”

There is a proposed Public Hearing August 9th at 6:00 PM for input on the new school funding.  Check the paper for the final date and time.  It MUST be advertised by law.

Here are the Representatives, Districts, and Contact information.

By the way, there are 4 Board of Supervisors positions up for election this fall.  If they won’t listen, use your sovereign strength and VOTE!  Let’s CHANGE the tax and spend direction!

Please call your representative to express your opinion about incurring more debt or increasing costs to residents in any way.  Their phone number is public for a reason; they need your input in order to make good decisions about how to spend YOUR money.

District	Name	Address	Phone
Atkins*	Brenda Waddell bwaddell@smythcounty.org	125 Mulberry Lane Atkins, VA24311	276-783-5757
Chilhowie	Wade H. Blevins wblevins@smythcounty.org	522 Town Spring Road Chilhowie, VA24319	276-646-5312
Northfork*	Charlie Clark-Chairman cclark@smythcounty.org	4672 Valley Road Saltville, VA24370	276-624-3272
Park*	Todd Dishner-Vice Chairman	202 Spring Valley Road Marion, VA24354	276-783-2096
Royal Oak	Regina Davidson rdavidson@smythcounty.org	232 Rolling Hills Drive Marion, VA 24354	276-685-2570
Rye Valley*	Darlene R. Neitch dneitch@smythcounty.org	199 Belle Hollow Road Chilhowie, VA24319	276-646-3902
Saltville	Roscoe Call rcall@smythcounty.org	688 Upper Poore Valley Rd Saltville, VA24370	276-496-4545

                      * Up for election THIS year!