Jackson County Courthouse, North Side photo by G. Morgan
AGENDA
(Click on image for an expanded view.)
Two Minute Video Short Take, Budget Problem
Budget Deficit Issues Cuts in Services
$500,000 to $700,000 budget deficit for Fiscal Budget Year 2020
Services and Employee cuts
Senior Assistance Programs including Council on Aging and Senior RX Program
Employee Health Insurance
Retiree Health Insurance
Rural Transportation
Cutting Courthouse Hours
Reducing Staff.
Cutting any External Funding Programs (if money is currently received) such as Volunteer Fire Departments, Rescue Squad, Libraries
Approximately $823,000 had to be returned to the County School System. The commission was retaining 5% of the money as a "pass through administrative maintenance fee."
The County Administrator Bob Manning stated to me in an interview, he believes the county has sufficient funds remaining to see the county through to the end of the current Fiscal Year which ends September 30, 2019, unless there is another emergency.
State Senator Steve Livingston, Scottsboro, considers presentation by members of the Jackson County Commission
The Jackson County Commission met with the Jackson County Legislative Delegation at 5:30 PM Monday. This was a full meeting of the commission to discuss revenue issues and tax increases, the meeting to discuss the issues was not announced. I asked Commission Chair Tim Guffey after the Commission Work Session meeting if he had met with the Delegation, he stated they were meeting today after the commission meeting. There was no announcement of this meeting either in the earlier commission meeting or posted on the bulletin board where meeting notices are posted. Due to comments within the video it appears there may have been other unannounced meetings between the commission and delegation.
Today it would have been easy to recess the meeting in the Commission Boardroom and announce they would recall the meeting back to order across the street at the Legislative Delegation Boardroom.
VIDEO
Overview of County Budget Crisis, Presentation to Legislative Delegation
55% of the General Fund Budget goes to the Jackson County Sheriffs Department and Jail. The Sheriffs Department is requesting the Commission fund more vehicles for the Sheriffs Department. Jackson County, apparently, has no reserve funds.
Video of County Commission Delegation Meeting, some editing to shorten the video, all important context remains.
What is SPLOST? A special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST), this issue was previously defeated in a local Jackson County vote. The local Republican Tea Party group brought in outside anti-tax representatives to conduct a campaign against the measure. Article from 2016 - Chattanooga Times Free Press: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2016/apr/10/jackscounty-november-ballot-could-see-splost/359415/ Looking forward also requires a historical perspective, "In the Boro's" articles on the previous issues regarding SPLOST - https://arklite.blogspot.com/search/label/splost
The GOP in Alabama is willing to support an issue to raise the Gas Tax but not willing to give counties the ability to raise revenue without their express permission? A lack of self governance in Alabama is a hold over from Civil War reconstruction. Maintaining power over the people while deceiving the voters as to the legislators motives.
Video of the Jackson County Commission Work Session, Agenda Above.
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