Budget Committee One Step Closer To Goal Of No Property Tax Increase
The Jefferson County Budget Committee made their first round of deep cuts on Tuesday, April 14, 2015, as they met to review requests from non profit organizations. Jefferson County’s Volunteer Fire Departments were the first group to find approval with the Committee, with a Motion from Kesterson and 2nd from David Seal to extend level funding at $55,000 per department for a total of $550,000, which was the same funding as the current fiscal year. The Kesterson/Seal motion found favor with a 8-0-1 vote ( Solomon abstaining).
Budget Committee Chairman Scarlett, at the request of the Committee, afforded each of the 16 non profits on the potential budget list three minutes to address the Committee. While not all of the non profits took advantage of the opportunity to address the Committee, most were represented and all but two requested at least level funding from the current budget year. Senior Home Assistance and UT Hearing and Speech made no funding request for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, while ALPS Adult Daycare requested an increase of $3,000.
Chairman Scarlett stepped down from the Chair ( Gaut assuming Chair) to offer a Motion that EDOC receive $180,000 in funding from the Hotel/ Motel tax and the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce receiving the remaining Hotel/Motel tax with no funding to come from property tax. Scarlett’s motion was amended by David Seal to include accountability for where the funds allocated by the County are spent. Chamber Director Helton and some members of the Chamber Board cited confusion regarding the amendment. The Motion as amended Passed 7-1 with Beeler voting No and Kesterson absent. The estimated amount of Hotel/Motel tax is a total of $230,000 to $270,000 meaning a $65,000 to $100,000 cut for the Chamber of Commerce.
Several motions that allocated funding at a lesser level than requested for some organizations and denied funding for others failed to find favor with the majority of the Committee, with several motions lacking a majority approval and others dying for lack of a 2nd. Committee Member Gaut made a successful Motion to fund the Boys and Girls Club at $60,000 ( $20,000 less than requested) was 2nd by Seal and Passed 7-1. Committee Member Beeler made a Motion to fund the Humane Society at $83,150 which was $10,000 less that requested but equal to the amount the was indicated as necessary in a letter to the Committee. Beeler’s motion found a 2nd in Committee Member Musick but Failed in a tie vote with Scarlett, Blevins, Solomon and Seal voting No. David Seal offered a Motion to fund the Humane Society at $70,000 ( the same percentage of cut as the Boys and Girls Club) and was 2nd by Solomon. That Motion Passed 5-3 with Musick, Beeler and Scarlett voting No.
Committee Member Tucker had a Motion, 2nd by Gaut, to fund six non profit requests for a total of $16,000 but his motion as offered never came to vote. Committee Member Beeler instead offered an amendment to strike( decline to fund) all non profits that were not already approved ( Boys and Girls Club, Humane Society, Chamber of Commerce and EDOC being the only previously approved non profits, with the exception of the fire departments). He was 2nd by Blevins and both Beeler and Blevins noted that all the non profits were worthy of funding but a serious deficit has the County facing deep cuts in all areas. Beeler/Blevins amendment was Approved with Committee Members Musick and Seal voting No.
The Committee heard from IDB Chairman Masters regarding potential property for development and he will return to the full Commission with additional information. Additionally, Committee Member Tucker made a Motion to send a recommendation to the full Commission to initiate work on a mineral tax in the amount of 15 cents per ton and an increase in the Hotel/Motel tax of 2%, which were both part of Jefferson County Mayor Palmieri’s proposal for additional tax base. He was 2nd by Beeler and the Motion Failed 3-4.
The Committee will hear information on automatic call vs mutual aid at a future Budget Committee meeting.
