TAXES TOO HIGH AND NO JOBS — Tom Fennimore told County Supervisors on Thursday night that real estate taxes were too high and there were no jobs available in the County for youth to return to.

 

  County residents continued their tirade against high taxes and increased reassessments on their real estate on Thursday evening during the advertised public hearing on the County's proposed tax rates for the coming fiscal year. The rates for real estate were advertised at 48 cents per $100 value while those for personal property were advertised at $3.65, up from the current rate of $3.30 per $100.  While the current year's real estate rate is 48 cents per $100, last year's reassessment of real estate resulted in a rise of some 15.9 percent which means that real estate taxes will also increase by some 15.9 percent. "I'm ready to fight," said Gloria Crute of Nathalie as she shook a

balled up fist at County Supervisors. "It's time to put a stop to all this," she said referring to the increases on real estate taxes over the past several years which, she said, had put more pressure on her. Thomas Hundley said his taxes had increased 128 percent in the last ten years. "I don't know of any business other than government that's gone up like this," he said. Hundley said "the IDA (Industrial Development Authority) and the school system are gonna' break Halifax County.  Somebody needs to do some close management of these two," he said. Walter Cook, who also complained about the stiff increases in real estate taxes said he understands that the school system wants $68 million which he figures works out to $11,333 per student. Lynchburg's costs are much lower, he explained.

L. T. Ferguson was also critical of school spending asking who had approved the construction of the two "Walt Disney playhouse schools." Ferguson was also critical of the school superintendent, saying he didn't think he "was worth in excess of $160,000 with enrollment dropping every year." "I want the best education, but I don't see any need for an assistant to the assistant, to the assistant, to the assistant," said John Foster "and we don't need consultants to cover everybody's butt. We need efficiency, not redundancy." Thomas Hines told Supervisors "we in the rural community worked to own our farmland, no one assisted us or gave us any discount." He added

that if county employees are not happy with their pay they should get another job. He advised Supervisors to "just say 'no' til things get better." But Jake Bebber, who said he has just returned from a trip to Florida where there are a lot of vacant condos, said he believes "the economy is going to get worse, rather than better" over the coming year and Halifax County is hurting because of the tax rates and increases. He suggested that County Supervisors, who face a tough task in drafting the budget, might want to consider floating a bond issue to meet expenses until things get better. Jeff Grim, who has lived in the County for the past 13 years, said it "is absolutely ridiculous what citizens are getting for our money. The 15.9 percent increase is ridiculous. This County hasn't brought a job in the last several years, but taxes are going up on the average of 7.5 percent each year." Bernard Mitzler congratulated Supervisors "for cleaning house," referring to the resignation of the IDA executive director. "I hope you clean some more house," he said. Tom Fennimore and his 17 year old son complained about the lack of jobs for young people. "There are no jobs left, only farming or joining the (military) service," Taylor Fennimore said. Merle Hundley reminded board members that neighboring Mecklenburg County's real estate tax rate is only 36 cents per $100 value. Michael Hudson challenged Supervisors to try to show a profit on their business just as individual farmers must do, keeping their expenses in line with what their products could be sold for. He also pointed out that the tax rate should be lowered since real property values are dropping with the crunch of the economic downturn. Kelly Foster said he was attracted to Halifax County when he moved here because he felt it was a conservative area. But the Board "has gone

liberal with a tax and spend attitude," he said.   Larry Turner reminded board members that they need to think about

their children and grandchildren. "How an they afford to live here?" he asked. "We have to hold down taxes. There's no way our children can pay these," said Clark Graves, who along with his brother hopes to hold onto the family homeplace and pass it on to their children. "The only thing we get from the County is the Sheriff's Department which takes some time to come out to us," he explained. Graves advocated that the County consider some type of land use or Agricultural and Forestal districts which would reduce the tax rate for land owners. Graves said reassessment every two years is ridiculous and that he went to the board of appeals and felt he was penalized for complaining when they increased his assessment rather than adjusting it downward. He was not alone in complaining about the reassessment process. Thomas Majors told board members that the reassessor never got out of his car

to look at his mother's property, which he described as "falling down" but being reassessed higher. Ned Stebbins added that the assessors go out and the reassessments continue to go up. "If you want more money quit milking the county land owners — put the taxes on what people buy — lottery tickets, beer and county decals." Following the public comment period ED#5 Supervisor James Edmunds explained that he, too, felt the land values were set too high. But he added, "it's not us local folks who are driving land prices up, but rather out-of-town people who are buying land from farms that have been subdivided." Edmunds suggested that the county look into the creation of

Agricultural and Forestal districts  to help farm owners reduce their tax rates. Finance chairman ED#4 Supervisor Doug Bowman agreed that should be considered as did ED#2 Supervisor Tom West.