The work meeting opened with a request from community member Deb Goff, requesting information regarding Amendment 2.
According to Commissioner Michael Hicks the Amendment will cause county proceeds from the results to fluctuate with uncertainty from year to year, especially the amount of tax revenue that is paid directly to Calhoun County School, causing them the greatest burden. While Calhoun is possibly expected to receive an additional $1,000,000 in revenue increase that amount is based off of the State surplus. The State would have to find 6 million dollars each year to provide the amounts of revenue income promised, if not the surplus could be gone in as little as two years.
Hortz Motz, Board of Education member asked, ”Do they have a plan to offset the personal property tax cut?”
Commissioner Hicks responded, “The vote doesn’t make it happen. For 90 years this has been a constitutionally required tax, this would allow the state to open up a pandora’s box, this would be an appropriation bill so it could change drastically.”
Motz continued by saying that “Finances are always something that has to be looked at because the obligations are there, the money has to come from somewhere.”
Judge Larry Whited said, ”If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. If the state can’t meet your needs, county real estate tax may have to be increased to cover it.
Deb Goff then questioned, What is at the basis of this?”
Commissioner Hicks: ”It provides tax breaks for businesses.”
Judge Whited: ”if I they do pass it, is that going to be passed on the individuals that use that, such as the compressor station?”
Commissioner Hicks: It (White Oak Compressor Station) is already taxed as a utility but it would eliminate taxes on their equipment.
Teresa Overton of the 1982 Foundation asked both Commissioners, ”What is your plan to grow Calhoun County?”
Commissioner Hicks: I agree with the Governors plan to eliminate personal income tax, the states that don’t have a personal income tax show a 56% growth.
Commissioner Walker: For the broad band project to expand will help us to grow.
Commissioner Hicks: ”I’d love it if we had a river or highways but we don’t. So we have to promote our lifestyle and people.”
There was some conversation around previously attempted highway project that never came to fruition, but nothing of notable help. While on this subject Larry Whited requested that the Commissioners contact the WV State Highway department to get the speed limit sign at Baker’s Mart replaced. He stated that it makes Philips Run a 40 mph zone and they need to ”get the sign back up so I can quit violating the law.”
Ridgeview News asked with the current condition of the Ambulance service is.
Commission Hicks stated that ”Minnie Hamilton is keeping an ALS crew 24 hour a day , and a 12 hour BLS Crew – they’ve backed up surrounding counties as well. The Calhoun EMS has came to an agreement where Calhoun will be contracting with “an individual” to get back up and running. No word as to who ”the individual” was.
When ask what it was costing the county, Commissioner Hick stated ”The cost has been nothing because they’re paying out of funds of EMS.” He further said that ”The EMS board sought and received an extension for mid November for the inspection that looks favorable. The State office is good to work with, Jodi Ratliff. The biggest part is to wait until after the election. Depending on levy results will depend on the county’s course of action.”
Community member Cheryl Plato asked ”Are you going to provide information to the voters to get the levy passed?”
Commissioner Hicks response to that “The county commission is in a spot because county funds can’t be used to promote the levey. You can educate but you cannot promote, so it’s a fine line we can’t cross.”
Cheryl then ask “can anyone do it?” to which Commissioner Hick answered “some of the fire departments have, and Minnie Hamilton EMS came to the Democrat event on the West Fork to advocate for it.”
Judge Larry Whited commented that he had heard comments about the renewal – how can it be a renewal when the levy has changed. There has not been enough education on that.
Hortz Motz asked about the original verbiage – who wrote it?
Commission Hick stated that the verbiage will be published on the sample ballot that runs in the paper.
When Ridgeview News asked what the County was going to do about the Ambulance issues, stating that a citizen that same day had said ”They weren’t voting for the levy because Julie Sears is still getting money from it, (to which she corrected that issue with that person), but obviously it still needs discussed with the community, Commissioner Walker informed her that ”Mike (Hicks) just addressed it.
Motz reminded them that even if the levy passes the ambulance is still underfunded. One vehicle is not enough.If this levy doesn’t pass you might as well forget EMS.
Mike Plato commented that ”people say I’ll vote for the fire department but not the ambulance” relating to the community attitude regarding the ambulance service.
When Motz suggested that people should be charged for refusal of services, there should be a minimum fee because you’re taking the ambulance out of service, Larry Whited informed that you would have to go to the state legislature to accomplish it.”
Commission Hicks said that “We could discuss it all day, medicare and Medicade payments, with an aging population, most runs are not going to be covered.
Judge Whited brought up the loss of population. When he came in the 1970’s there was 1500 people living in Grantsville, now there is a little over 400. Revenue sharing stopped and the county went down hill from there and the larger stores like walmart took away from us. Roads were improved and travel became easier.
Mike Plato brought up the inventory tax that was placed on a community he lived in in California. When it came to products such as steel, people wouldn’t produce things like that because they didn’t want to have to pay to inventory it, and it slowed production, and hurt the businesses.
Ridgeview Note: While meetings like this are productive for the community to be able to voice their concerns, it is clear that attitudes both in the community and in the government need some change to make progress happen. The citizens need clarity as to what they’re voting on, why it’s important and who’s running our government and how. Many of those questions have still gone unanswered.
More articles are on the way to help clarify November 8th. Stay tuned to Ridgeview News for the information you need to know to make informed decisions for you family and community.
