County should show more transparency

Editor:

The citizens of Madison County can breathe a sigh of relief that the board of supervisors has decided not to raise property taxes this year. However, do so with extreme caution.

Despite the ongoing economic crisis, massive layoffs, rising state/county unemployment, rising county home foreclosures and the numerous pleas from our citizens, the board of supervisors and the county administrator were prepared to increase the county budget to $37.8 million, to an increase of 8.8 percent or $3 million.

Now, we not only are told that the 2009-2010 budget will not increase, but we hear Supervisors Chairman Eddie Dean claim the newly proposed fiscal 2009-2010 budget of $34.7 million represents a 7.5 percent cut in spending from our current budget. Being that the current 2008-2009 fiscal budget was $34.75 million, I cannot understand how Mr. Dean calls this a spending cut. Mr. Dean clearly must be referring to the proposed $37.8 million budget the administration was prepared to pass.

Enter our first unsung hero, Treasurer Stephanie Murray. Out of the blue, Ms. Murray finds a $2.9 million surplus that wiped out the supposed $3 million deficit reported by County Administrator Lisa Robertson. Once again, we are faced with either inaccurate or unsubstantiated information put forth by the county administrator’s office.

How many times must this happen before the citizens see the lack of credibility that continues to show itself from both the administrator’s office and that of the board of supervisors? In the end, there was no 7.5 percent spending cut, and there is apparently no $3 million deficit.

Since the administration was prepared to disregard all of the economic issues and citizen concerns, we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the offices of both Treasurer Stephanie Murray and Commissioner of Revenue Gale Harris. Both of these elected officials have stood up and prevented the supervisors from running amok in areas of tax collection, raising the food tax to a rate above the state sales tax, exposing extra costs of tax collection when the supervisors and county administrator claimed no new costs would be incurred and no finding a $2.9 million surplus when we are told of a $3 million deficit. Thank you ladies for all of your hard work and dedication to defending the well being of our citizenry, while performing your financial duties meticulously.

The citizens need to continue to demand transparency in spending and accuracy in information put forth by our officials.

M. Christopher Martino
Madison County