RAINER’S RAMBLINGS
Thoughts on taxes
By RAINER ARNOLD

In recent weeks I have heard a variety of comments about taxes. As usual, they are not positive and so I thought I might give you my insight into taxes in Union County.

Five years ago or so I was the editor of the Union Sentinel and I met the Union County Commissioner, Lamar Paris, and found him to be frugal and conservative when it comes to spending county money. I also met the Superintendent of Schools, Tommy Stephens, who was no different. Both men want for their area of responsibility only the best.

Then, as is now the case, taxes were an issue. I know from personal experience that taxes in Union County are some of the lowest in the state. Taxes are based on what the county needs and what the schools need. Well, as the county grows, and it is growing at an alarming rate, so do the services that have to be provided by the county. Thus, more people have to be employed and more money has to be raised for salaries, benefits and material costs as well as infrastructure improvements.

In terms of the schools, there are growth problems as well. More and more kids are attending our schools. And rightly so. Union County has one of the better school systems in the state. The facilities are good as Union County High is new and already is beginning to be overcrowded. Construction costs are going up. Just go to Home Depot and check out the costs of building supplies and compare them to 5 years ago.

On top of the growth and construction and new personnel needs take into account that the state of Georgia has reduced their portion of education assistance to Union County and other counties by almost 50%. Maybe even more in some areas. Thus, as the state reduces their contribution, the county has to obtain the difference from somewhere. They can’t have fundraisers and things like that. They have to resort to millage increases which in turn makes taxes go up.

Then people will say something about salaries. Let me tell you, our administrators, in the county and our county employees are not

overpaid. If you want to see overpaid, got o Atlanta. Private industry jobs also pay a lot more than county leadership jobs and you get less headaches by having a private industry job than a public job. Trust me on that. I would not want to have a county leadership job and have all those discontented people out there criticize every move.

Then there comes taxes and statistics. One can twist around statistics. I learned that in a graduate course on statistics. The federal government does it, the state government does it also.

I spoke with a local resident recently in my store and he was laughing about the low taxes in this area compared to where he used to live in Florida. So, what I am trying to say is that Union County has reasonably low taxes and the money that is being collected and used is not wasted or squandered away. If someone wants to complain, that is their right. But from my point of view the county and the schools system is being lead in the right direction with the future best interests at heart by both leaders. I don’t think that there are people in our county that can honestly say that money is being wasted on things that are not necessary. I mean I hear things like do we need a court house that is nice and does someone need an office that overlooks a golf course. Well to those people let me just say the courthouse looks nice and offices for the people who serve the county are an appropriate expense. The office overlooking the gold course is a plus. But remember the golf course just happens to be next to the courthouse and thus there was no additional expense nor was it planned. Personally, some people may actually think that it is punishment to have to work in an office overlooking a golf course and see people play while you have to work.

So, finally, taxes are here to stay. Trust our leadership to use it wisely and remember that taxes are going up everywhere and that the state and federal governments are reducing their participation thus forcing local governments to increase their participation.