We hope that what we have read is simply not true--that eight members of the County Commission are not even willing to discuss Commissioner Boyd's proposal to have the Commission vote twice any time it decides to raise our property taxes. Is there any legitimate reason why anyone would not support this proposal, especially since seven of our commissioners are running for re-election next year? It strikes us as less than fair that our county commissioners can raise taxes after just one vote when doing so in essence ensures that the taxpayers will have less opportunity to voice their opinions about the increase. Also, it’s our understanding that most cities require two votes to increase taxes. Why would Hamilton County give its taxpayers less opportunity to provide input than other cities?
We never did quite understand how the tax increase was passed so quickly. There is no way we could have attended the only public meeting held on the tax increase resolution. A one hour public meeting held at 8 a.m. at the Courthouse to voice our collective opinions is hardly sufficient time for constituents to voice their opinions. Most people are at work at 8 a.m. We all needed more time to gather more information than was published on the Chattanoogan or in the Times Free Press. If the Commission had to vote twice, we all would have had plenty of time to find out more from County Mayor Coppinger's office and/or communicate with our commissioners.
It's just common sense to think all the taxpayers of Hamilton County would like plenty of opportunity to provide input on something as important as a tax increase, so we hope to see this practice change, and we hope this change happens Wednesday.
Tommy and Pamper Crangle