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Finance Committee considers wheel tax and department funding
Members of the Cocke County Finance Committee again took up the issue of a wheel tax at their Monday evening meeting. Last week on a motion by Commissioner Andy Tritt, the body agreed to recommend a $45.00 wheel tax to the full legislative body. The resolution, presented to the committee Monday evening, provides that revenues estimated at $1.5 million annually, be earmarked for the General Fund and designated for “Planning and construction of a Justice Center/Detention Center, County Highway Department funding for paving/needed equipment, Economic Development Commission projects and capital projects. The resolution provides that the tax can be imposed of supported by two-thirds of the body, on two consecutive meetings. Commissioner Terry Dawson said he believes the percentage for each funded area should be specified before the full CLB votes on the proposal, but Commissioner Tritt argued the percentages can be determined by the full body. Tritt said he is not in a position to determine how the revenue should be allocated until the needs are identified. Bybee resident Mitchell Phillips said at some time in the future, the body will be forced to address a wheel tax. "We need a justice center, out roads are awful....you're gonna have to bite the bullet and do whatever you have to do even if it offends some people. You have to do what is correct for Cocke County." Commissioner Love Henderson who supports the wheel tax referendum said it is easy for the community to judge their commissioners votes, "because they don't know what we are going through." “We are working on a budget, I don’t know where this curve ball came from,” said Commissioner Mitch Fine who earlier had voted against the wheel tax. He argued that city residents would pay the tax but would not get any of the proceeds. With regard to earmarking the revenues, Mayor Crystal Ottinger said a Hawkins County wheel tax was enacted several years ago to fund a school project, and although the project has been paid for, the wheel tax remains. State law provides for a referendum on the wheel tax if 10 percent of the voters in the last governor’s race sign a petition asking for a vote on the issue. The committee took no further action on the resolution which is to be presented to the county legislative body in August. Mayor Ottinger who oversees the fire department told the committee she wants the department to be funded at virtually the same level as last year. Currently with overtime, employees salaries range from $34,000 to $62,000. She asked that requested raises for the department as well as funding for two new firefighters, be removed. The reduction from the budget that was presented by Fire Chief William Smallwood, totals $352,000. It leaves leaves a proposed funding for the department at $797,000, in the new budget. The employees would get the proposed three percent raise for all county employees. There was discussion about the cost of overtime in the budget and the mayor said she has asked County Technical Assistance Service(CTAS) to assist in addressing the overtime issue in the fire department. Commissioner Clayton "Skip" Ellison, himself a firefighter, said overtime is paid only after 53 hours are worked per week. Sheriff Armando Fontes has requested funding for two new jailer/bailiffs, and monies to boost the salary of low paid employees, for a total of $317,000. He said under the proposal,the gap between the lowest and highest paid employees would be reduced, and the highest paid officers in his department would not get a raise. The sheriff wants to bring salaries up to near the pay of Newport police officers. He said currently a jailer is paid less than $20,000 annually and a deputy starts at $22,000. "This community deserves good law enforcement," the sheriff said, pointing out that his department also will have the task of enforcing a wheel tax if one is ratified. The request would replace a three percent across the board raise.
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