Enough is enough on this subject. The complaints of: "I haven't received a copy" or "been told" or "been notified" are unwarranted. Hopefully, this post will clear things up and in the future, everyone will know what to expect.
The annual budgeting process between department heads and administration takes months of work before the public hearings start in late Aug. Take note: You are always welcome to submit your concerns or requests at any time of the year.
Here is what happened this year.
14 Aug 2015: Notice of a Tax Increase and a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget and Proposed Tax Levies for Tunica County Board of Supervisors appeared in the Tunica Times. The first Public Hearing is set for Mon, 31 Aug 2015 @ 5p.
26 Aug 2015 @ 5p: The County Administrator held a Workshop for citizens to see what was or out of the 2015-2016 budget so far. Did you attend? I attended but no other candidate for Beat 2 Supervisor attended. This is a new addition to the budgeting process. It is an open forum to ask and have answered your questions, concerns or requests.
31 Aug 2015 @ 5p: After a presentation by the County Administrator of the Budget thus far, the public was invited to speak. This is a hearing to state publicly what you like or don't like in the Budget. The Board, Dept Heads and Administration can then take what you have said and add or take away from the Proposed Budget.
15 Sep 2015: Copies of the Proposed Budget were distributed to those in attendance at the Board of Supervisors' Meeting. We were provided with copies of the full budget not the one sheet that we have been given in the past.
18 Sep 2015: Notice of a Tax Increase and a Public Hearing on the Proposed Budget and Proposed Tax Levies for Tunica County Board of Supervisors appeared in the Tunica Times. The second Public Hearing is set for Mon, 28 Sep 2015 @ 5p.
28 Sep 2015 @ 5p: Second and final Public Hearing on the Tunica County 2015-2016 Budget and Tax Levies. Citizens were again invited to speak. No one spoke...including me. No candidate for Beat 2 Supervisor attended except me. After the close of this second Public Hearing, the Board of Supervisors passed the 2015-2016 Budget and Tax Levies.
Blogger's note: There was no increase in taxes for the County. The tax increases were requested by the Tunica County School District and the Yazoo Mississippi Delta Levee District. IMHO, both of these entities need to tighten their belts.
So, to all of you complainers, you've had ample time and many opportunities to have your say on this Budget. Next year, get with the program. Show up and have some suggestions or concerns or even complaints. And for those of you who only show up at this time of the year...shame on you.
Now that this is out of the way, let's move on to an article in the 2 Oct 2015 Tunica Times. The front page story is "Hollywood appeals 2016 county tax levy" reported by Brooks Taylor.
According to the article "the appeal claims that:
1. the county administrator failed to timely deliver to the board a proposed budget in the form prescribed by the state;"
Blogger's note: This would be news to me. Wonder on what they are basing this claim?
2. "the Board did not consider the financial information of the county before setting the 2016 tax rate"
Blogger's note: What??? How could they have created a budget without considering "the financial information of the county"?
3. "that the Board did not re-advertise when it intended to vote on the 2016 tax rate, after a vote did not take place on August 31, the date of the public hearing on the matter"
Blogger's note: The second Public Hearing was re-advertised in the Tunica Times on 18 Sep 2015. The second Public Hearing was held on Mon, 28 Sep 2015. After the Public Hearing was closed the Board of Supervisors passed the 2015-2016 Budget and Tax Levies.
Tom Tucker, where in the heck are you getting your information?
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