No Need For A Tax Increase

Hello I am Bob Reilly and am running for City Council Post 1 for the retiring Mr. Rush.

My platform is one of no tax increases.  Over the past year the Council proposed increasing our taxes by $7 million.  Six million for 4 fire stations, which we defeated,  $290,000 for an amphitheater, which was approved, $200,000 for audiovisual equipment, which is still under consideration, and now $500,000 for 9 firemen.  If all approved would have been a 50% increase in our tax.

$13 million is enough to run the cities business and obligations.  Inflation has been almost zero and I know there are areas to save within the budget.  For the 2014 budget I would eliminate the $500,000 for the 9 firemen, and use the $290,000 amphitheater monies to fund the other requests the council has recommend such as pay raises for admin staff and a building auditor the city says we need with the new hospital going in and other construction going on in the city.  Yes the amphitheater is SPLOST funds but in business we say we need to move the mud.  Use the SPLOST monies for another project we have budgeted where it can be, and use those budgeted funds for to pay for those mentioned above and the other requests that make up $300,000 of the $800,000 proposed increase in taxes.  Hence no need to increase our taxes.

With that said our taxes will be going up.  Our water and sewage fees will be going up in 2014 to pay for infrastructure.  We are having a water main break every other month and need to repair and replace many of those lines.  This fee/tax should be the only increase we see in 2014.

Bob Reilly