The Signal Mountain Town Council is proposing several expensive projects, one of which is a gymnasium.
Please note that our facilities are open to everyone on the mountain, not just residents of Signal Mountain proper. I believe that we should make a study of how pressure on our sports leagues would be relieved if only the children of taxpayers are allowed to participate. I know that currently, non-resident families pay per child per sport per year to participate. However, the citizens of our town pay each year and every year, whether the facilities are utilized or not. I, for one, have been paying those taxes now for 33 years. We also pay to build and maintain these facilities.
If you look at properties for sale which are outside the town limits one thing becomes very clear; the first thing touted is low county taxes. Why not buy there – they get the advantages of being in the town without the cost. (You will also notice that that is where the majority of the growth is).
If those people want their children to participate in sports leagues, they should form their own and put pressure on their representatives in the county to build fields and gyms for them to use.
I also guess that the citizens of the town who voted for the temporary tax increase to build the school can forget seeing the promised rollback once the loan is repaid (which I believe is very soon).
Nancy Caldwell
Signal Mountain