by Dana Wilbourn
posted July 8, 2008
) East Ridge City Manager Curtis Adams |
"Some people are going to be mad at me. That's fine too. I kind of expect that," Mr. Adams said at a meeting of the East Ridge Chamber of Commerce.
The speaker said, "I'm proud to say, I'm not bashful about it. I'm not embarrassed about it. I'm proud to say we're going to raise taxes 47 cents and bring in $1.3 million new dollars in East Ridge, and then we're going to do a lot of things with that."
He said he feels a majority of three on the council will approve it.
He said, "The important thing to remember is that East Ridge has not had a tax increase in 13 years. The new tax rate will bring in an extra $1.3 million per year. The time has come. We’ve got to have one."
He commended the mayor and city commission for the job they have done the past 13 years balancing the budget without a tax increase.
He said a one-penny increase in taxes in East Ridge brings in $27,500 each year. A one-penny increase in taxes in Hamilton County brings in $680,000 each year.
Mr. Adams said it is important to show people where their tax dollars are going. "East Ridge city employees," he said, "are going to get a 4% increase in pay. Our police officers' starting pay will increase to $32,157."
With this increase, he said, East Ridge police officers' starting pay will be second only to the city of Chattanooga among communities in Hamilton County, including the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department. "East Ridge is a small city but we've picked up a lot of the big city crime," he said.
Holding up a list, Mr. Adams said, "I have 19 vehicles here with an average age of 18 years. There's not a businessman in here that could jump on me for raising taxes when they see this list." He commended the city garage for keeping all those vehicles running.
"Camp Jordan is our big industry in East Ridge," Mr. Adams said. "If we fill that thing with tournaments, we'll have money piling in here." Camp Jordan officials, he said, have to climb a ladder to change letters on the sign announcing new events. "We're going to have a big, nice, flashing sign that you can see from the interstate. They will be able to change it from the office."
New lights on the ball fields at Camp Jordan will cost $1 million. Lights on the walking trail will cost $250,000, Mr. Adams said.
A new garbage truck costs $105,000, Mr. Adams said. A new dump truck costs $68,000. "It’s going to cost $300,000 to $400,000 to replace our rolling stock that is worn out."
"I would go to someone's living room to explain this tax increase, if they would listen to me," he said. "I'm honored to be here in East Ridge. I feel good about it. I've learned a lot. We've got to bring East Ridge back."
East Ridge Mayor Mike Steele (also the East Ridge Chamber president) said he wanted to remind everyone that when he took office, he inherited a budget that had been balanced by taking $1 million from the surplus funds account. Then, last year the council chose not to raise taxes at the same time the county was raising taxes. So, he said, the city took another $1 million from the surplus funds account to balance last year's budget.
"In February last year," Mayor Steele said, "I announced that in order to balance the budget and allow for progressive government, it would require a tax increase of 54 cents. Now Curtis has cut that to 47 cents. I don't want anyone leaving here today to say that Curtis came here and started raising taxes. This is an issue that the city of East Ridge must face whether Curtis Adams is city manager or not. You cannot keep taking a million dollars a year out of your surplus account."
The state requires a surplus funds account at a minimum of 25% of the budget. Bringing the surplus account back into balance would require a 37-cent tax increase, Mayor Steele said.
"We are at a point in East Ridge where we have an opportunity to move forward or we are going to slide back. There is no standing still. You cannot stand still, you have to move forward and this is our opportunity," Mayor Steele said.
Mr. Adams said he is still firmly resolved to combine McBrien Elementary and East Ridge Elementary into one new school. He also said he is firmly resolved, both as a county commissioner and as city manager of East Ridge, to provide property tax relief for senior citizens.
Dana Wilbourn
dbwilbourn@yahoo.com
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