Residents sound off over proposed tax hike

By Bobby Horn Jr.
news@casscountynow.com

Cass County Commissioners got an earful  from area residents during the first of two public hearings on the proposed tax rate that would accompany the 2016-2017 budget.
The Commissioners Court is considering a one-cent tax increase to fund the proposed budget.  The current tax rate is $.579423 per $100 valuation. Commissioners have proposed a tax rate of $.589423 per $100 valuation. They said the tax increase is needed to offset an estimated $37 million drop in appraised property values.
Taxpayers who are 65 years and older who have claimed a homestead exemption would not be affected the increase on their homestead property.
According to the Sept. 1 meeting agenda, discussion was to focus on two items: the proposed budget and the proposed tax rate. 
The county is proposing a $12,449,912.20 budget for the 2016-2017 fiscal year. 
This represents an increase of approximately $155,859 over the current year’s budget.
No one signed up to speak in support or opposition to the budget.
That was not the case when it came to the tax rate. 
Nancy Clements, who operates a timber farm north of Douglassville, said that she was opposed to the tax increase because it creates an unfair burden on property owners.
A 67-year resident of Cass County, Frank Kessler said that for people like himself who are on a fixed income paying taxes are hard enough and raising the rate only makes it that much harder. 
He suggested that the county look for other ways to generate revenue other than raise taxes.
“I think it’s wrong to penalize property owners,” he added.
Latricia Kennedy told the court that she thought that there needed to be more accountability from the commissioners to ensure they are using the money they already have wisely. 
“We can’t continue to pay taxes on things that could be worked out in another way,” Kennedy said.
Kessler then bought up the question of the county purchasing road graders for each precinct. 
This opened a floodgate of complaints about how the county maintains its roads and which roads they do maintain. 
Commissioners were also asked if they share road equipment or if something is bought for that precinct does it stay in that precinct alone.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Jon Borseth said that equipment is purchased for each individual precinct. 

“We do share some of the large equipment,” he said. “We help out when we can but we all have work that needs to be done.”
The court will hold a second public hearing in the Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Courtroom, inside the Justice Center on Hwy. 8 on Sept. 8 at 8 a.m.