Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 56, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 13, 1989 Page: 3 of 38
thirty eight pages : ill. ; page 26 x 15 in. Digitized from 35 mm. microfilm.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
THE POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE, THURSDAY JULY 13,1989-PAGE 3A
County tax rollback debates underway
Democrats against rollback
LIVINGSTON - While encourag-
ing voters to exercise their rights to
challenge government procedures,
County Judge Wayne Baker urged
citizens at the Polk County
Democratic Club’s July meeting to
be well-informed about the proposed
>tax rollback for Polk County.
% Baker said the Commissioner’s
£Court is concerned that Polk Coun-
fttians understand the realities of a
^$700,000 budget cut should the
^rollback occur; many county ser-
vices will be endangered and some
^eliminated if the proposed eight-cent
ftroll back is approved by voters on
$Aug.5.
ft Baker said because the county has
ftbeen conservative in selecting the
^programs it has funded, almost any
ftcut will be painful, with senior
^citizens hit hardest of all.
ft Subsidies presently in place for
’' services such as the Senior Citizens
Nutrition Center and tax exemptions
for taxpayers over 65 would be
among the target areas. Others in-
clude subsidies for 11 county fire
departments which likely will not
survive otherwise, he said.
“The State dictates the operation
of county government,” he said ex-
plaining that the commissioners’
court will have few options about
making budget cuts. “We are an
arm of the state government, com-
pletely different from the operation
of city governments. We are not
allowed to carry over any money, or
to make a profit, or to accumulate
money.”
The state also mandates indigent
health care and jail costs that must
be absorbed by the county, without
state subsidy. Baker said the local
hospital and ambulance service
would also likely be among the
budget casualties.
Baker said the rollback will be ex-
pensive in terms of lost services and
Livingston council
supporting prison
LIVINGSTON - Livingston City
Council members showed their sup-
port for a proposal to construct a
prison in Polk County through the
passage of two resolutions during
their regular meeting Tuesday
night.
A general resolution in support of
construction of a 2,250-inmate max-
- imum security prison will be indud-
<ed in a proposal which will be sub-
•mitted to the Texas Department of
l Corrections (TDC) by the county
-and the Polk County Chamber of
jj Commerce later this month.
*
*.
: Councilmembers also approved a
1 resolution requesting the Trinity
; River Authority (TRA) to commit to
1 expansion of the city’s water treat-
;ment plant should Polk County be
'selected as the site for a new prison.
;The proposed location for the prison
:is near the intersection of FM 350
;and FM 3126> in close proximity to
;the water plant. The plant was in-
: itially constructed by the TRA under
: contract with the city and expansion
lof the plant, which would be at the
;TRA’s expense, will be necessary at
some point in the future to meet the
city’s water needs anyway, said City
Manager Sam Gordon.
Councilman Kenneth Parkhill ask-
ed who would be providing sewer to
the prison site if it is selected. The
TRA is considering a sewer plan, as
is a private company, said Coun-
cilman John thompson, who is also
spearheading the prison effort as ex-
ecutive director of the Polk County
Chamber of Commerce. The best of
the two proposals will be submitted
to the TDC.
Council also agreed to participate
in a 9-1-1 emergency telephone
system being coordinated by the
Deep East Texas Council of Govern-
ments. Installation of the service
will be funded through a surcharge
of up to 50-cents per month, which
will be reflected on telephone
customers’ phone bills beginning in
April, 1990.
DETCOG is coordinating im-
plementation of the system
throughout its 12-county area. In
bbnUL
Polk County the system will involve
Southwestern Bell, Lake Livingston,
Livingston and Eastex telephone
companies.
Installation costs will total
$273,918 county-wide, $105,195 of
which reflects the cost of installation
of the system for Livingston
Telephone Co. customers. An
equalization pool has been establish-
ed, through which counties with
large populations, for which the
50-cent surcharge will be more than
enough to cover the cost, will con-
tribute to help offset the cost for
smaller counties, according to DET-
COG.
In Polk County, those dialing the
9-1-1 emergency number will be link-
ed to a sheriff’s department dispat-
cher, who will be trained in
operating the system by DETCOG.
From there the call will be routed
automatically to the appropriate
emergency response agency, be it
fire department, ambulance or
police. *
The system will also enable the
dispatcher to track down the loca-
tion of the caller if, for example, the
caller passes out or Is disconnected
before a location can be given.
In other business, payments for
several ongoing projects were ap-
proved, including a $10,801 payment
to Four Seasons Development Co.
for fencing at the new city park.
There is still $5,708 remaining to be
paid toward the project, which is be-
ing kept as a retainer until some
final work on the fencing project is
complete, Gordon said. Also approv-
ed was a $67,500 first payment to
Ajax Construction Co. for work
toward widening of Noblitt Street
and a $32,710 payment to Reddico
Construction for sewer installation
along the U.S. 59 Bypass.
Council also agreed to employ
Mike Parker, CPA to conduct the ci-
ty’s audit for the fiscal year ending
Sept. 30,1989.
No action was taken following an
executive session, held to discuss
hiring of a police chief and possible
acquisition of property.
HE®®*
ONur
PIUS TAX
GLASS ONLY
WITH FOOD OR
DRINK PURCHASE
At participating tfores (
w
SONIC DRIVE-IN
1211 N. WASHINGTON
1327-3101
actual administrative costs while
yielding an average return of $11.66
per taxpayers. He projected ad-
ministrative costs for conducting the
election at $10,000 and the accoun-
ting and administrative costs of ac-
tually making the refunds at more
than $33,000 - all'funds which are
presently unbudgeted.
He supported the citizens’ right to
challenge county procedures and en-
couraged such actions as they make
the county government stronger and
better able to serve, but warned of
misinformation. “We wish people
would first be informed. Then be in-
volved.”
Baker illustrated the problem with
the irony created by one senior
citizen who has worked hard suppor-
ting the rollback. With the present
senior citizen exemptions, that tax-
payer owes less than $8 per year. If
the rollback passes and the exemp-
tions are lost, that taxpayer owes
more than $120 per year, Baker said.
County Treasurer Cheryl Henry
said the present system is efficient
and without room to cut back. “I see
every bill ami payroll check,” she
said. “Our revenue sharing has been
cut by the federal government, and
we truly should have been working
toward a tax increase instead of
decrease. There is just no room to
cut back. I support the present tax
rate 100 percent.”
Polk County Tax Assessor-
Collector Bob Willis, instrumental in
streamlining the county tax system
and getting tax exemptions in place,
fears the result of a rollback. “I’m
personally not worred about receiv-
ing $11.66.1 can do without that,” he
said. “But I am worried about the
loss in services. It would be
devastating for us all.”
The Polk County Democratic Club
unanimously passed a resolution op-
posing the proposed tax roll back
and supporting the present tax rate
for Polk County.
The meeting was attended by a
Livingston High School delegation
from the newly formed “Students
Taking Action Not Drugs (STAND)”
organization. Club President Chuck
Nelson and officer Bernard Hender-
son and Shannon Riddle explained
the group as a positive peer pressure
group to encourage students to not
do drugs. Nelson said the organiza-
tion is open to all students. Each new
member receives a free drug tests
and all mepibers submit to random
drugLiesting. The group conducts
specmf activities for card carrying
members only.
Club sponsor Sandra Overhoff said
the students became concerned
about controlling drug-related pro-
blems and initiated the club on their
own. “They did the research and the
hard work to get started. It is their
organization, run by them ” STAND
presently has more than 100
members at Livingston High School.
The Democratic Club voted
unanimously to donate $200 tb the
new group and pledged on-going sup-
port for all STAND club’s programs.
The Polk County Democratic Club
meets the first Thursday of each
month, 7 p.m., in the District Cour-
troom. Livingston.
EQUAL
HOUSINQ
OPPORTUNITY
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Homing Authority of the City
of Llvingeton, Texaa la accepting ap-
plications for ELDERLY and HAN-
DICAPPED PERSONS for Low-
Income Houeing assistance. Apply In
person at 1102 N. Pine Street, Liv-
ingston, Texas - 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. on
Mondays through Fridays.
Telephone Number Is
<409)327-5100.
Rollback group after vote
LIVINGSTON - “People have a
right to vote.”
That was a phrase repeated
throughout a Tuesday night meeting
aimed at supporters of a county tax
rollback.
Called by the Polk County Tax-
payers Association, the meeting also
attracted some local government of-
ficials who were likely expecting a
spirited question and answer session
that never happened.
Instead, taxpayers association
members spent much of the meeting
explaining why a tax rollback elec-
tion was called.
Introduced by President George
“Buddy’ Snook, Clayton Malone, one
of the association’s directors, ex-
plained, “The only reason we’re
here is the rollback election. Win or
lose it makes little difference in the
process.” Whether or not the
rollback issue passes or fails, the
county will still be here, he said.
The main question is whether or
not people want to put a “lid” on
their taxes, Malone said. Is an 8 per-
cent increase enough to run the
government? he asked. “Inflation is
only 5 percent.” If commissioners
exceed that amount, “we as citizens
have a right to determine whether
we agree with it or not.”
As to what programs would be cut
if a rollback occurs, “that’s up to the
county officials,” Malone said.
“There is one misconception I
want to take issue with,” Malone
said. It has been said that, if voters
approve a tax rollback, the $25,000
over-65 homesteadUexemption will
be cut. “The commissioners’ court
can do that, but it won’t raise one
nickel more that they can spend.”
He said taking away the homestead
exemption would just help shift the
tax burden from the young people to
the elderly. “The tax limit is the
total amount collected - it doesn’t
say from whom it is collected.”
Malone said he has also heard that
a tax rollback would result in cuts in
the sheriff’s department, hospital,
ambulance and senior citizens’ pro-
grams. “That’s up to the commis-
sioners’ court.” he said. “I haven’t
heard a word about the $1% million
in road and bridge.”
The county’s current tax rate of 48
cents represents a 32.12 percent in-
crease from the previous year. “All
we’re saying is 30 percent is too
much to put on taxpayers in any one
year,” Malone told the estimated 80
persons who attended the meeting.
/Principal speaker for the evening
was the Rev. Roy Jemigan, who said
when he attended a commissioners’
court meeting prior to setting of a
tax rate and attempted to ask a
question, he was “belittled. I was
asked how much money I made and
how much taxes I pay.”
He said asking questions tyei not
make someone a troublemaker.
“This is not China,” he said. Jer-
nigan said several times that he does
not believe the county’s leaders are
corrupt but they are “misguided.”
Citing reasons behind the rollback
election, “stopping the spiral of high
taxes” topped the list. Jernigan said
another goal of the rollback election
is to make elected officials respon-
sive to the taxpayers. “When we
elect officials, it doesn’t give them
the right to be our masters; they are
supposed to be our servants.” He
said citizens need to get the govern-
ment out of competition with the free
enterprise system. "The worst
business people in the world is
government... because they’re spen-
ding your money."
Jernigan said the responsibility of
the commissioners’ court is to serve’
the taxpayer and that citizens should
be able to question the budget and
get an honest answer. In turn, it is
the responsibility of the taxpayer to
question the use of their money, he
said.
“In summary, we need to vote a
tax rollback to show officials we
must be considered in the decisions
of this county," he said.
Tables were set up at the meeting
for volunteers to register for
transportation, poll watching and
telephone committees.
FREE MEAL with
DEFENSIVE DRIVING
DPS Approved Course At
LIBERTY - July 17 & 18th (Catfish Inn) 6:00 PM -10:00 PM
CLEVELAND - July 22 (Boyett s) 8 AM - 4:30 PM
LIBERTY - Aug. 5, (Catfish Inn) 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
LIBERTY: Aug. 14 & 15 (Catfish Inn) 6:00 PM -10:00 PM
COST $25.00 - 1-800-777-3733
PiME
BUD'S 15
E-Z MART '
(formerly Wood's E-Z Mart)
UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
SPECIALS
(Thru July)
* Car Wash
$10.00
* Truck/Van
$13.00
* Oil Change
$1495
MECHANIC ON DUTY
327-5678
F. M. 3126 A 350, Blanchard
HAPPY
noun
5-7
M - F.
"The Place
To Go
When Your
Spirits
Are Low"
PUBLIC AUCTION
With Billy Heath's Auctioneer
TXS-049-007218
Auction Starts
-Afternoon-
BBQ PLATES
$3 • Adult $2 - Children
Friday & Saturday
COUNTRY
HERITAGE
BENEFIT DANCE
for
LINK DAVIS JR.
July 16 -2:00 P.M
Dance Until Midnight
With Four (4) Great
Bands Playing
•Country
• Rock & Roll
•Country Swing
MUSICIAN'S
WELCOME
III uii.i 1JJ-L
LMNGSTON, TX.
* 1989 SONIC INDUSTRIES INC
illllillllllH
Gzvtscon
MsUMUf
SUM FAST
Regular
$3.97
CENTRUM
100.30 .
•7.49
GAVISCON
lOO'a
•4.97
1253 W. Church
327-4354
SLIM FAST
Ultra
Benadryl
BENADRYL
24's
•2.67
BAUSCH
&
LOMBf
Sensitive
Eyes
12 oz.
MAALOX
PLUS
lOO's
IS
•3.70
SCWB-—
\*
\l
NEOSPORII
1/2 oi.
*
, 4*
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
White, Barbara. Polk County Enterprise (Livingston, Tex.), Vol. 107, No. 56, Ed. 1 Thursday, July 13, 1989, newspaper, July 13, 1989; Livingston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth810663/m1/3/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Livingston Municipal Library.