Opinion
Casino funds are paid to all the localities in the SWVA area. This is getting close to a million a year in some counties or more. You would think great this is going to help relieve the tax burden on the citizens. No! That is not what is happening.
The money must be allocated for one of three uses: Law Enforcement, Education, or Fire and EMS. So, supervisors and county administrators can pick things in one of these budgets and reduce the cost on the taxpayer. Money needed for example in the education budget is paid for with Casino Funds and then it takes less from the general budget which helps the needed taxes from the taxpayer. Well, that is not what is happening.
The supervisors and county administrators are holding that money and if one of these organizations comes to the board outside the budget time, then the supervisors are giving them the casino money.
In the December meeting of the Russell County Board of Supervisors David Eaton or others came up with a great idea. The idea was to have dinner for all the Law Enforcement, Fire and EMS throughout the county. This is to honor all the volunteers and employees in our emergency services areas. I think that is wonderful and well deserved.
The cost $3,500. How are they paying for it? It comes from Casino Funds. So, they tell you that it did not come out of the general fund and it does not affect the taxpayer. That is a lie. If the money had been used for the budget the slush fund would not have been available and the need for taxpayer dollars would have been reduced. They are doing this with like a million dollars of Casino Funds.
Now I am all for them having the dinner. They deserve it. But how many companies does the Sherriff’s Department buy merchandise from? How many companies do local Fire Departments and EMS buy supplies and merchandise from? Do you expect taxpayers to believe none of these companies would have donated to have a dinner for these people? These companies probably would have gladly donated to provide the meal for the dinner. And guess what? It is tax deductible for those companies. They would probably stand in line to help with this event.
They should be calling Casino Funds our feel-good account. They get to smile and say look what we did. The supervisors get the free meal as well and get to tell a large portion of the county look what we did for you. This means votes. Can I remind you the taxpayers that Russell County had one of the largest tax increases in the area. Almost all counties have raised taxes. The supervisors only voted for this the taxpayer paid for it.
Russell County supervisors are getting close to giving away $50,000 since telling the taxpayers they had no money and had to raise your taxes. We were promised cuts to the budget, what have they cut? $15,000 for turkeys for all county employees and food pantries. Which is wonderful but did they ask any companies to donate the birds?
It is one thing after another they are giving your money away then telling you they did not have money. They need a law passed stating that money could only be used for the functions and operations of the county. Putting our supervisors and county administrator all together they know all the businesses in the county. They could be reaching out to these businesses and helping these groups and individuals free. Right now, they come and ask for the money and the supervisors are just waiting to give and smile and say look at what I did. Even so they raised our taxes and told us they were broke.
The bottom line is all that Casino money is not helping the taxpayers reduce our costs.
