Opinion
SWVA counties and all local governments need to get out of the charity business. All these local giveaways add up to more and more expenses every year. The supervisors vote to give this organization or that organization and they take credit for this funding and smile and get their pat on the back but the money they gave away is taxpayer money. They did not give the money the taxpayer did.
This charity giving is a form of socialism as you make groups dependent on the government instead of raising funds on their own.
Supervisors are not alone in this. We hear from state and federal politicians of how they got the money for this area or that area and do a big press conference and a pat on the back, but the only problem with these shows and how they brought money to the area, but it is not them, the taxpayer paid this money. Maybe they should say we have worked to bring your tax dollars back to our area then it would not be so hypocritical.
In Russell County just recently they donated turkeys to the food pantries and if I heard it correctly, they gave all the county employees a turkey for Thanksgiving. And, they said they do this every year. That is over $15,000 added to our budget every year. While I do not want to see anyone do without Thanksgiving, why is it the responsibility of the taxpayer to fund this?
The problem of donating to causes from local government has gotten way out of hand. It just keeps happening more and more. Groups no longer have to do some leg work to get funding, just go to a local government meeting and ask.
With the turkey deal in Russell County why can a local business not donate the turkeys? If Food City or Walmart or even another business buy the turkey’s they get that money as a deduction on their taxes. Local government could work with the business owners to get these things done for the food pantries and it would cost the taxpayer nothing. But that is too much work calling up businesses and asking for help. It is much easier to just ask the supervisors. This is what is wrong with local governments in SWVA.
In Buchanan County their supervisors are funding trips for groups going to Disney and other vacation spots. It used to be that these groups would do fundraisers and ask for donations to be able to go on these trips. Now there is no effort required, just ask the supervisors to suck money from the taxpayer. Again, if they got businesses to donate this would be a tax deduction for the business. But make sure no effort required just let the taxpayer pay for it.
In Washington County the Superintendent came into a board of supervisor meeting and asked for $200,000 to provide instruments and outfits for the bands throughout the county. The supervisors gladly gave the money to him. Smiling and happy to do it was their reaction. Next thing they do is raise your taxes. Back in the day the bands did concession stands. They had band boosters that raised money. The bands did fundraisers. Now we just ask the board for the money, much easier.
In Tazewell County Laura Mollo (Richlands Town Council) spoke on this very subject. She expressed how the county should not be in the charity business. Tazewell County face huge expenses in the future if they try to run all the EMS from the county budget. Taxes in Tazewell will get so high not many will be able to afford to live in the county. Also, if these taxes eventually go on the businesses, well good luck if you think industry is going to come into the county.
In Russell County we are blessed to have one of the best ambulance and rescue services in the Cleveland Lifesaving Crew. The county gave much needed donations of about $4,000 to buy much needed equipment. While I think this is great, my question is why did someone not work with local businesses to get this money to them. If businesses had donated the money, it would have been a tax deduction. Here is the problem just keep giving it out and just keep raising taxes. I think taxpayers want to know when this is going to stop.
In one county in SWVA they used private donations and fundraising to build the football team a new fieldhouse. In Washington County one school needed a new field house and the supervisors coughed up the money. They kill the community effort of coming together to get things done. They are teaching our children a bad lesson just asks for it you do not have to go out and raise the money. Just ask the board and let the taxpayers pay for it. I would mention again if businesses had donated to the fieldhouse, then it could have been written off their taxes.
The SWVA counties must get out of the charity business or taxes are eventually going to hurt us all. Maybe the counites could form a volunteer committee to work with individuals wanting county funding, to reach out to businesses and obtain the funds needed. Another thing that needs to happen is an ordinance that does not allow the board to give money outside the budget. This would not allow these organizations to prey on the feelings of the supervisors. The supervisors surely would feel bad about not giving to some of these organizations. But, if you had a county law, saying sorry but by law we cannot give would be a lot easier.
By not getting the businesses involved in helping those in need causes two problems. The first problem is the business may give money set aside for tax deductions to out-of- county businesses. Second, by not taking advantage of tax deductions for businesses the local citizens get tax increases.
PLEASE STOP THE INSANITY AND CUT OUR BUDGETS AND STOP SPENDING ON EVERYTHING. County government should not be in the charity business. Put the students, citizens, and everyone back in the game to raise funding for charities, not just the free give away from the county. Everybody get back to work and raise the funds needed.
