POLK GOP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE LIKELY TO REPRIMAND COMMISSIONERS

At it's meeting tonight, the Polk County Republican Executive Committee is expected to send a letter of reprimand to four of the five County Commissioners for favouring a major property tax increase.

Late last month, the commission approved an increase of property taxes by $1 for every $1,000 taxable value to be used for road construction and maintainance. In addition, the panel voted increases for residents living in unincorporated areas of 75 cents for every $1,000 of taxable value for park improvements and 50 cents for every $1,000 of taxable value to be used toward libraries.

The letters of reprimand would go to commissioners Bob English, Sam Johnson, Jack Myers, and Paul Senft. Only commissioner Randy Wilkinson, who was the lone vote against the increases, escapes the rebuke of the GOP committee. All five members of the County Commission are Republicans.

Party chairman and Lakeland attorney Eric Allen declined to use the term "censure" for the letters, saying the word has certain legal connotations. But he noted that many in the REC wanted to express their displeasure over the commissioners' votes. Some citizens have threatened to sue over the increase, which would become final unless two of the commissioners change their minds before a final vote. One conservative radio talk host interviewed a leader of the state organization "Ax The Tax", whose site has included a page for the Polk County issue.

According to the Lakeland Ledger story:

In the draft letter that will be considered tonight, Republicans use the term "tergiversation," which means abandoning one's principals or the act of abandoning a party or a cause.

Tergiversation? That's a new word to me! Gotta start reading the dictionary more often!

Former county Republican chairman Allen Sale said committee members are upset over what they perceive is a change in campaign promises.

Sale said the four ran in 2004 on the promise that they could solve all the problems without raising taxes.

While the amount of the increase seems quite high, Polk County needs to improve it's infastructure to keep up with the area's fast paced growth. Without the combination of the increased property tax --- the first such hike in 11 years --- and higher impact fees for new construction, we will simply fall behind in what is needed to benefit all of our citizens.