?Crazy? rantings of the late night AE

WOW!

I have been digesting these thoughts for hours and can no longer hold back.

I am upset about “my” (Accomack) Counties Board of Supervisors Agenda for October 16th.

The way I read the agenda:  Man! What a shock to find that the Supervisors are actually considering ~ not only stepping up the due date for residents personal property taxes to be paid in order to bring cash flow into the county, but a loan (interest bearing) for $800,000.00 to keep the county solvent. I am told this loan will be secured by “future income”. Wow, I say again.

I sure hope they are not counting on me for that money, cause probably just like you – I’m just hardly making good on what responsibilities I have. If this county is possibly counting on me – they are so going to fail. Let me tell you why. My little middle income family can barely pay what the bills we need to pay. We saved additional funds out of each check just to do so (re: personal property tax). If that amount changes we will more than likely not have additional funds to put towards a larger bill and we could become a late pay (over 60/90 or ++ days). When I dont pay my bills on time it costs the County money. It costs them money to get there money thru letters, postage, calls and so forth. Now they are not only loosing income (taking the costs of debt collection out of my measly dollars) but they are behind on earning interest that they could have projected as income for the budget, and if enough families are in the same middle class melt down as mine, this county could get behind on its bills, just as its constituants are getting in paying them. A vicious cycle.

Wow. I think it is a terrible gamble for the county to borrow money against an uncertian income. Are we as  tax payers any more stable than WalMart whos stock has been on a roller coaster ride for the last 18 months(come on NASDAC Annual Report Service! Bring me the #’s!). I know people with money, and I ask them lots of questions. No one is saying “I believe I will be worth more money next month than this month.” What Iam hearing is “No one knows how this will turn out. We hope it is okay, but it is highly doubtful it will be good.” Is the county really making money on tax foreclosures? Is that what is in the best interest of the people? Of the county in the long run?  I understand the need for assesments, but will the dramatic additional expenditure cost tax payers thier homes?

Association business is very whimsical. People can come and go on a whim. I consider you (members) very lucky to have such a conservative Treasurer who is not only limiting financial expenditures but cutting back spending… no matter how much grief, pleading, maybe even crying is sent his way. This Board is managing the “club” as a business. Meaning, we will still be here for desert.

I ‘know’ it is, but I don’t feel like the county is being prudently managed if it is struggling like this. Everyone knew we were heading down a financially slippery slope a year or more ago. While I like that the county managed to save the salary of that poor woman who was “let go” in such a truly tragic way… it showed foresight…. where is/was the follow thru on conservatism in funding expenditure? If your going to bother to cut the fat, get it all the way down to the lean meat. Don’t just start feeding the pig again.

And in all this ranting, you surely think that I’m (and the Board of Directors) would be against Accomack County expanding the Chesapeake Bay Act on to the Sea Side of the County? Well, I am not, And as of the last BOD meeting, they are not. I/they know folks say there is no money to fund the policing of the Act… and here-here, I agree. There is not. But I don’t believe we/the county will police it. I believe it is a ground rule for the future.  I think it is a good one, and this is just as well a good time to enact it as any. (And the county may make some additional income from permits, ect…) Where zoning, buffers and appeal battles are lost are in the Committees. If we don’t watch the committees, we (Accomack County) may could have the same disaster that they have in Northampton County (personal opinion). Join a county committee! Do your part to protect the ground rules. Ground rules are oursaving grace, in any and everything. Parents, Families, Neighborhoods, Communities and on into the upper echelons of government… ground rules, laid out plain and simple are wonderful guideline’s for getting along, protecting the unit and allowing all to prosper.

Back on task and wrapping up, what do “I” Laura S Flournoy think? Lay the ground rules. Lay out enough that we wont hurt ourselves. Then stand back (county government) and let us do the best we can to make it thru these hard times.  And get control of yourself! Thoroughly examine the debt to income ratio, and then take a long listen to your gut instinct as to what you really believe the future holds for county residents financially in the next few months.. years.

Tags: Accomack, Association, Board of Supervisors, County, eastern shore, realtors