ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 8, 1997 TAG: 9704080092
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: BEDFORD
SOURCE: JOANNE POINDEXTER THE ROANOKE TIMES
MEMO: NOTE: Shorter version ran in Metro edition.
The applause was loudest for a couple of speakers who accused the boards of not being fiscally responsible.
Some Bedford County residents said they don't mind a reasonable tax increase, but they warned the Board of Supervisors on Monday to be wise in distributing the money.
The Liberty High School auditorium had about 400 people in the seats as more than 50 residents addressed the Bedford County Board of Supervisors during a public hearing on the proposed $81.1 million budget for 1997-98.
They came to admonish the supervisors for advertising a higher tax rate than needed to fund the budget, and to lash out at both the supervisors and the School Board.
The applause was loudest when speakers accused the boards of not being fiscally responsible and not running the county and schools as they would their home finances.
Other speakers, such as Penny Ginger and David Horne, said they were willing to pay reasonable tax increases if the money went where it was supposed to go.
Many speakers urged supervisors not to scale back the school system's $54 million budget request, especially if it meant cutting instruction and programs. such as art and music. They said the system needed the money to maintain facilities, pay teachers and provide materials for students.
Another speaker, however, asked for an independent audit of school finances.
The school administration has been under attack about its spending policies and the way it has used construction funds designated for one project to make repairs at another school.
Supervisors sat quietly as one speaker after another said the high tax rate the board advertised caused anxiety in the community. The board advertised an increase of 26 cents in the real estate rate, making it 75 cents per $100 assessed value, a $5 increase for vehicle decals and a $2 increase in the personal property tax rate, now $6.50.
Only one person spoke against the supervisors' proposal to increase the daily patient rate at the county's nursing home. The elderly farmer who spoke said his wife was in the nursing home and increasing that cost by about $4 and the increase in taxes would be really hard on him.
Supervisors will conduct a work session Thursday to consider comments from Monday's hearing.
LENGTH: Medium: 54 linesby CNB