Letters to the Editor

Citizen Observes Need For Animal Shelter
As I read the comments from some folks in the community on various websites and editorial sections about the lack of need for an animal shelter and that there has been no "proof" that there even exists an animal control problem in Dade County, I thought to myself, those persons do not live anywhere near our hang glider landing field. The landing field has become a "dumping ground" for countless cats and dogs in the more than 12 years that I have resided here. I decided to take an informal poll among those of us who have adopted, cared for, fed, spayed, neutered and found homes for abandoned animals left there.
A conservative estimate would be 150 animals not all of which were left in our landing field but the vast majority were. I have personally adopted out 7, 5 puppies that were left in the middle of Vulcan Rd, an adult dog and a kitten from the landing field. That number doesn't come close to several other people, one who has taken responsibility for at least 30 animals including a billy goat!
Where did we go with all of these abandoned DADE County animals? Atlanta or Chattanooga if we couldn't find homes for them in or around the community. So I beg to differ with those who think there is no animal control problem. I understand that maybe you do not reside near a "dumping ground" and do not see what is taking place here but please be advised there is a very real problem. One obvious solution would be for animal owners to be responsible for their pets and have them spayed and neutered so we wouldn't have such a large population of homeless and abandoned animals. I fully support an animal shelter especially with a program to educate people about the problem with viable solutions and perhaps a low cost spay and neuter program available to those who can not afford it.
Judy Hildebrand
Rising Fawn

Power Grab Try?
To me the Citizens? Watch Group movement to petition the legislature for a vote to set the Chairman/Executive?s job description, and county wide voting for each commissioner is nothing more that a thinly veiled attempt to give the Chairman/Executive the same powers as a sole commissioner.
If the other commissioners are elected countywide they would be nothing more than rubber stamps.
What if Martin Scott and Jeff Mullis were elected statewide? Atlanta could very well determine who our representatives are. Most forms of government have a representative from a district elected by the voters of that district. This is the only way to get true representation.
The political party representatives, or delegates are elected by the members of their party district. So, as anyone can see this, on the very face of it is I believe, nothing more than a short sighted power grab attempt. Do we really need a job description for the Chairman/Executive, or do we just need someone more competent?
Personally I think that if a person does not know what to do, they are not really qualified to do the job. However, the Citizens? Watch Group seems to want to define the job description on their terms.
That is the very reason we elect commissioners from each district. So they can set or change the ruled as needed for a more efficient government.
If the Citizens? Watch really wanted to do something constructive, they could work toward helping lower taxes and bringing more revenue to Dade County.
This is exectly what I intend to do.
Roy Fowler
Lookout Mtn.

American Cancer Society Thanks Relay For Life Participants

Congratulations to Dade County and all the Dade County Relay for Life participiants,volunteers , survivors , caregivers and committee members for helping reach above and beyond it's fundraising goal of $25,000.00 ! Money is still coming in and we are currently at $29,000.00!
"Kimberly Stephens and Jeni Kilby Relay for Life Co -chairs stated. "We are so proud and grateful to everyone in Dade County for all the wonderful support we received and we feel so blessed! Thank you to each and every person who took up our fight and have stood tall with us! The proceeds from Relay for life go to help with research and program and services for those with cancer and their families. So one day we will have a world cancer free! And stop loosing loved ones to cancer. We need to Remember those who are in this battle every day, Celebrate and Fight Back! Dade County has sent a true message that we will win the battle through its support of Relay for Life!"
A big special Thank You to all Relay teams, team captains, and all team members! Teams were Curves of Trenton, Dade County Fire and Rescue, Dade County High School, Piney Grove Baptist Church, Rising Fawn Baptist Church, Rising Fawn United Methodist Church, Southeast Rubber and Safety, Trenton First Baptist Church and Trenton United Methodist Church. A big hand of thanks also to the following who donated, sponsored or volunteered and so much more to support the Relay. Bank of Dade, Citizens Bank and Trust, Dade County Farm Bureau, Colorcraft Studios, Shaw, The Dade County Sentinel and The Independent and KWN radio, Dade County Chamber of Commerce, for promoting and helping put the spotlight on Relay through the media. To all who volunteered at the event, ran concession and helped with set up and clean up we could not have made it without you! To First Baptist Church for hosting our Survivor reception and all those who donated food or items for the reception. Lastly to the Relay for Life co-chairs Jeni Kilby and Kimberly Stephens, and the planning committee members who contributed endless hours and time to our Relay to make it such a success! May God bless you and each and every person in this community! You all are truly the heroes who have made this years Relay for Life a success!
Cancer will affect 1-2 men and 1-3 women in their lifetime. We have seen a recent increase in Dade County in Diagnosis of cancer. The American Cancer Society is a nation wide community based organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service.
It is still not to late to join the Fight against Cancer by making a donation to the Relay for Life of Dade County today.or go online and make a donation at www.acsevents.org/Dade. For more information call the American Cancer Society, Sandy Matheson Community Manager at 423-421-4092 email Sandy.Matheson@cancer.org or Kimberly Stephens -423- 802-9577 or Jeni Kilby at 423-505-6106. For Free Cancer Services and resources please call 1-800- ACS-2345.

Taxpayer Points Out ?Spin? and ?Funny Math?

As an observer at the August 30th meeting of the Dade County Commission, it was hard to believe the spin and the fuzzy math that was presented by the speaker in an effort to justify a 45 percent increase in taxes. This amount of increase in one year is ridiculous and unnecessary. It is my opinion, and the opinion of others that I have talked with, that many of our departments are overstaffed, and in some instances overpaid considering the per capits income of Dade County residents who are paying the bill.

Keep in mind, every time the county builds another building or buys another vehicle we do not need, the taxpayers not only pay for the initial expense but also the continuous cost of maintenance, insurance, etc. This is not in the best interest of the Dade County taxpayers. We should not take on the responsibility of enforcing state and federal regulations or providing vehicles for state employees. Mrs. Moore and Mr. Lowery are to be commended for their vote against this unreasonable tax increase. Those who voted for this increase should be remembered too, at the poles election day.

One final thought: all of our elected officials are PUBLIC SERVANTS. The question is, who are they serving?

Dan Hall

Hangliders Hold Benefit For Dade Rescue Squad

The hang glider pilots of Lookout Mountain held a benefit for the Dade County Mountain Rescue Squad at Lookout Mountain Flight Park on Saturday, September 1, 2007. Many Dade County Mountain Rescue, West Brow Fire and Rescue, and Chattanooga Hamilton County Cave Rescue Squad members attended a cookout organized by Doris Pollari and volunteers from the hang gliding community.

This was the 11th anniversary of fund raising events the hang glider pilots have held to benefit this group of highly trained volunteers. Most of the funds go toward the purchase of equipment including hundreds of feet of rescue rope, carabineers, webbing products, rescue pulleys, harnesses and a rescue basket.

Dade County Mountain Rescue's team is comprised of volunteers from different fire and rescue departments who perform rescues for Cloudland Canyon, caves, hang gliding, lost person searches and citizens falling off the bluff.

A total of $2,000 was raised at the benefit and presented to Dade County Mountain Rescue Squad. Donations to this organization would be greatly appreciated, contributions may be sent to Shan Anderson at P.O. Box 693, Trenton, GA 30752.

The members of Lookout Mountain Flight Park were thanked for generously donating time and money to make this event a success and for their continued support.

Citizen Questions Commission?s Budget Percentages

Let's say that one day you buy gasoline at $2.00 per gallon. The next time you fill up, it has gone up to $3.00 per gallon. What is the percent change? Most folks, like me, would say 50%. ($1.00 increase divided by the $2.00 original cost is 50 percent.) Our Commissioners would have you believe that you have only paid 33% more for your gas! ($1.00 increase divided by the new cost of $3.00 is 33%.) I call this slipshod math. Let me explain:

At the Thursday evening meeting to address the budget and millage increase, copies of the Dade County 2008 Budget Summary were handed out (version 8/29/07 16:56 update). This document lists revenues and expenditures for 2007 and 2008, what the differences are (variance) and the percentage of change. However, as with my gasoline example above, using the correct column of numbers when calculating the percentage of change makes things look a little better than they actually are.

For example, at the meeting resident Bill Brown noted that the charges for Administration from 2007 to 2008 were to increase by 16.48%. (And as an aside, this resident said that had he presented a 16% increase in administrative costs in his professional career, his management would have suggested he find a new job!) However, the calculation that the Commission used is incorrect! The correct calculation, which would be the $127,127 increase divided by the FY 2007 costs of $644,073 is a whopping 19.7% !!! (Now, our resident would definitely be job hunting!)

Every single entry, both revenues and expenditures, on the Dade County, Georgia 2008 Budget Summary presented to the residents by the Dade County Commission is in error.

Instead of using the FY 2007 numbers as the basis for the % Change, the Commission is using the FY 2008 numbers. This is illogical, and gives a false impression that the percentage of increase is not as big as it really is.

This includes the final number, Total Expenses. Instead of the % Change in Total Expenses from 2007 to 2008 being a 12.51% increase, as our Commission would have us believe, it is actually an increase of 14.3%.

These are the folks that are handling our money. I am not comfortable when they "slip up" on their math, especially on a document that is handed out at a public meeting and is part of a public record. Are you?

Mary Clor

Rising Fawn

updated 9/04/07

Shopping At Home Reduces Property Tax Burden

Editor?s note: The following is a letter submitted by Peter Cervelli, Better Hometown Manager for the City of Trenton, outlining why shopping locally can directly help tax burdens on property owners.

I assume by now most of the readers have become aware of the property tax increase that has been proposed by the County Commissioners. I do not plan to comment on the dollar amount or percentage increase in this article. What I would like to discuss with you is where the county gets it revenue. Simply, there are property taxes (on the homeowner and business), sales tax, and other various fees and income sources. I would like to address just two of these: property tax and sales tax.

First, let's start with sales tax. I think we all know that a major income source for the county and the city of Trenton is sales tax. (Trenton 2006 all sales taxes - approx. $930,000; Dade County all sales taxes - approx. $4,100,000). The more of our shopping we do in the county and city, the less likely government has to find its money from property tax. Clearly, not all of our shopping can be done in the county and city. There are things that you just cannot get here. However, every time we spend our money out of the county and city when we have valid options to buy those items here, less revenue accrues to our local government. It is a little glib to say you will pay for it anyway, but it could be very true. Every dollar in taxes lost because we shop in Tennessee, Alabama, or elsewhere is a dollar that might have to come from our property taxes.

Will this require an active change in our shopping behavior? It will for some of us. I encourage you to consider that change. I also encourage you to ask our businesses to get those products you need, if they are not sold here, and tell them what you would be willing to pay. I think they would like to know. It is new potential business for them and, hopefully, new tax revenue for our local government. Revenue that will not come from property taxes.
Now, let's consider property taxes. Property tax comes from both homeowners and businesses. It should be our goal as communities to have a balance of taxes from homes, business, and industry. There are two advantages to this approach. Homes require the most services from government and the taxes they pay may not cover the cost of the services the family in that home requires. It is an accepted principle that business and industry do not totally consume the taxes they generate. They do not require the same level of service from the government and so more of their taxes stay with the government for other uses. Secondly and obviously, the more taxes business and industry pays, the less the average homeowner has to pay.

We need to encourage and support our community leaders to invest in projects that will bring more business and industry to our community. It won't be free; it will require investment in order to get a return on it. It will mean such things as development of infrastructure for industry, paying for marketing our area, and low interest loan support just to mention a few.

The DDA along with the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority and Chamber will do everything we can to support existing and new business in Trenton and Dade County. If anyone is interested in opening a business, especially one that will provide new services and products to the community, we encourage you to contact us. At the very least, we can tell you about programs that might help you in your financial decision to invest in the community and where to get training and information about how to manage and run your business successfully.

Let's all invest in our community. For more information, reporters may contact:

Peter Cervelli, Better Hometown Manager City of Trenton, Georgia

706-657- 4167

Email: pcervelli@trentonga.net updated 8/30/07