RANKIN COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Rankin County supervisors admit they are getting some negative feedback on their decision to reverse a unanimous vote against a tax increase Monday when protestors were present. The next day, the board voted four-to-one for a 3.75 mills tax increase.
Supervisor Wood Brown, who represents district 2, was one of those who voted for the tax increase Tuesday, after voting against it Monday. He strongly defends his position.
"If they can find anybody in three and a half years who can work any harder and do any more for district two, then that's who they need," said Brown.
The only supervisor to vote against the tax increase was board president Jay Bishop. He thinks there should have been more study before the vote to increase taxes.
"I wanted to take a stronger look at it, and I think we could have taken some money out of our cash reserves, basically," said Bishop.
Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey strongly defends the tax increase because it gave the sheriff's office an $815,000 annual increase to their $13.3 million budget. He says none of the money will be used for raises, but for badly needed new equipment. He gave us a tour of the Rankin County jail and communications center to show us how well it is run.
Bailey also showed us the used cars he is buying for patrol duty. He gets them from Missouri with 50,000 miles on them, at half the cost of new ones.
"Quality costs and I think that's what the people of Rankin County want," said Bailey. "They want quality people responding to their house when they call 911. And they want them there promptly, and a vehicle that will get them there."
Taxes on a typical Rankin County home in the Regatta Subdivision valued at $150,000 will go up $28 a year for residents over 65 years old, $56 for people under 65.
Copyright 2012 WLBT. All rights reserved.
WLBT 3 - Fox 40
