Hendry County Raises Tax Rates 12%

Raising Taxes? Commentary by T. W. Bill Neville

HENDRY---TAX & SPEND   Taking a page out of the federal administration's "play book", the Hendry County BOCC voted, on Tuesday September 27, 2011 to raise the millage rate from 6.50000 to 7.28940.   The vote was 3 to 2, with the TITANIC TRIO" of Harris, Taylor and Perry voting for the tax increase, and Chapman and Turner voting for the "roll back" rate of 6.81970, which, in effect would have kept taxes where they are.   You DO the MATH, and see if you can still afford to stay in Hendry? In essence the "Titanic Trio" voted to rearrange the "furniture" on the Titanic, in advance of the crash.  As it now stands this is like being on the Titanic and watching the "Trio" bickering with the "Duo" over the furniture arrangement, with "NOBODY" at the HELM! Giving the "Trio" their due-----if you consider that Hendry County ranks first in the state in total unemployment, first in total poverty level, last in sales tax generation, and economic development, maybe they got it right?  What else could possibly go wrong? The "Trinity" cited deep concerns that, even with the increased millage rate several peripheral services might not be able to function.  How this "survival/non-survival" list was determined was not explained other than to say all county departments had "cut their budgets, to the bone." Adding insult to injury, the Hendry Regional Medical Center has chosen this time to "pile on" a full percent to their millage rate, which the county has to collect, but has to forward to HRMC.  Their justification is to cover "bad debts" and indigent care.  HELP!!!  As a twenty year Hendry citizen, fixed-income taxpayer, and single family home owner, I didn't sign on to this apparently "ill fated" cruise.  So, what are my choices?  Go down with the ship---or----maybe I should be looking into booking a room at HRMC?  Since I'll be indigent, and I'll be getting 24 hour, secure safe housing, free medical, meals, cable, recreation, physical therapy, maid service and controlled visiting hours!  Hot diggity dog--BORN AGAIN!

 ------------------------------

Mr. Neville, born in Logansport, Indiana was very active in business and community activities; President of the local Jaycees, and spent 4 years in the Indiana National Guard during the Korean war as a First Seargent.  At age 30, he moved family, wife and three sons with one more on the way to Buffalo where he lived for one year before accepting a plastics field sales position in Chicago where his fifth son was born. 

After opening up new sales territories from Chicago to the west coast, he accepted the regional sales manager position for the western half of the U. S. He retired from that position after 40 years in 1993, and built a home in Labelle, Fl.. "I've always enjoyed 'wordsmithing' and story telling, particularly when I feel that my words might either motivate or alleviate any of the many challenges that we each accept every day of our lives just by being here."