JIPSD Meeting

The JIPSD meeting  was well attended.

There was a strong turn out of  candidates for Commissioner    Lyndy Palmer, Mary Beth Berry, Marilyn Clifford, and Hal Hanvey were all there and asked the Commissioners to work with the Town in providing a tax credit on tax bills.  

Candidate Cubby Wilder also attended.    He mostly spoke about his concern that people in the JIPSD outside of the Town would not be able to get tax credits.

Mayor Pro-Tem Leonard Blank, and Councilmen Stokes and Mullinax were there representing the Town.   They have all supported our effort to provide credits on the tax bills.

Kay Kernodle and Robert Shurmieir, who are also seeking election as Commissioner, both spoke out in opposition to working with the Town to reduce taxes.

Commissioner Welch said that if the County Attorney would send a letter to the Commissioners stating that he had no objection to the Town using its funds to provide a credit against JIPSD taxes, then he would vote in favor of working with the Town.    He said that he thought that the other Commissioners would all agree.

County Councilman Joe Qualey was there and he said that he spoke with the County Attorney today, and that the County Attorney  had no objection to the JIPSD providing tax credits.   This suggests that County Attorney would be willing to write the letter requested by Commissioner Welch.

However, the JIPSD Attorney, Trent Kernodle, strongly disagreed with Commissioner Welch's position, arguing that it would be illegal for the JIPSD to receive any LOST money funds.   He repeated various arguments that our Town's Attorney has refuted along with claiming that he likes to receive checks in the mail.  

Chairman Hollingsworth said that the JIPSD had already decided against working with the Town on tax credits.

Commissioner McMillan said that he as always supported working with the Town to provide a tax credit.

Commissioner Brown Crouch expressed concern that she has not been given enough information to make a decision.   She was concerned that she had not received copies of letters.

Commissioner Platt said nothing about the tax credit.   Commissioners Waring and Engelman were absent.

The good news is that if we can elect Commissioners who will work with  the Town, then the County Attorney will have no objection with using a Town tax credit to reduce JIPSD taxes.  We had four candidates who spoke out in favor of cooperation with the Town.

Also, we have a better idea which candidates  for the JIPSD will fight the Town's effort to provide a tax credit.   Kay Kernodle and Sandi Engelman have consistently opposed a Town tax credit.   We now know that Chairman Hollingsworth and Robert Schurmeier are firmly in their camp.