To the Citizens of Greenbrier Co.:
Yes, I am again commenting about the “ Fire Service Fee.” I will continue to do so as long as there is an avenue for me. Everyone that lives in Greenbrier Co. needs to be aware of what the City Halls of Lewisburg, and W.S.S. are attempting to do.
Lewisburg has reset the time table for enacting their new ordinance allowing them to tax the outlying areas, their “first due” areas, with this fire service fee. It looks like W.S.S. is following right along with Lewisburg with their time table.
The first reading was passed in W.S.S. and even though it hasn’t been completed yet with two more “readings” to go, it too is being rushed through just like Lewisburg. You really have to ask yourself why there is such a rush to get this new “ordinance” pushed through. A meeting to vote on the 14th of July followed by another meeting 7 days later on the 21st of July. And the “final” vote on the 18th. of August. Yeah, I think that’s pretty fast. One and only one “public hearing.” Why only one hearing? Because they say so.
I stress again that there has not been proper planning with this “fire fee.” I firmly believe that a county wide election should be the path for any fire fee, levy, tax or whatever you want to name it. The three County Commissioners have the power and the ability to plan out a fair way of approaching this problem. They work for us, the taxpayers, remember? That is why they get their salaries and benefits and should be the governing body to oversee a fire levy. This should not be left up to the Mayors and City Councils of each individual town. Just ask yourself this: how will the fire house in Williamsburg get funding? They are not a corporation. What about Smoot? Also not a corporation. How will they get funding? It goes back to a mad dash to milk the taxpayers and with sorry planning to start with.
This is a county problem that needs addressed by the people that are getting paid to address problems like this – County Commissioners. Woody Hanna, 304-646-9904, Mike McClung, 304-647-0773, and Lowell Rose, 304-646-8899. If you have real concerns about the way these towns are going after your wallets and pocketbooks, I suggest strongly that you start expressing your concerns with these three commissioners. They should have already stepped in and headed off this “power grab” by these individual towns. That’s my opinion.
I don’t care if the people in Bridgeport, WV let this happen to them and it became legal by some judge on the WV Supreme Court. It does not make it morally right to do it in this area. It doesn’t make it OK. This shouldn’t be “Monkey See, Monkey Do.” I still think the citizens of Greenbrier County should have the right to decide what goes on in Greenbrier County, by using their right to vote on this matter as it has always been done. Time tested and the right way. Harrison County can do what they want.
The main issue I have with the way the Mayors and City Councils of Lewisburg and W.S.S. are going about getting the fire service fee, [TAX], goes against common courtesy rules. They are not “asking.” They are “demanding” and “threatening.” When someone tries to take money out of my pocket, out of my budget, without even the slightest bit of politeness, you can rest assured you are going to get a pretty negative response from me.
Sincerely,
James G. Livesay
Ronceverte