“Bradley County Commissioner Dan Rawls is proposing a resolution that would express the Commission’s disapproval of Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed gas tax hike,” the Cleveland Banner reports:
Rawls’ resolution says the increase would be “a further tax burden on Bradley County residents that can least afford the additional tax.”
“I always think it’s a better idea to cut spending than to raise taxes,” Rawls said. “The state hasn’t done that great a job. Gov. Haslam has overseen the largest increase in the size of government of any Tennessee governor.”
He said although the state is portraying “a big problem with roads,” the state “thought it was a good idea” to spend $123 million on a new state library.
“I don’t see how that’s good fiscal policy,” Rawls said.
Not all Bradley County Commissioners think passing a resolution opposing the gas tax increase is the right action for the County Commission to undertake.
“Commissioner Milan Blake said he had been talking to state legislators who are telling him ‘to wait on something like this [passing a resolution opposing the gas tax increase] right now,’ ” the Banner reported.
“Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber said he agreed with opposing the increase, but suggested discussing it at the next work session,” the Banner reported.
But Rawls does not want to wait.
Other County Commissions that favor the gas tax increase are not waiting on passing a resolution to that effect.
This week, the Williamson County Commission passed a resolution in support of the gas tax in a 19 to 5 vote.
Bradley County, located just east of Chattanooga, has an estimated population of about 100,000.
Williamson County, just south of Nashville, has an estimated population of 211,000 and is experiencing rapid growth.
