Board Members Meeting in Appalachia All Day

**pvfan** · October 20th, 2010, 07:35 PM

Raise the tax on tobacco and alcohol until the schools are paid for.

**simple man** · October 20th, 2010, 07:43 PM

Originally Posted by pvfan

Raise the tax on tobacco and alcohol until the schools are paid for.

Yeah, unneeded stuff- cell phones, anymore than 1 car per driver in a family. Throw a little in on regular phones and electricity and we can easily pay for new schools. I'm all for it.

**centennialdawg** · October 20th, 2010, 07:48 PM

Here is a thought. Why not asking the state legislature to suspend the discounts on personal property taxes for say like 10 years. I know I got a 50% discount on my personal property taxes this year(vehicles, mobile homes, and such). If you look, everyone gets this discount. And NO, I don't receive any relief on my taxes for being a disabled veteran. There are income limits, and it is considered income. Don't raise the real estate taxes. That would make it more equitable.

**1forall** · October 20th, 2010, 07:49 PM

The BOS is willing to pay to keep all six high schools opened, but Ted Thompson and his band of thiefs are hell bent on closing Appy and Pound. Ted Thompson, Phillip Bates, Nolan Kilgore, and Dr. Basham(ex super of schools) are eating breakfast and Lunch at the Food City in Wise. Could be some laws being broke there.

**simple man** · October 20th, 2010, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by centennialdawg

Here is a thought. Why not asking the state legislature to suspend the discounts on personal property taxes for say like 10 years. I know I got a 50% discount on my personal property taxes this year(vehicles, mobile homes, and such) Don't raise the real estate taxes. That would make it more equitable.

Too easy and too logical.

It still boils down to what are we gonna pay and how, doesn't it? I hope it all works out well.

**imported_elp6n** · October 20th, 2010, 08:00 PM

Roanoke has recently implemented a 2-year, 2-cent tax increase on restaurant meals. Apparently it's working well in their favor already with no effect on restaurant traffic.

I think a 2-cent increase in Wise County would let Pal's alone fund the new schools!

2-cent tax bump works as planned - Roanoke.com

**R13** · October 20th, 2010, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by simple man

You are probably right- the people who pay for things should never get a say in things

That is a problem with letting folks have a say in things....but wait- that was how we got Obama and GWB, and pretty much anything that matters in this country.

They have their say, it's called the public expression portion of the meetings and they take full advantage of it. They should be left with the final say when it comes to funding, people are so **** misinformed that funding should never be put on any ballot. It'd be different if we were dealing with rational people, we're not and it's not worth holding up progress to hold a vote on everything every two seconds. It's embarrassing enough as it is to listen to their ignorance at the meetings, let alone they have control over funding.

Originally Posted by simple man

Yeah, unneeded stuff- cell phones, anymore than 1 car per driver in a family. Throw a little in on regular phones and electricity and we can easily pay for new schools. I'm all for it.

This isn't 1960, there isn't such thing as a "driver of the family", cellphones are up there with air as a necessity for a lot of people. A tiny raise in alcohol/tobacco would rake up tons and I'll bring it up again, a tiny soda raise would bring in even more on it's own, perfect for this situation.

Originally Posted by imported_elp6n

Roanoke has recently implemented a 2-year, 2-cent tax increase on restaurant meals. Apparently it's working well in their favor already with no effect on restaurant traffic.

I think a 2-cent increase in Wise County would let Pal's alone fund the new schools!

2-cent tax bump works as planned - Roanoke.com

They work very, very well. It happens all of the time, brings in plenty of money and breaks no one.

**red66** · October 20th, 2010, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by simple man

You are probably right- the people who pay for things should never get a say in things

That is a problem with letting folks have a say in things....but wait- that was how we got Obama and GWB, and pretty much anything that matters in this country.

The people of this country have a say in things by going to the ballot box each November. That is how this country was founded. If everybody in America had the opportunity to voice their opinion and vote on each issue nothing would ever get done. This is the same for the consolidation issue. If they had to ask each Wise County citizen what they wanted to do then nothing would ever get done. The reason that we elect our leaders is for them to make these decisions for us. If they do not make the decisions that we want them to make then we elect someone else next election.

**simple man** · October 20th, 2010, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by simple man

Yeah, unneeded stuff- cell phones, anymore than 1 car per driver in a family. Throw a little in on regular phones and electricity and we can easily pay for new schools. I'm all for it.
"This isn't 1960, there isn't such thing as a "driver of the family", cellphones are up there with air as a necessity for a lot of people. A tiny raise in alcohol/tobacco would rake up tons and I'll bring it up again, a tiny soda raise would bring in even more on it's own, perfect for this situation"

It doesn't say driver of the family- what it says is you have 8 cars and 3 people that drive, tax the spare 5 cars. If someone doesn't have more than 1 car per person that can drive, you wouldn't be taxed extra. You see? Mom, dad and a teenage kid that drives wouldn't be taxed extra till they bought a 4th car. As for the cell phones- if you need one that bad 5 bucks a month shouldn't bother you. I'd give 5 cents a can more for pop if it would build schools. But you can see from the different ideas about taxes, most are looking for something that doesn't raise their taxes.

**simple man** · October 20th, 2010, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by red66

The people of this country have a say in things by going to the ballot box each November. That is how this country was founded. If everybody in America had the opportunity to voice their opinion and vote on each issue nothing would ever get done. This is the same for the consolidation issue. If they had to ask each Wise County citizen what they wanted to do then nothing would ever get done. The reason that we elect our leaders is for them to make these decisions for us. If they do not make the decisions that we want them to make then we elect someone else next election.

That is what I thought also- BUT from this board nobody is too happy about the school situation. That would mean that NONE of the elected folks have done anything since 1992 , when this first began to be talked about. A simple box in nov would give a much better idea than what is gained by talking to either board.