Letter to SpartaLive

Dear SpartaLive,

In August we will all have the opportunity to vote on Resolution 04-02-2024. It will appear on the August State and Federal Primary Election ballot. That resolution looks on the surface like just another tax hike. There’s more to the story, though. Because the sales tax rate for the County (9.25%) is lower than the City (9.75%), the City is able to keep a higher proportionate amount of the revenue generated. In other words, more of your spending goes to benefit the city than the county. Based on the past five years, this adds up to $79,400 per month that the City of Sparta is collecting and keeping. If the county sales tax rate is increased to equal the city’s, the city will be REQUIRED by law to split that money with the county (TCA Code 67 Chapter 6, Part 7). That’s around $40,000 per month that would go to fund county needs.

No one wants to pay higher taxes of any sort, but this particular one is only fair and the additional amounts being paid are not enough to notice much difference. If you go to a Dollar Store out in the county and spend $100, with the increase you would pay about 50 cents more. The equal sales tax makes the city share revenue. That coupled with the additional dollars that would be collected adds up to around $82,000 a month (approaching an additional million dollars a year).

Those additional funds would be available for the animal shelter, firefighters and EMS workers, and the Sheriff’s department. All three of those services are in need of additional funding. It’s widely known that the White County Sheriff’s office loses qualified officers to surrounding counties due to low pay. Our firefighters and EMS staff need updated equipment and supplies.

As a longtime volunteer at the animal shelter I get to see the needs at the animal shelter first hand. The shelter is severely understaffed and staff are underpaid. They run a 365 days a year operation with a very limited staff. This community now cares about homeless animals and supports the shelter, not as a place to dump animals, but as a place to care for, rehabilitate, and find homes for adoptable dogs. The shelter has to rely too heavily on donations and volunteers, and even with lots of food, supplies, and even manpower donated, it comes up short. Staff are paid at a rate significantly lower than surrounding counties and additional staff are needed to take care of the dogs. Dogs are like kids, they don’t care if it’s a holiday or the weekend or day or night, they have needs. The manager and the part time staff are there because they love the dogs; they could easily find other jobs that pay more and have a heck of a lot less stress. The work is intense, both emotionally and physically, and not for the faint of heart. We have to have staff who really care.

When it’s time to consider Resolution 04-02-2024, consider the following. One, it’s not fair for the City to get more of the benefit of your spending. Second, the County has programs and services that are in real need. Third, because the amount of the increase is low, your bill won’t be noticeably higher. I would encourage everyone to do two things: vote in favor of this sales tax resolution, but at the same time, contact your county commissioners and make it clear that you want the additional revenue and currently available resources spent where they are most needed. Make your voice heard and remember, a community’s treatment of animals is a good measure of its overall quality.

Donna Parker