TO THE EDITOR

District 4 homeowners need to contact our County Commissioner, Rob Robinson, and let him know that it is not too late to vote against a county budget that will result in every Lincoln County homeowner paying approximately $200 more in property tax this year.

This week County Commission Chairman Wade Johnson and Tax Commissioner Brenda Danner McGahee announced on memos placed on the doors of the courthouse and mailed in county water bills that Lincoln County homeowners can expect to pay approximately $200 more in property taxes this year. Chairman Johnson points out in his memo that the governor and the General Assembly changed the funding method of the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant. According to Johnson, this grant will no longer be funded until the state's economy grows by at least 3% and then will only be funded retroactively.

This information was available to Chairman Johnson prior to his submission of the FY 2010 tentative bud- get to the Board of Commissioners. Had the chairman applied the 6% budget reductions to all the departments including the sheriff's department, which he increased by 4.8% over FY 2009 to $1,467,233, he could have spared homeowners nearly half of this increase.

Commissioner Robinson, last year you ran and were elected on a platform of tax relief. Well, this is your opportunity - don't miss it. Join District 2 Commissioner Collins and District 3 Commissioner Cliatt in voting against a budget that will result in homeowners paying more taxes this year.

I urge District 4 homeowners to call Commissioner Robinson at 706-359- 3102 and let him know you do not want to pay more taxes this year.

ALLEN WALKER