To the editor:
This past Monday, the Brown County Council “thawed” our property tax freeze, meaning property taxes can now be raised year after year.
In this meeting, council President Dave Redding and commissioner Diana Biddle told those attending that the state agency, DLGF, has notified them that Brown County government would not be taking in enough tax revenue to pay its bills. Redding stated that “thawing” this freeze would generate approximately $200,000 but that $500,000 was needed.
Brown County government pays every full-time and permanent part-time employee one-hour lunch breaks. The policy reads, “A sixty (60) minute paid lunch break will be allowed each Full-time and Permanent Part-time employee only during his/her workday.”
This one policy alone is costing Brown County taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. I calculated a very rough estimate. Hourly rate: $14.41 an hour × 145 employees × 5 days a week x 52 weeks a year = $543,257 annually.
This policy needs repealed before any property taxes are raised. This government must control its spending.
Sherrie Mitchell, Brown County
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