Kingsport, Tennessee – Tax, Borrow, and Spend City
The City of Kingsport, Tennessee, with its spending of taxpayers money, fails to see what is happening to the struggling families who are trying to keep their heads above water in the economic crisis we are in.
Unemployment in Kingsport is the highest in the Tri-Cities area.
People are having to rely on food stamps to feed their families in record numbers. See the quote from the Bristol Herald Courier article below.
More than 13 percent of Sullivan County residents received help from the U.S. government’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in October, a month that broke program participation records across the state of Tennessee. Click for more Record Numbers Seek Aid To Buy Groceries
Because of what is happening in the economy, retirees that are drawing on a percentage basis from their 401k’s have less to live on now. Also, retirees that draw a fixed amount from their 401k’s have had to readjust the amount withdrawn downward for fear of running out of money in their 401k. I am sure there are people thinking about retirement, but have postponed it because of the economy.
Tennessee state revenues continue to slide and are down 7 percent for the recent month. Tennessee may face a $1 billion shortfall. The Tennessean newspaper reports the following in the article below.
State’s decline among worst in U.S.
Bill Fox, director of the Center for Business & Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, said Tennessee has one of the nation’s largest declines in revenue, topped only by Florida and Arizona, a finding that surprised him. While Tennessee has not fared poorly with sales taxes, its slowdown in corporate tax collection is among the country’s worst, he said.
“Tennessee is feeling the brunt of the economic downturn from the tax revenue perspective much worse than is the norm around the U.S., at least through this part of the fiscal year,” he said.
States, Counties, and Cities around the country are being forced to cut spending, laying off workers and reducing pay for workers. But, in Kingsport, it is business as usual with a bigger government with a bigger budget for this fiscal year and more city employees. Kingsport debt is over $191 million and still growing to which Kingsport can be better known as the “TAX, BORROW, and SPEND” city.
Eastman Chemical has announced that their 4th quarter earning will widely miss its projection. What next for Eastman? Will there be another layoff or will employees cut back on spending because of unknowns in their future?
What can the citizens of Kingsport do about the situation with the current administration in Kingsport’s City government?
You must become more vocal with the Board of Mayor and Alderman. Write letters to the editor and spread the word to others about what is happening with city government. Submit comments online at the end of articles in the local newspapers. If the Kingsport Times-News won’t publish your response, then go to other newspapers in the area. Make your friends aware of what is happing on the BMA. Be active in the local elections for the four BMA members whose terms expire. Help get new BMA members get elected that resemble your views and vote current BMA members out if they should decide to run again for office if their views do not match yours.
As for me personally, I will be doing the following;
I will not vote for Mayor Phillips, Vice Mayor Mallicote, and Alderman Joh in the upcoming election if they decide to run for office again. Reason: Big spenders of taxpayers money.
Nothing seems to get the attention of certain BMA members (Phillips, Mallicote, Joh, Munsey, and Shupe) when citizens express concerns over spending or other issues. Hence, I will be doing the following below.
If I decide to sell my property, I will not do business with Blue Ridge Properties since that is Alderman Joh’s business. I have used Blue Ridge Properties in the past and in my opinion, they did not do anything for me that other real estate firms couldn’t offer.
If I need legal work done, I will not use Vice Mayor Mallicote’s law firm.
If I die, I will not use the Oak Hill Memorial Park, Funerals and Cremations owned by Stewart Enterprises because of Alderman Shupe’s employment there as manager. I will not buy products from Shupe Securtiy since it is an Alderman Shupe firm.
I will not do business with any firm associated with Mayor Phillips or Alderman Munsey. This means also that if Mayor Phillips opens up another Pizza joint, I will not buy his product.
Since gas prices are lower, I will shop elsewhere in Johnson City or Virginia and use the internet.
But, I will use Alderman Pat Shull’s business (Mary’s Kitchen) or any business Alderman Marsh has.
Maybe, in my small part, I can begin to get their attention when it affects their wallets.
Now, if everyone did the above, it might get Mayor Phillips’ attention. But I’m sure he and other big spender BMA members will use some of the same threats below that has been used in the past. Mr. Mayor, you do not need to reduce the services, instead reduce your obsession with the pet project spending you have done during your almost two terms.
Famous Quotes from the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Alderman
Mayor Dennis Phillips – ‘We need MeadowView to keep from reduceng fire, police protection, and reducing trash pick-up to every two weeks.” October 21, 2008
Mayor Dennis Phillips –“We need to annex so we don’t have to raise taxes” February 5, 2008
Alderman Munsey – “We need to do the MeadowView expansion to keep from raising taxes” September 15, 2008
Alderman Munsey – Debt is neither good or bad,” June 3, 2008
Vice Mayor Mallicote – “I do not believe all of the doom and gloom about the economy”. June 3, 2008
Mayor Dennis Phillips – “If the taxpayers wanted the city to cut the spending, then we could collect garbage every other week” June 3, 2008
Mayor Dennis Phillips – “If there were no money to spend, then you would not need politicians” October, 2007
Mayor Dennis Phillips refuses to give back the regional sales tax to the citizens after it has served it’s purpose. The Federal government has help out all kinds of firms and has given money back to the taxpayers. It is time for Kingsport to step up to the plate and help the citizens out. How about it Mayor Phillips?