By David Magliano
As their name suggests, the Walton County Taxpayers Association represents those who pay taxes in Walton County. They do not necessarily represent residents of the county, and the group actually focuses much of its energy on nonresidents.
?They are more vocal about the tax burden on them,? said Bob Hudson, treasurer of the WCTA. ?They don?t get to vote on who the elected offi cials are so they are seeking someone here that on a day-to-day basis can represent them.?
Hudson said most of the tax dollars collected by the county are from those who own land in Walton County but live elsewhere because they are not eligible for the homestead exemption, making their tax bills higher.
The exemption takes $25,000 off the taxable value of the house and caps the annual appraisal increase at no more than 3 percent. To be eligible for homesteading, the property must be your primary residence.
?They bear a great deal of the cost,? said Hudson.
Hudson said taxpayers outside of Walton County do not receive as much of the benefit of what their tax dollars pay for as residents do. Taxing authorities do not need to answer to those taxpayers either, said Hudson, because they cannot vote in elections.
?[Elected offi cials] are not accountable to that person the same way they are someone who lives here,? he said.
With much of its energy focused on non-residents, the WCTA places a heavy emphasis on lowering tax rates.
Darrell Barnhill, vice chairman of the Walton County School Board and a member of the WCTA, said the group sometimes focuses too narrowly on tax rates without considering consequences.
?I?ve asked the Taxpayers Association, as a member and as an elected official, to work together to find out what can be eliminated or postponed,? he said. ?But that didn?t happen.?
The WCTA recently gave the school board an F grade as a taxing authority. Barnhill said that in the past, the group has provided specifi c examples of items they felt could be eliminated from the budget to allow for a lower tax rate. This year, he said the WCTA did not do that.
Much of the school board was upset with the WCTA grade, but Barnhill is not against the group. He joined the WCTA four years ago because he felt they were moving in the right direction in watching government spending to protect all taxpayers.
?Every taxpayer needs to be represented,? said Barnhill.
Barnhill said he appreciated those efforts and ?doesn?t mind the scrutiny.? He only wants the communication between taxing authorities and the WCTA to improve.
?I hope in the future we can share issues better,? he said. ?Before we get a grade.?
As their name suggests, the Walton County Taxpayers Association represents those who pay taxes in Walton County. They do not necessarily represent residents of the county, and the group actually focuses much of its energy on nonresidents.
?They are more vocal about the tax burden on them,? said Bob Hudson, treasurer of the WCTA. ?They don?t get to vote on who the elected offi cials are so they are seeking someone here that on a day-to-day basis can represent them.?
Hudson said most of the tax dollars collected by the county are from those who own land in Walton County but live elsewhere because they are not eligible for the homestead exemption, making their tax bills higher.
The exemption takes $25,000 off the taxable value of the house and caps the annual appraisal increase at no more than 3 percent. To be eligible for homesteading, the property must be your primary residence.
?They bear a great deal of the cost,? said Hudson.
Hudson said taxpayers outside of Walton County do not receive as much of the benefit of what their tax dollars pay for as residents do. Taxing authorities do not need to answer to those taxpayers either, said Hudson, because they cannot vote in elections.
?[Elected offi cials] are not accountable to that person the same way they are someone who lives here,? he said.
With much of its energy focused on non-residents, the WCTA places a heavy emphasis on lowering tax rates.
Darrell Barnhill, vice chairman of the Walton County School Board and a member of the WCTA, said the group sometimes focuses too narrowly on tax rates without considering consequences.
?I?ve asked the Taxpayers Association, as a member and as an elected official, to work together to find out what can be eliminated or postponed,? he said. ?But that didn?t happen.?
The WCTA recently gave the school board an F grade as a taxing authority. Barnhill said that in the past, the group has provided specifi c examples of items they felt could be eliminated from the budget to allow for a lower tax rate. This year, he said the WCTA did not do that.
Much of the school board was upset with the WCTA grade, but Barnhill is not against the group. He joined the WCTA four years ago because he felt they were moving in the right direction in watching government spending to protect all taxpayers.
?Every taxpayer needs to be represented,? said Barnhill.
Barnhill said he appreciated those efforts and ?doesn?t mind the scrutiny.? He only wants the communication between taxing authorities and the WCTA to improve.
?I hope in the future we can share issues better,? he said. ?Before we get a grade.?
What was it for you ask? So that the kindergarten children could have a yearbook. :shock: Maybe I am getting old, but in my day, a school picture was sufficient and my parents PAID for it. Apparently my tax dollars over the years has been paying for this and some other IMO ridiculous things not related to improving a child's learning experience. 
)
Just seeing exactly how literal you meant your statement to be.