Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Tax Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge court to spare senior services as tax deadline looms
Summary
Residents and nonprofit managers urged Spencer County Fiscal Court to avoid cuts to senior services and consider a one‑percent insurance-premium-tax increase, saying it would produce modest per-household revenue while preventing deeper program reductions.
At its March 4 meeting, Spencer County Judge‑Executive John Riley heard pleas from local seniors and nonprofit managers who warned that proposed budget cuts could force the county to reduce services for older residents.
"I asked that the Court consider a one percent increase in the insurance premium tax today, as it was the last day it could be considered," said Joyce Armes, who identified herself as financial manager for the Multi‑Purpose Community Action Agency, which provides services to seniors. Armes told the court a one‑percent increase would cost an individual household between $20 and $70 a year and give the county breathing room while it reviewed line items.
The request came during the public‑comment portion of the meeting; Armes and two other speakers, Roy Legaspi and Teresa Syrus, described direct services provided by the agency and emphasized that grants currently cover about 85 percent of their costs, leaving agencies to fund the remaining 15 percent locally.
Judge Riley said the court was near a statutory deadline to act on any increase to the insurance‑premium tax and urged colleagues to weigh modest revenue against the prospect of cutting services, vehicle replacements and pension obligations. He described a one‑percent increase as insufficient to fund new vehicles or pay raises but useful to avoid more severe cuts.
No motion to change the insurance‑premium tax rate passed at the March 4 meeting. Court members discussed the tradeoffs but left the matter open for further consideration.
The court set a related procedural date: it scheduled a public hearing on County Road Aid and Local Government Economic Assistance funds for April 1, 2019 at 8:30 a.m., a step the judge said would help the court prioritize limited resources.
The next court meeting is expected to include budget follow‑ups and additional public comment on funding priorities.
