Another Wheel Tax?

According to the commission workshop agenda, 6th District Commissioner, Wayne Gardin, will propose adding a $25 wheel tax to an upcoming election. And true to form, it's for education.

6. Loudon County Commissioner - Wayne Gardin

a. Request Commission Approval for a Public Vote for a $25 Wheel Tax to be Used to Retire the Debt on the School Building Program.

In 2008 voters overwhelmingly rejected the last commission sponsored wheel tax by more than an 80% margin. Also in that same year voters again overwhelmingly rejected another commission sponsored tax increase. This one was a half cent sales tax increase in February of 2008. That measure was defeated by more than a 60% margin. Of course both tax increase measures were proposed for education. 

Below is a precinct by precinct report showing the percent of voters who voted against the 2008 wheel tax.

Browder
91%
Davis
85%
Eatons
85%
Greenback
78%
Glendale
84%
Highland Park
87%
Lenoir City Out
91%
Lenoir City
89%
Loudon
83%
Loudon Out
83%
Luttrell
87%
Philadelphia
84%
Tellico Village
68%
Tellico Village E
53%

Several explanations have been offered why the wheel tax was so utterly defeated in 2008.  Some said it was because the tax was $50, some say it showed that county voters didn't want to support education. I disagree with both explanations. The simple answer for the tax hike failures was that voters have had enough of tax and spend and had no confidence in or intentions to give commission any more of they hard earned money in higher taxes.

Less than two years ago, voters in Mr. Gardin's district rejected the wheel tax by 87%. Seems like whether it's Washington officials or our local officials, they just refuse to listen to the voters and are intent on taking more and more from the tax payers.

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3/15/10