Editor:

Here we go again!

The Friday, April 25 issue of The Farmville Herald again brings the good news: “Raise the real estate tax.” Below is an excerpt from a letter I sent to the editor last May.

“The editor applauds the chairman for being able to retain the 49-cent rate, but this is only temporary. You can bet that the 51-cent rate will be back on the agenda next year in order to level fund the school board budget. Two years ago it was 42 cents, then last year, it was raised to 47 cents and now it’s 49 cents. It appears that some people think that you can spend your way out of poverty, but the national situation, and over $18 trillion in debt, proves that to be wrong. I suggest that everyone think carefully when they vote in the next election, otherwise the ‘Gang of Five’ is going to nickel and dime us to death.”

It appears that I was right on with my prediction.

I hate to be so accurate, but in this case it was easy. County Administrator Wade Bartlett never fails to recommend another increase in order to fund the school board’s request. Quite frankly, I think it’s time we think about a new county administrator, one who will put the citizens of Prince Edward County first, one who can find other means of operating the county without a tax increase every year and one who can at least get his phone number listed in the book so that the citizens — who pay his salary — can find his number easily.

Furman Joye

Prospect