News

Board agrees on more school money, Playhouse grant, higher hotel tax

Chairman Tommy Thompson and Charlie Messer favored higher school spending.

By Bill Moss, Published: May 30, 2012

Henderson County commissioners agreed Tuesday night on the framework of a budget that gives the schools a $2 million increase in funding, grants Flat Rock Playhouse $100,000, adds two patrol deputies, a jailer and a detective in the sheriff's department and sets aside $200,000 to build soccer fields two to three years from now.

The board also voted to endorse an increase of the county hotel tax from 5 to 6 cents. Commissioner Mike Edney and state legislators and Playhouse officials have talked about directing the increase to Playhouse operations, especially its efforts to recruit theater patrons for vacations in the Hendersonville area. Commissioner Larry Young voted no, saying he opposes giving the money to the Playhouse.
Commission Chairman Tommy Thompson directed County Manager Steve Wyatt to crunch the numbers "with the idea of how in the world we're going to pay for this." Commissioner Bill O'Connor has said repeatedly that the county is spending beyond its means, and Wyatt has said that the spending the commissioners approved over his recommendation endangers the fund balance.
But Commissioner Charlie Messer said Wyatt should come back with a budget that keeps the tax rate at 51.6 cents per $100 valuation. Messer has emerged as the leading spokesman for the view that the county has enough in savings to meet increased requests from the School Board and grant other requests like the one from the Playhouse. "We're sitting on a lot of money in Henderson County that's the taxpayers' money," he said.