Impact fee waiver approval

Editorial Opinion
Anna Liisa Covell

Shame on all five county commissioners.  If they were NOT aware of future development plans for our county, then why did they move forward on reducing impact fees.  Is this finger in the wind governing or testing the waters without knowing the consequences?

Oak Hill Hospital had front page stories in the local media several months ago broadcasting their $50 million expansion.  Commissioner Druzbick even serves on the hospital community advisory board.  Now they want us to believe they didn't know about expansion plans.  Have commissioners even considered the impact fee waivers for their recent zoning approvals for housing complexes?

Impact fee money isn't just for transportation.  Oak Hill's waiver will also impact  EMS and Fire Rescue for the area.  What are the commissioners going to do when fire service becomes universal countywide and they need more fire stations & equipment?  Are they going to raise our rates to cover the loss of impact fee waivers, saying it is in the name of safety?

The general contractor listed on Oak Hill's permit application is from Alabama.  How many of those 500 temporary construction jobs do commissioners think will be local?

The approval of the impact fee waivers by all five county commissioners is a direct assault on all existing property owners who have paid their fair share - their fair share in the way of impact fees and property taxes.  Now we have to watch new or expanding local business get a leg up on competition, with perks provided from our local elected officials. 

Are you going to balance the budget by raising taxes to compensate for the loss of impact fee revenue, commissioners?