The two taxes to be considered for renewal in 2007 are a half cent for the operation and construction of the county jail and a half cent for county roads.
Although the sales tax for the jail is a half cent, with one-third designated for maintenance and operation and two-thirds designated to pay for construction of the new jail, Tabor said he would like to see the half-cent tax continue.
Tabor said he will get an update on the jail sales tax, which was approved for seven years by county voters on Jan. 11, 2000. The jail will be paid off at that time, and the two-thirds tax for jail construction is slated to cease.
"I would like to look at asking people to continue the tax and share it with the sheriff's department, because they need money too," Tabor said. "If passed, we could send back some state prisoners and make the jail available for county prisoners."
At the present time the 114-bed county jail is housing prisoners for the state, at a cost of $24 a day. That money helps keep the county jail in operation, Tabor said, but the program is also keeping the jail full. Jail personnel reported the jail has between 108 and 110 prisoners on a daily average, and 38 of those are state prisoners.
Tabor said it will take at least two-thirds of the half-cent sales to keep the jail in operation.
The original tax was approved for seven years.
The road tax, Tabor said, is up for renewal every five years, and has been approved in two elections - in 1998 and in 2002 - with the next renewal to go to the voters in 2007.
"We need to start thinking about these taxes now," Tabor said.
COMMISSION MEETING
During the county commission meeting, which preceded the justice authority meeting, Tabor asked what the problem was with the county courthouse telephone system.
"Our phone system is in a shambles," Tabor commented. "We get incoming calls but we can't call out. We get that mechanical woman who says 'If you want to make a call please hang up and try again.'"
Pam Crutchfield, who attended the meeting for Sheriff Johnny Philpot, said the sheriff's department has the same problem.
"We have five outside lines and can't call out."
County Clerk Donna Jamison said the courthouse went from 50 to 63 telephones and has been having trouble making outside calls since August 2003. Jamison said the courthouse telephone bill runs from $1,200 to $1,400 a month.
Tabor said, "Either they (telephone company AT&T) fix it or we get a new phone system."
It was expected that AT&T service personnel would visit the courthouse, sheriff's office and jail Tuesday to work on the problem.
At the end of the commission meeting Tabor thanked those who sent condolences, flowers and food after the death of his mother, Truda Tabor, on Nov. 17.
