BOC CHAIRMAN: Hunter Bicknell

Would you support lowering the millage rate to offset some of the higher housing values?

The short answer would be “yes,” I would support that. The challenge is going to be, as the growth in the digest slows and with what is already committed in terms of some long-term debt, it will be a challenge to do that. I see that we are headed for some real tough times for this county financially. If you look at what is going to be put on our backs by 2012 in long-term debt, that is going to be difficult. I am committed to not raising the millage rate. I am opposed to increasing taxes. You do get a tax increase when there are assessments. It is going to be very difficult, however. I view our county as being in a position where we have to change our mindset and the way we look at the future. We can’t continue to make the assumption on the future based on what has happened in the past. We cannot count on double digit digest increases not just through reassessment but through growth. We may be looking at the next year or two three to five percent growth in the digest. When we have a budget that is going to increase our debt service 75 percent in 2009, it becomes challenging.

You mentioned long term debt…what areas of the county government would you propose seriously looking at to make cuts?

I think it is fairly clear we have to reduce the rate at which the county government is growing. We have to only hire new employees for the jail. There should be a moratorium on any new hires other than providing manpower to operate the jail. The areas in which we can cut…we have to take a look at the capital projects. In planning the roads that are designed to attract industry, in this economy, we need to be looking at the economy of those. There is no need in doing it if you are not going to have industry. We need to be working with property owners in those corridors to ensure we don’t get a road there and have to start paying for it in advance of the industrial development coming. One of the things is to try and work out some contracts with neighboring counties to house their inmates. That could be one thing. Everybody knows it will take more manpower to operate the jail. However, there is a certain amount of manpower at the current jail that you can’t forget about that. The 15 deputies that were in the budget for this year, I believe most of those went to fulfill needs that were existing that had not previously been funded. The number of county employees now per 1,000 employees is pretty high. It’s gotten higher. It’s about to the point where it was in 2006. I wouldn’t say to eliminate positions, but we certainly need to have a moratorium or freeze on hiring.

Would you extend that moratorium to a pay raise for county employees?

I don’t think we need to go four to five percent. I do think we need to make it competitive so we don’t lose good employees. There were adjustments to take care of that in the most recent period. I’ve been in businesses where if you got a two or three percent raise, you considered yourself fortunate. I think the raises that are given need to be more in line with the cost of living adjustment. If we have considerable inflation, it may be below what is considered the cost of living.

What about employee insurance costs?

That is a huge expense and it went up 10 percent this past year. The indications are that there will be another 10 percent increase this year. We need to make sure we are not providing benefits beyond what are competitive. I don’t think we need to have the county employees having benefits exceeding what the general industry in the county has. As long as that is in line, I’m OK with it. My concern is not building a government so large that, in 2012, we are going to have a crisis.

On the road bonds, you would support keeping that money in a bank and drawing interest?

Exactly. It is my understanding you would have two years to do that and then you would have to spend it. The other option would be repaying it. With a $45 million bond, we may end up spending $30 million of it. We could wait a few years until we know it will have a payout by investment from the land owners.

Does that also extend to the fire training facility? That project has now grown to over $5 million. Do you also think that should be put on hold?

I think we need to move forward with that…something that is going to be funded greatly through SPLOST. We do need it. I think it will be a benefit to the county.

What about the overhead cost?

There is going to be very little incremental overhead cost with that due to the fact that they have got a correctional institute program now. I think that must of the cost that will be associated with that project is in place at the present time.

Would you be in favor of the various fire districts of the county levying their own local tax rates for the construction or costs of the training facility?

I think that is certainly something that should be investigated. Now, if it can be done without them having to increase their millage levy, that would be quite appropriate. After all, it is a facility to benefit all of the fire districts.

What are your thoughts on going toward a state-wide sales tax to replace local property taxes?

I am opposed to that. I feel like counties should have their own sources for revenue. We shouldn’t have to go to Atlanta and request funding for our government. I think that the program has too many unanswered questions to it as to whether it would really work. What would the actual sales tax have to be in order to fund local governments. To me, it goes against home rule. I favor home rule. It was a good idea, but it was primarily an idea to gain control of all tax income on the state level.

Do you support higher density housing to provide more affordable homes?

We need affordable homes but we need mixed housing in the county. That mixed housing needs to match the residence and the employment opportunities in the county. People don’t need to be driving out of the county for jobs. That is one of my great concerns is what we can do to attract more employment for the county. Higher density, I have an inherent adverson to it because the concept or image it conjures up. Limited amounts of more dense housing as long as it is located properly could be acceptable. I think that it is going to be driven to a great extent by availability of sewer. With limited resources, I would like to see our sewer resources utilized to attract jobs.

Where should sewer lines go?

I think that we should try to have sewer in the county long-term because I believe sewer is a better use of our water resources than septic systems. The delay in reclaiming water that goes through a septic system is years and years and years, whereas, reclaiming it through a sewer location is much more rapid. I think there is a balance there and you can possibility use your sewer infrastructure to impact growth. Overall, I think we need sewer eventually throughout the county.

On zoning and density issues, should we allow more mixed use projects so that people can walk to stores? Should the county try to cultivate that, or should the county focus on the more traditional larger lot subdivisions?

You really need a blend of that. Some of the recent mixed use developments in the metro Atlanta area are very high quality. They are going to have very good occupancies and generate good tax revenue. One potential location that comes to my mind quickly is the new TAD area in Braselton. That would be ideally suited for something similar to what has recently taken place on Hamilton Mill Road and Buford Highway. You have the combination of live, work and play. I think that could be a benefit.

What about the idea that we give farmers and large land owners even more breaks than are on the books now? What are your feelings on that?

The agriculture conservation program works well. It does what it is supposed to do. I don’t see a need for going another level beyond that. I think the concern of the farm community would be that conservation program may come in jeopardy. I would oppose the elimination of that. I think it serves a good purpose. There is a cost to citizens as far as foregone tax revenue, but I think farming is important to us. Farming may not be forever in the future of Jackson County because of its location, but we need to preserve the farm unit as long as it is economically feasible for that farm owner.

What do you think about more breaks for senior citizens?

This is a highly emotional issue. Many people have parents who struggle with their tax payments and so much of it is going to educate kids and they don’t have kids. In most instances, they did at one time and there were elderly people paying for their kids to be educated at that time. I do think that you have to be willing to change over time. The economic ties today with inflated land values has created a new burden on the elderly. We should consider some additional relief for them, but it needs to be in reasonable small steps because you are transferring that burden to the rest of the population. A study needs to be done to determine what the impact would be. I think I will be voting for the legislation that increases the benefits for the elderly.

As you’ve traveled around and campaigned in the county, give us two or three of the top concerns that you hear from people?

Number one is property taxes. That is the one thing that gets mentioned most frequently. Secondly, there is a lot of concern among younger people in regards to recreation facilities that we have or lack of them. Often-times, they have to travel pretty good distances and with gasoline costs escalating, it is becoming more of a burden to them. If we are not careful, we will have drop-outs in the recreation program because of fuel costs. Those are the two most common things I have been hearing.

Do you support putting recreation back on the ballot?

I think we should. It failed narrowly. It would be reasonable to give voters another chance at it. To get farther away from when they had assessments that negatively affected them. It would give them an option.

What do you think the current Jackson County BOC does best and what it does worst?

I think that what it is does best is that they are beginning to understand the need to plan and see into the future what the direction of the county needs to be. In the development plan and looking at in terms of what the cost will be to the citizens. Also, planning the services that would be offered to the county. As for what they are not doing as well on, possibly not doing as good a job in controlling expenditures. To me, you should take advantage of budget and digest that would allow you to grow your expenditures at a lower rate than the digest is growing so that over time taxes are lower and your millage rate gets lower. I think it may be a problem of the stage the county is in and the increase in population. To me, there should always be what range you are in in growing. You need to be using less of the increase in the digest in increasing your budget. I’ve seen double digit budget increases. I think the proposed draft for 2009 does pretty well in things like salaries are held down. But when you have that debt service that is overwhelming, that makes it difficult with a 15 percent in crease in the budget. There needs to be more concentration in having the budget grow at a rate sign below the growth in the digest.

Why do you want the job?

A lot of people have questioned my sanity and possibly rightly so. I guess all of us feel like we can contribute and do something. I’ve always been very active. I’ve worked hard all my life. After I retired in 2002, I just got involved. That led me to get involved in the water authority and various other county volunteer activities. That has put me in a position to see what is going on in county government and I just felt like there was an opportunity for me to make an impact that would be positive and provide true leadership to the board of commissioners. It needs it.

Why are you the best person for the job? Why should I vote for you?

Education-wise, I’ve got a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in business administration. In my career, I spent 40 years in the business world. A large portion of that was in executive positions in both large companies and small companies and in times of economic expansion and recession. In 40 years, that transcends into about everything that could happen. I also think I have a better ability to work with the different constituencies, the municipalities, the chamber of commerce, all of the commissions and authorities in the county. I know my personality, while in a sense is laidback to where I can work with people, I have strong convictions and, while comprise is necessary some time, I stand for what I believe in and will not relent. I will find solutions. If you compare that to my opponents, I think there is a difference.