McGinnis rejects remainder of planned raise

During this week's Smith County Commissioners meeting Bill McGinnis stated that he would not be accepting the remainder of the pay raise that was approved by the commissioners last year.

"I voted for the future of Smith County when I voted for the new employee pay plan. But, because that plan included a raise for the commissioners positions, including mine, that action has been politicized and distorted beyond all recognition of the Smith County Salary Committee's original intention," McGinnis said in a written state- ment. "It has become a huge distraction at a time when this court needs to focus all of its attention on critical issues such as the jail project, roads and bridges, and addressing our aging county infrastructure. It also continues to remain an issue that I feel distracts greatly from the good works of this court."

An affidavit declining the second and third phases of the pay raise has already been issued. Commissioner Bobby Van Ness and Judge Joel Baker each stated they would be following McGinnis and taking the same stance on the issue.

McGinnis suggested there were other areas that could use the same attention the pay raise has received. "I would like to see much more work done in Austin on eliminating the unfunded mandates that are passed on to Smith and other counties by the State," he said, adding that he would like to see the Sheriff's Department and other emergency vehicles given free passage on Loop 49 instead of the county receiving a bill.

McGinnis also suggested an additional half-cent sales tax for counties to be used for infrastructure needs.

"Each year, hundreds of thousands of people come to the regional retail center that Smith County has become. They are utilizing our roads, our law enforcement, our jail, our court system and other county services without ever having to pay a dime. Why should this added strain on our county resources be a further tax burden to our citizens?"