I am sure you have heard Commissioner Tony Hyde and Rita Bernhard crying the blues about the 2,2 million dollar shortfall in the county's operating budget. They have been making cuts throughout the different departments in the courthouse. They are planning to reduce services to the public on Fridays, including the commissioner's own secretary. They giving a bleak outlook for the county to the local media for the unforeseen future. Our county roads are left unfixed, and are deteriorating further and further.  Our Countie's sitting commissioners refuses to enforce the depletion fee on all parties that fall under their jurisdiction.
Last Wednesday I once again asked the commissioners these same questions, questions that I have been asking for over 10 years. The answers that I got were the same illogical and pro-corporate loyalty that Hyde and Bernhard that have always parroted in the past. They seem to be forgetting their oath of office and dismissing the fact that their loyalty should be to the good citizens of Columbia County...Not to some corporation.  If these commissioner really respected and believed in democracy than they would be up holding the 1996 Depletion Fee ballot measure that was voted for in 1996 by the voters of the county. The commissioners have chosen to let a possible $1 million in tax revenue go uncollected; money that would greatly benefit the masses of citizens throughout the county.
When I addressed this problem, I said that it was the responsibility of the commissioners to collect the fees.  I pointed out that USG benefited from our Road dept money for several years, reminding every one that the county gave several years of all our road money to fix roads for USG plus all the other free tax incentives.  I also told them not to forget the REDCO boondoggle that is costing the taxpayers in the REDCO District a heavy added tax. I added that I did not have the ability to pick and chose what part of my taxes I wanted to pay, and that the county did not inform any citizen that were going to buy a home in the county what taxes were charged, that it was also not the commissioners duty to look out for corporate America and inform what taxes were charged in the county.
I was met with hostile answers from Commissioner Hyde, Hyde tried to over talk me, when I would not allow him to get the upper hand he informed me that my time was about up, I retorted that it was not. Hyde suggested that I talk to the Attorney General over the problem.  I responded that I had called several time down to the Attorney Generals office and each time I was told that it was the commissioners and DA's duty to enforce the fee.   Hyde informed me that I needed to get the information in writing for him.  I suggested to Hyde since he was always in Salem that he could go to the Attorney Generals office get the information and get it back to me.  Hyde did not appear happy with my response and pounded his  gavel.  "Your Time is up!" he shouted.
Before I left I reminded the commissioners that their loyalty was to their constituency not to their corporate buddies.
If you want your roads fixed go read the Depletion Fee Ordinance in its entirety, and you will see that you, the public, are getting stolen from, money that should be in the county coffers. Money that is owed to you!

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