Former Holmes County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Eddie Ingram has a new job in Alabama, but according to reports, he may be getting himself into hot water. According to media reports, Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Alabama are barred from participating in any case involving Barbour County Chief Deputy Eddie Ingram because of the concerns, according to Gregory Borland, assistant agent in charge of the DEA in Birmingham. [ read more ]
by BENNIE J. LITTLE Holmes County Tax Watch Association BONIFAY, FL--- This report is not an expression of approval, nor disapproval, of any political entity in Holmes County. This information came out of the recent Holmes County Commissioners budget hearings and out of public records. We, in the Holmes County Tax Watch Association, believe that informed citizens are the key to good government. The Florida Legislature passed a law that required all counties to go to the rolled-back rate less 3 percent. The rolled-back rate is the millage rate that would generate the same property tax funds as the prior year. The rolled-back rate for Holmes County would have been 9.2594 less 3 percent. This would have amounted to an 8.9816 millage rate for property owners in Holmes County. But - the Legislature also adopted a provision that allowed counties to levy a higher amount by a super-majority or unanimous vote by the county commissioners. The local Board of Commissioners levied a millage rate of 9.5 which was 1/4 of a mill less than the prior year’s rate of 9.75. The 1/4 mill reduction amounted to $107,477.00 which in turn means a reduction of $20.00 to $25.00 per Holmes County property owner. Our present millage rate of 9.5 generates $4,084,126.00. The ambulance service budget of 2.5775 mills =$1,108,137.00; the Sheriffs’ budget of 5.9421 mills = $2,554,570.00. These two millage rates total 8.5916 = $3,662,707.00. $4,084,126.00 minus $3,662,707.00 leaves $421,419.00 of property taxes to be used by other departments. The Commissioners approved all requests for increases, with the Sheriffs’ Department request of $250,000.00 being the largest. Three departments did not request increases: Circuit Judge, County Judge and the County Agent. Last fiscal year, $93,555.00 was transferred to the general fund for boarding out-of-county prisoners in the jail. The payment on the jail was $282,415.00 on a 30-year mortgage. In 1997-1998, the Sheriffs’ budget was $938,224.00. In 2007-2008, it is $2,554,570.00. We hope you find this informative.
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