My comments are more broad and apply to the county as a whole, basically every department. I would like to see strategic cuts and a freeze on all new spending and hiring. Several other counties have been able pass these measures. A simple clamp down on spending except non-essential and pre-approved capital and non-capital items could potentially trim 5-7% off expenses. I also believe there are other efficiencies that can lead to cost savings while actually improving customer services plus supporting the current staff. Many of the Counties and Cities across Tennessee have elected officials firmly focused on keeping the tax rate flat. I've never felt that commitment locally. I don't have the exact statistics, but it seems the government has unproportional grown against the census trends over the last 20+ years. Historically, Roane County seems to simply approve the budget without addressing any issues or tackling the hard issues. I appreciate the planning that Ron Woody has done so we don't have to borrow money to pay for items like computers anymore. We need that mindset in each Department and engrained within each Commissioner. If we beleive technology advancements can help, then let's benchmark what other counties are doing and what cost savings they are seeing then adopt those initiatives. I understand the fact that education is a large portion of the budget. I support the community having great educational institutions as it is important to our children and fundamental to our local economy. I do believe there is a financial mindset difference between those who only live in academics and those looking at the big picture. I respectfully believe there are some larger efficiencies that can be realized. This issue is greater than the hardworking classroom teachers and applies mostly to administration and policy makers. It seems we mostly promote educators into those administrative roles without the necessary financial management training whereby they don't necessarily see the potential efficiencies. They are good people that believe they have the community's best interest at heart, but they truly don't seem to understand the bigger picture outside academics. Several on our School Board are former educators and school sports enthusist, but may not understand other factors outside the realm of academics or sports. On top of that, the Commissioners seem scared to question anything the School Board request for fear that their actions will be viewed as not supporting education. Actually the opposite can be true. It's past time to have the hard conversations instead of fearing change and analyzing the possibilities. We need the tough conversations to hear and understand all sides. One of the largest issues for the School Board, and it's by its design, is the fact it sets up territorial divisions. The School Board seems focused on bringing home the bacon for the schools in their district instead of focusing on the overall operations or controlling the large budget for maximum efficiencies toward the primary goal of educating the students.

P.S. There are other options besides hiring more Resource Officers in schools.

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Just a nice example for our leaders to show how many of them go on and on without stopping. It's likely they will not stop the continual tax increases, but instead pass the budget by kicking the ball down the road to others.

I hope the statesmen show up to vote on the budget instead of the politicians just worried about the next election.

With an everything on the table approach consider:
Sports Programs vs. Math/Science
Band Programs vs. English/History
4% Proposed County Employee Raise vs. Funding Education
Territorial boundary fights vs. Metro Cooperation
School Resource Officers vs. School Buses with good tires
Expensive School Security Cameras vs. Teacher development
Increasing Staff vs. Metro shared services
Bigger jails vs. ankle bracelets
Jailed citizens vs. Working/contributing citizens
Pot Crime enforcement cost vs. Theft, murder, abuse, mental health prevention
Cost to mow right of ways vs. Natural Greenways
Tax breaks for industry vs. Tax breaks for residents
Lighting up the roads (cost) vs. Free natural darkness
Business as usual (govt. growth) vs. Efficience with limited $