CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Four of the 15 members of the Consolidated Government Commission for Clarksville-Montgomery County were guests of the Clarksville Young Professionals (CYP) at their meeting Wednesday.
Commission members, Katie Gambill, Bob Yates, Katy Olita and Maria Jimenez, spoke about their work on the charter commission and answered questions from CYP. The issue of people losing their jobs and an increase in taxes were two of topics that were discussed.
Charter commission member Katy Olita, addressed the subject of loss of employment. “We determined as a group our goal was that no person would lose their job as a result of consolidation, so in other words, the day after it passes everybody still comes to work,” said Olita.
She added that we will still have the same number of citizens who need the same amount of services and we expect those services to be delivered.
On the question of an increase in taxes, Bob Yates said consolidation would be done without anyone’s taxes going up and in fact studies of other communities who have consolidated have shown that tax rates actually declined. “No one’s taxes should go up because of consolidation,” Yates said.
He added that government can be more efficient and we can potentially lower taxes and lower our tax burden with consolidation.
The charter commission meets monthly and have formed committees to take up the various issues dealing with consolidated government as they put together a charter that can be passed by both citizens of the city and county.
Consolidated Government Commission Chairman, Katie Gambill encouraged members of CYP to attend their meetings which are open to the public and are held at the William O. Beach Civic Hall in Veterans Plaza on Pageant Lane.
Charter Commission meeting information can be found at Montgomery County Government, and City of Clarksville.
