Andalusia High School’s stadium and auditorium needed various improvements and upgrades. Taxpayers fund schools and school programs through a variety of taxes, and this is the public’s responsibility. However, it is the responsibility of elected officials to be good stewards of the taxes paid by all people. This is where the Andalusia High School construction is a problem.

The Andalusia Star-News reported on Tue., April 17, that various new expenses are surfacing after the project began. New expenses include adding brick to the new press box, a new scoreboard that wasn’t allowed in the base bid, a video board being installed in the renovated stadium, replacing an awning over what will be the plaza area and having a wrought iron fence instead of a chain link fence between the stadium and the auditorium. All of these things should have been brought to the taxpayer’s attention from the beginning instead of being sprung on them now.

Sales tax in Andalusia is 10 percent. Yes, people pay 10 percent to eat. Ten percent tax is required to buy clothes, household supplies, etc. The stadium and auditorium projects are far from completed. What else will come up before all work is done?

The public is always told it is for the children and their education. It is for them and it’s necessary and important. However, money is often not spent in the thought of being respectful of the hard working people who pay these taxes. It is government tax money, but before that it was a worker’s money.

Here are two ultimate insults to hardworking people who pay sales taxes in Andalusia that are helping to finance these projects. Auto Tags in Alabama also provide funding for schools and education. Here in Andalusia for months in 2016-2017, a resident drove around town and parked on the street without a tag. Only after complaints to city officials and the Andalusia Police Department did this driver get tag. Now it’s expired and has been for almost two months.

The final insult is a vehicle that is driven around Andalusia with an expired tag from another state. This family moved here in October of 2016 and as of April 2018, there is still no Alabama tag that has been purchased, and this family has four children in Andalusia schools.

So the beat goes on, as Sonny and Cher sang, although it’s a different kind of beat. Law abiding taxpayers who don’t cheat and do their civic duty get taken for extra expenses that should have been thought through and included before a project started. All the while deadbeat citizens keep on keeping on and government officials find more ways to spend money.

 

C.M. Bane

Andalusia