Henry County Overspent by $38.2 Million

With a $112.5 million budget for 2012, down from $123 million in 2010, the Henry County Commission succumbed to the shopping spree virus affecting most cities and counties and had to get realistic. The letter below outlines some of the story.

Dear Friends,
As you may know, I have made a very personal decision to become a candidate for the Chairman of the Henry County Board of Commissioners (BOC). This is a life-changing decision, of course, and is one that I take very seriously.

After a term of irresponsible overspending by our current leadership, our future is now clouded by the specter of unsustainable debt. The citizens of Henry County must wake up to the seriousness of the discussions and decisions that are made in closed-door meetings by our BOC. This has resulted in the purchases of an airport ($3,000,000 so far), Abernathy Farm ($4,000,000), a golf course ($22,000,000), Tim Jones property on Jonesboro Road ($1,200,000), Nash Farm ($8,000,000), old McDonough R/V property ($1,200,000) and a bank, which we as taxpayers cannot afford.

The Commissioners have had to lay off 57 employees, not fill 30 key positions, and mandated all county employees take off 4 days without pay, just to help pay for all of the property mentioned-above, while keeping their inflated salaries in place for themselves and upper management.

I am writing today to ask that my friends support me in this campaign, both politically and financially. Will you help me? With just a few months before the July 31 election, I need your open support today.

I am holding a crucial Kickoff Fundraising Event on March 22 at 5:30 to 8:00 at the American Legion55 Hall on Veterans Drive in McDonough. I look forward to seeing you there. I have always told it straight, and this is no differen

Sincerely, Tommy N. Smitth (Source: Henry Citizen.com)