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State of the Community: Calloway County

By Chad Lampe

Calloway County – The two respective governments in Murray and Calloway County appear to be facing different challenges. Chad Lampe has more on this morning's (Wednesday's) joint state of the community address.

Calloway County Judge Executive Larry Elkins quickly recapped 2009. His topics included ice storm damage and recovery and ending the jail tax. His goals for 2010 include seeking energy efficiency grants to sure up buildings in much needed repair. Elkins though, seemed to take pleasure in setting up a contentious issue facing the city.

"I'm going to sit down and let Mayor Hudspeth introduce his staff and their going to tell us why the city needs a payroll tax or some other tax."

Elkins was correct though, The Mayor, his staff and Council members have a growing financial issue to tackle. Murray has dipped into its reserves to balance a growing budget. Finance Director Alan Lanier says the city's expenses growth isn't sustainable. Lanier presented a Comprehensive Revenue Study, which is available at WKMS-dot-ORG. The presentation did offer some truth to Judge Elkin's Statement and Mayor Hudspeth did respond.

"And if you love Murray and you want to be progressive that some things are going to have to happen, one way or another, Judge, we're probably going to get into somebody's pocket."

The city will continue to hold community input meetings to devise a way to do stop the city from depleting it's reserves. The next meeting is March 1st at the Robert O Miller Convention Center.