Commissioner George Brown’s request that up to $7300 be added to the budget of the Board of Assessors for personal property audits aimed at struggling small businesses went down in flames at tonight’s county commission meeting. Brown sought the funding so tax assessors could visit some 13 local businesses and audit depreciable assets in person. Commission chairman Jay Matthews said he felt the money should already be in the assessors’ budget and Brown could not refute that. John Peavy, a member of the assessors’ board, was at the meeting and noted he, too, was not sold on the idea of the audits. Commissioners Bennie Horton and Nancy Thrash tried to get Brown to table the matter until chief appraiser Linda Mayo could be consulted but he plowed ahead and Horton eventually seconded his motion. Commissioner Jimmy Hearn sided with the community’s small business owners. “With the economy like it is, small businesses are struggling to keep people employed. We need to stall this until the economy is turned around. It is not timely and I am not for it at all,” Hearn said. Thrash joined with Hearn and Matthews in voting against the additional funding.
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