Mayor Says Fifty Grand Was Worth it

Blue Ridge Mayor Donna Whitener said this week the $50,000 the city spent on legal fees during Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) negotiations was worth it. During the Blue Ridge City Council meeting Tuesday night, Whitener made a point to address the cost of the negotiations, seemingly in response to a recent headline exploiting the amount on the front page of a local newspaper.

“I don’t feel like we lost,”

she said Tuesday night. She went on to explain that when the city started negotiations with the county, County Chair Bill Simonds wanted MacCayesville and Blue Ridge to split 11.1 percent of the tax revenue. At the start of negotiations, though, Blue Ridge was already receiving 11.1 percent. Here, Whitener said the city barely is able to operate with the full 11.1 percent, let alone half that amount. In court, Blue Ridge fought for 21.4 percent, but in the end won 12.5. Although the increase seems slight, the 2014 projection for this percentage is $221,626. Further, this estimate does not factor in sales from the Walmart coming soon to Blue Ridge. Projections show the superstore will garner almost $65 million in retail sales for the area. With the 12.5 percent in addition to Walmart sales, Blue Ridge is expected to reap revenue of $690,412 next year.

But, the city is still faced with paying the $50,000 in fees.

“In 2012,”

Whitener said,

“we projected to get $52,000 extra…that pretty much paid for the fees for the consultant and the attorneys.”

She said she does not feel like the city wasted the money.

“I think it was a service to the city residents,”

she said.