One of Fairfield County’s outside advisors for the county’s Capital Project Penny Tax referendum reminded our county council that, “A wise person said we move at the speed of trust, and a lot of times there’s just no trust out there.”
The formation of the Penny Tax committee is the starting point for the proposed tax referendum, and that starting point must be seen as fair, transparent, and wise if the county is going to build initial public trust in the process.
After council’s recent unfair, un-transparent, and unwise committee appointments, the penny tax board appointments must earn public trust in the process, with the county and its towns executing an aggressive, professional, public call for committee applicants.
This is what it talked to allow for interested, non-conflicted, diverse, and qualified residents to apply.
That casting call should be accompanied by a robust application and interview process that manifests an appropriately qualified citizen committee that is trusted, qualified, and perfectly capable of recommending projects that serve the best interests of the community.
Conducting a professional, transparent and wide-reaching search for the citizen penny tax board will lend the kind of credibility and trust-ability that has been missing in the county’s recent hasty, shady committee selections and non-selections. Yes, frequently, there is just no trust out there, therefore winning the vote for a tax increase on top of the recently levied tax burdens will require a massive amount of trust building.
That trust building will have to start with open, inclusive, and honest, penny tax board appointments.
Randy Bright
Ridgeway