If a proposed 6 percent utility fee is approved, county officials say it will be offset by lower property taxes for businesses and home owners. But nonprofit groups such as churches, elementary schools and community colleges are tax-exempt and thus will not get the tax cuts. All they will get is the chance to write a bigger check to Gainesville Regional Utilities each month. Meanwhile, the county will lure in new property owners. That is not a reasonable trade-off.
Business is nice, but education, college computers and charity are vital.
We hope common sense will kick in when county officials consider the privilege fee. Businesses and homeowners serve little purpose in a county where education is lacking and churches cannot do their good deeds. All rights reserved. No portion of The Alligator Online may be reproduced without the written consent of an officer of Campus Communications, Inc.