Recently, there has been an ongoing debate about back door tax increases in Forsyth County. First of all, I am opposed to any kind of increase in taxes from the county, state or federal level. My State Senate opponent, Jack Murphy, doesn’t want to talk about the tax issue and has instead started attacking the messengers, calling us grandstanders. I believe it’s time to look at the facts and not get caught up in the drama of political showmanship.

Now, if my opponent had taken the time to do a little research and actually read the Forsyth tax regulations, he would know that seniors 65 years of age and over receive a school tax homestead exemption (not a tax freeze) and that the tax exemption is just for the home they reside in, and, most importantly, that the tax relief is effective ONLY if a senior files for the school tax exemption.

All Forsyth homeowners/taxpayers -- no matter the age -- receive a regular homestead and a floating exemption. In fact, according to Forsyth County regulations, this exemption freezes a home’s assessments at the previous year’s value and remains at that value as long the homeowner remains in the home, and “this exemption applies only to the county and fire portion of the millage rate, but does not apply to the school portion.”

When I called for a property tax assessment freeze, I had my facts right. I encourage my opponent to become better informed on the Forsyth County tax exemption regulations and go to the Forsyth County’s Question & Answer section on the county’s website, www.forsythco.com.

If calling attention to increasing taxes and higher property tax assessments is grandstanding, then I guess that’s what I’m doing. If being in favor of a property tax assessment freeze is grandstanding, I’m a grandstander. If providing leadership on tax increase issues that affect Forsyth and Cherokee residents provokes my opponent to accuse me of “grandstanding,” that’s okay with me.

I have a personal responsibility to protect the hard-working, tax-paying citizens of Forsyth and Cherokee. Don’t let Jack Murphy and a small group of “free spenders” subvert our attention from what is really happening in our area. The real issue here is that Forsyth County taxpayers have had a tax increase, and I am speaking out against this increase. I will stand with Forsyth and Cherokee taxpayers to fight tax increases everywhere they appear from the County Courthouse to the State Senate to the White House. If that’s grandstanding, then I thank my opponent for complimenting my campaign style.