It’s been an interesting and controversial end of the spring for Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger.
You may have heard about the tax increase he proposed as part of next year’s budget. Coppinger, who has made a reputation as a fiscal conservative and steady leader, included the 34-cent tax hike in his budget because he thinks the time is now for a significant investment in public education. The tax increase would generate about $34 million in revenue, all slated for the school district.
Whether Coppinger has five votes among Hamilton County commissioners just yet is anyone’s guess. (As of last week’s County Commission meeting, a general sampling suggests four against, three for, and two undecided.)
But he’s riding a winning streak heading into the next 10 days of political maneuvering.
Coppinger came out strong against the UAW’s attempts to unionize the Volkswagen plant at Enterprise South.