As mentioned in the last story, Aikens has has been on a bit of a misinformation tour trying to tell anybody that will listen, that the county should just drop the lawsuit against the city because of this and that. One thing you won't hear Aikens say is that the two annexations were legal, he knows they weren't.
In his senseless talking points, Akins keeps bemoaning the high cost of the lawsuit to the tax payers, the lawsuit he caused. Oddly, Aikens is rarely concerned about what tax payers have to pay. He sure didn't care about the tax payers when he and the council raised the city property tax 17% in 2021 or any of his other property tax increases. Aikens didn't care one iota about the tax payers when he and his council passed the Rain Tax forcing every city resident, business, church, school and nonprofit to pay a tax to the city due to rain. He sure isn't concerned about the tax payers, calling for a special election for his sales tax increase, that could cost the tax payers $20,000.00. And of course, he's certainly not concerned about what his .75% sales tax increase will cost the tax payers.
Akins seems to have very selective outrage on behalf of the tax payers.
I would call on John Evans, president of the Lenoir City Committee of 100, to set up the meeting where Aikens and myself are able to lay out the facts of the illegal annexations and why the county absolutely can not allow it to stand.
Mayor Aikens is more than welcome to bring all his lawyers, all his council members and support staff, I'll come alone. The facts are easy to report.
I'll be waiting by the phone for a call.
Below are a few of Aikens published talking points for posterity.
Aikens said he is amazed District 5 County Commissioners Van Shaver and Joe Morrison, who represent residents in Executive Meadows, Crestwood Hills, Harrison Woods, Green Meadows and other areas that are within city limits, are suing the people who helped elect them.
“Imagine what that $100,000 could do,” Aikens said. “It could put more deputies on the road. It could put more teachers in the county schools, or it could give employees a much-needed raise that work for the county.
“I just don’t get it,” he added. “That’s their business, but it’s just not right.” News Herald 11/29/23
____________________________________________________________________________“What are we fighting about when the property owners have agreed to the 2020 standards?” Aikens said. “Just because it’s inside the city?”
He (Aikens) said the lawsuit is causing both governments to spend money that could have gone elsewhere.
“It’s just like I said from the start, and I tried to prevent it, I did everything in my power to try and persuade county commission not file litigation against Lenoir City,” Aikens said. “When governments start suing governments, there’s only one loser and that’s the taxpayers.” News Herald 8/2/23
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