Correct. Local tax measures were defeated for the last several election cycles. People here justifiably have a distrust of the local government 'good ole boy' employment game where everyone on the county and city crew is someones nephew, auntie or cousin.
The county itself has been on federal welfare for almost a decade due to the loss of timber harvests and the county governmnet faces possible dissolution. The public employee retirement system (PERS) eats up half of the budget.
This PERS situation is widespread all across the country and is the other shoe about to drop for the national economy.
When lavish salaries, benefits and retirement for people who produce essentially nothing working for government account for the largest employment demographic, the numbers don't add up when you have few private sector industries.
It is going to get worse. Let them eat cake, they voted for it...
Your county mirrors mine and I’m in SE TX. I think it must be a universal problem with bureaucrats.