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TMCNet: Bradley sees record court revenues

[August 04, 2008]

Bradley sees record court revenues

(Chattanooga Times (Free Press, TN) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 4--CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Bradley County general fund is almost $3 million richer from court revenues for the fiscal year that ended June 30.

Gayla Harris Miller, clerk of circuit, criminal, general sessions and juvenile courts, said the record amount of court-generated revenue was turned over to County Trustee Mike Smith for the county general fund.

"I attribute this to our case filings, which have increased tremendously in each court, and to the payment plan that I implemented in 2006 when I took office," Ms. Miller said.

She said the office developed a billing system and now requires court costs to be paid up front when papers are filed. She said judges help enforce required payments when people have court appearances.

County Mayor D. Gary Davis said Ms. Miller and her staff have done good work for county taxpayers the past year.

The court clerk's office provides one of the revenue streams for the general fund from which the county budgets for services to all residents, he said.

"It's an important part of our projected revenue," Mr. Davis said.

Revenue from the court clerk's office makes up about 2 percent of the county's overall revenue. The county also gets money from property, business and sales taxes; state and federal sources; and the hotel/motel tax.

Ms. Miller also applauded the work of the deputy clerks in her office. She was a deputy clerk for 28 years before she was elected in 2006.



"During those years I realized there had to be a way to generate these monies," she said.

The revenue reflects her goal to help prevent a local tax increase, Ms. Miller said.

"I will assist anyone, anyway I can, to work out a plan to pay monies that are due to the courts," she said.

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