SMITH COUNTY-- Trucking companies in Smith County may soon have to pay another fee to travel on county roads. While business owners are calling it "yet another tax," county officials say it will save money in the long haul.
Owners of big trucks like dump trucks or trailers don't pay anything to use county roads. Now, smith county commissioners are taking steps toward a $100 fee for those permits.
Constable Andy Dunklin says if heavy trucks are on county roads, the county should charge them. "Commissioners in the next several weeks are going to come up with businessman who this will impact to serve on a work study group," says Dunklin. The group will decide on an ordinance for the permit fees. If it passes, the fees will go into effect.
But business owner Gene Shull, who owns several heavy trucks, says, "You might call it a fee, but i call it a tax. It's just nickeling and diming us to death"