County taxes were the main issue debated by six local political candidates at a forum Wednesday evening.
Views on the taxes were divided down party lines as candidates for Districts 1, 3 and 5 of the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners expressed their opinions to students at Santa Fe College.
Republican candidates Kevin Riordan, Ward Scott and Lloyd W. Bailey agreed that taxes, especially property taxes, are too high in Alachua County and detrimental to Gainesville students.
"UF turns out some of the smartest, educated people in the country," said Riordan, the Republican candidate for District 1. "Most of them have to leave because it's too expensive to live here."
District 5 candidate Scott agreed.
When he taught English at SFC, Scott said he knew of many students who had to ask their parents for money for their utility bills because the taxes on water and electricity were rising.
The Democratic candidates - all incumbents - disagreed, saying the property tax is not really an issue anymore.
Commissioner Paula DeLaney, who represents District 3, said the property tax is the lowest it has been in a long time.
"It has gone down 15 percent," DeLaney said.
Rodney Long, the chairman of the Board of County Commissioners and commissioner for District 5, also expressed his approval of a county gas tax because of its fairness.
"I drive a large SUV that takes up space on the road and takes a lot of gas to fill up," he said. "I think I should have to pay more tax for gas."
Money from the gas tax goes to fixing the county's roads, Long said.
"There are hundreds and hundreds of unpaved roads in Alachua County," he said. "This is a public safety issue.
Riordan said he doubted tax money was being spent responsibly. He said he hasn't seen a major road project come out of the tax money in the 35 years he has lived in the county.
Commissioner Mike Byerly, of District 1, said although the Republican candidates disagree with the taxes, he did not think any of them could come up with a better alternative.
