I will be voting against all three local propositions, and I hope that you will do the same. Proposition #1 is a PERMANENT tax increase of $.61 per $1000 dollars of value. My reasons for opposing this go without saying, though I would like to add that I have heard from a reliable source that only 10% of the increased revenue will actually go to modernizing fire equipment and the rest will be going into the citys general fund. Proposition #2 is relating to road maintenance, and hopes to take $.91 per $1000 of property value from your hard earned money. I am not, in theory, opposed to a levy for street improvements and maintenance as necessary; however, I am not willing to give the city government any more money until I am convinced that they will spend it in a judicious fashion and have exhausted other options before asking for more money from the taxpayer. Proposition 3 is a pool levy, costing $.58 per $1000 of property value. It is ridiculous and unfair that the swimming pool is free and that use fees account for only a small amount of its funding. Many Palousians never use the pool, and while they may be willing to help support it to some extent they should not face the same burden as someone who uses the pool daily. Further, this gives children in the community the wrong message about Santa Clause government, and enforces the belief that there is such a thing as a free lunch. While in the future I will be willing to support a smaller levy for the pool as necessary, we need to work towards the goal of making the pool largely self-funding, with the long-term goal of revenue neutrality for the city. I have several exciting ideas to fund the pool in a more fair way while ensuring that it remains available to citizens of all economic classes.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Oct 2013 04:00:01 +0000
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