No to property tax increases

One item that is to be voted on Nov. 4 is the request to increase our property taxes in support of college expenses. I recommend that we vote no to approve an increase on our property taxes for the following three reasons:

1. Property taxes are and have been the most unfair type of taxation used for government funding. Those who sacrifice to own property and then improve their property, are slated to pay, while those who put their hand out for government freebies are not, yet they appear to be the first to be given even more government hand outs. We need to force the issue of finding new and better ways to fairly tax every one who benefits from the government services.

2. Further we need to limit those services and cut out the pork in county, state and federal programs. Every time, we give tax money to institutions such as hospitals, universities, F.D.A., E.P.A., Postal Service, School Districts, and many more, those institutions raise their prices, give themselves bonuses, and for some reason, lower their expectations, but increase their budgets. Throwing more good money at these problems are not the answer.

3. We must encourage them to¬Ýadhere to more frugal budgets or, allow private enterprises to either compete or in some cases replace government agencies that fail to be accountable or to meet minimum requirements. School vouchers for private schools and/or home schooling would greatly reduce our property tax burden. Public Schools would soon be forced to produce; to be accountable and get the job done at the same price as the vouchers would allow.

In the case of the universities, it might even pursuade them to begin teaching our children and grand children how to think rather than what to think. Vote no for any property tax increases.

Les Wood

Plains