Letter to the Editor:

I was happy when I heard the news- No property tax increase. They’re going to build a school and do it without raising property taxes. That’s all we asked. I thought to myself, “Good for them,” they listened, and they figured out how to build their school without overtaxing the farmers, small businesses and old people. That’s great. I’m happy for them. I thought to myself- I’m going to sit this one out. I finally don’t have to be the bad guy. I’m tired of being the bad guy complaining about tax increases. If there’s no tax increase, let them do what they want. I’ll cheer them on.

Then I made the mistake of reading the actual ballot. Uh-oh, question two doesn’t look so great. Question two literally gives them the authority to raise taxes to 150% of what they are now! Now, tell me this, if there is no property tax increase, why do they need the authority to raise property taxes? Why even ask? And why does it need to be 150% of what they are now? That’s crazy! That means if you have a $100,000 house, they are collecting 270 dollars out of you and want the authority to raise it up over 400 dollars! If you have a $150,000 house, they are getting 405 dollars out of you and want you to grant them the authority to take it up over 600 Dollars!! If there will be no property increase, WHY ask for permission and authority to raise property taxes to 150% of what they are right now?

What are we supposed to think when you say no property tax increase and then you immediately ask for the authority to raise property taxes? You lose every bit of credibility when you do that. I was going to overlook the obvious problem that if you spend 29 million dollars on a new school then that’s 29 million dollars you won’t have to pay down debt or operate on , but I was going to ignore that. I mean the 29 million is going to have to come out of some hard working person’s pocket at some point. I was going to ignore the issue of how you are taking Toledo’s school away and consolidating them all in Tama, I was going to ignore the tax increase coming to pay for the new radio system, because my major beef was with property taxes, and you then claimed no property taxes, so I didn’t have much to pitch a fit about,- until, you ask for permission to raise property taxes. How are we supposed to take that in any way except to say NO? You would have never heard from me again on this issue if you hadn’t of tried to grab more power and more money from your tax base, I might have even stayed home on election day and worked to make money to pay all these taxes with, but now that you have tipped your hand and we see your cards , and you STILL have your sights set on property taxes, and you’re trying to do it on the sly…. I think it’s a clear NO and now it is ample reason to make every effort to get out and stop you on March 3rd.

Adam Todd

Rural Tama