[Helper]

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Stop spending beyond taxpayers’ means

Just the other day I went Christmas shopping for my family. I saw many items that would make nice gifts, and I’m sure my family would have treasured them deeply, but unfortunately I was unable to afford them. Did I buy the gifts anyway, without the means to pay for them? NO! I DID NOT! I do not make a practice of spending money I don’t have.
Just a couple of weeks ago I received a Christmas card from Ford County that informed me that my property tax went up. That did not surprise me. What shocked me was my property tax increased by more than 11 percent. I have talked to many people who are complaining about theirs going up five percent, or seven percent, even visited with Tim Trent who said his went up 16.3 percent. I have made no improvements to my home. At this rate, of more than 11 percent, my home will double in value in just nine years. My question is: Why is my property tax higher in Ford County than most other counties in Kansas? If I remember correctly, when you guys (city and county commissioners) were running for office, you all said you were against raising taxes. What happened?

I’ll be more than glad to tell you what happened. You raised the mill levy. You’d think our elected officials would be a little embarrassed by our high mill levy. You fine gentlemen are more than happy to give away and spend money on projects that are a total waste!

The whole purpose of the “Why Not Dodge?” sales tax is to bring about economic development to Dodge. I say let’s use the “Why Not Dodge?” sales tax money, and not so much property tax money, to help improve our streets. That would increase economic development. No business will open shop with poor streets and/or awful access to their business.

I also say use the “Why Not Dodge?” tax to bring new businesses to Dodge and Ford County (as to relieve us over-taxed property owners) by giving companies big tax breaks and other incentives to come and build in Dodge. To those who criticize giving tax breaks to corporations coming to Dodge, I say we never had it before they came, so we are not losing anything! Plain and simple, Dodge City and Ford County needs to enlarge its tax base! More businesses will bring about a larger tax base.

I can understand a property tax increase, but 11 percent! Give me a break! An acquaintance of mine may have said it correctly, “At some point you’ve got to realize you’re on a sinking ship and fighting a losing battle, quit trying to bail water and think about saving yourself. They say rats are the first to abandon a sinking ship.” It’s no wonder why people are leaving Dodge City and businesses are not coming here. The City of Dodge and Ford County should learn to live within its means just like I do. When money is tight, everybody should share in the belt-tightening. And government should take its licks the same as me.

Shame on our city and county commissioners for passing a budget that we can not afford.

Elected officials take notice, I for one am voting to FIRE YOU ALL next election for allowing this to happen.

Mike Boettcher

Dodge City