Don’t Get Burned on Northwest Homer Fire District Referendum
It hasn’t even been a year that N.W.H.F.D. tried to pick the pockets of the taxpayers for more money. It was April 7, 2015 when the residents in the district told them NO. They just don’t get it! Every year it seems there is some government entity out there, whether it be the fire districts, school boards, the county or any other government agency and they are all trying to take another chuck of money from the tax payers.
At this point, another raise in taxes could cost our neighbors and friends their homes.
Just remember, people are hurting and passing this referendum will just add to their misery. My first concern is simple, What did the Fire District do with the tax money given to them in the past?
Also, where was the foresight for their future needs? Did we overpay in salaries where there was nothing left on the bone for equipment and repairs for the buildings? This is not being a good steward of tax payer funds. I tried to find, on the Internet, what kind of salaries and raises this department pays but there is nothing there. Where is the transparency here? It is time for all government entities to live within their means and not just the fire district. We as taxpayers have had enough. As taxpayers we give your districts enough tax money to work with when you raise the levy each year. If any more revenue is needed, the federal government should be asked to help fix the money shortage problem, they like giving our tax money away so let’s get some of it back.
I’m also writing to tell you that people are fed up in this state. Fire district members and government entities that vote to raise taxes look at people in the district as money trees. In the meantime wages in the private sector remain stagnant, good jobs still are hard to find, interest rates are down on savings, and the elderly are struggling to make ends meet already. They are not getting a raise from social security this year so they will have to take the money to pay this raise from food, prescriptions, other necessary sources, but for the government entities it is business as usual.
Now Chief Vrba is comparing his district in the area with other districts. This is a tactic used by governments and their employees to get the most they can out of the taxpayers. You hear this type of stuff all the time. This is another reason why the public sector workers make 27 percent more in wages and average 13,500 dollars in benefits more than the private sector. I’m guessing if they didn’t pay so much in salaries, benefits and pensions they would have had enough money left for equipment and buildings.
At this time I am asking all voters to take a stand and vote NO on the Northwest Homer Fire District referendum and to let them know we have had enough of abuse of the taxpayers money. To conclude this letter, I would just like to add one question, Why would anyone vote yes to give the government more of your money to spend?
Ted Homer Glen Resident
