Letters and Comments for June 12, 2009

Letters and Comments for June 12, 2009

Joseph taxpayers, beware

To the Editor:

Joseph taxpayers and ratepayers may be interested to know that members of the Joseph City Council and the Joseph Budget Committee chose to approve an unnecessarily inflated budget for next year, with a large proportion of the increases financed with higher sewer and water rates and increased property taxes.

The purpose of the increased expenditures is to give unwarranted 3 percent cost of living and inflated health insurance awards to city employees. This in spite of presented evidence showing that the consumer price index is actually negative, and that economic actuaries for the Social Security Administration have determined that because of the lack of inflation, there will be no cost of living increases for at least the next two years.

The Budget Committee voted to increase payments for personnel services by $23,848, from $301,891 to $325,739 — an 8 percent increase over last year. This pays for increases for four full-time and two part-time employees. Increased property tax collections will account for $10,377 and increases to sewer and water rates will provide another $7,652.

Since the city’s ability to increase property taxes is constrained by Oregon’s Ballot Measure 5, the budget officer created a “work-around” by moving compensation for the Public Works director out of the property tax-supported general fund and taking it instead out of the sewer and water funds, which are funded by ratepayers.

How does this capricious award benefit the citizens of the city? Do city employees work for the citizens, or do citizens work for the city employees? The council has not yet adopted this proposed give-away at a public meeting, but it will soon.

Concerned residents should contact members of the Joseph City Council to express their appreciation for the unnecessary and unjustified increases in their taxes and utility fees, and ask where the money comes from.

Mark Lacey

Joseph