Explore other sources than tax for hospital, fire levies

Published 1:30 am Thursday, April 4, 2019

Like many other residents, I support Valley General Hospital and Fire District 5 every year. However many of us just cannot afford all of the increases to property taxes. In addition, schools, cities, and the county are also looking at measures that would affect our future property taxes.

The hospital district wants to raise funds for newer diagnostic equipment, a birth center, and electronic records system. Consumer Reports recently published an article about unnecessary but lucrative medical overtesting. Items promised by this nearly double levy lid increase have been promised before.

The fire district would like to build a $10 million station on property it bought over 13 years ago. It spent $1.2 million of your money purchasing that property that gets mowed every year. Despite over 600 new homes planned to be built in the Sultan area, not one dime of development impact fees are going toward the new fire station. Isn’t it time we demand that new growth and development pay for needed infrastructure costs?

Many older parents and grandparents have been forced to sell their homes or farms and relocate due to higher and higher property taxes. Many children and grandchildren can no longer afford the dream of working the family farm. We all desire new stuff but other fund raising methods must be explored and used rather than taxing folks out of their homesteads.

Jeff Estes

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