I received repeated mailings from John Koster when he was running for election stating that the county council was responsible for the increase in my property taxes, when all along I thought it was because we voted for a new high school and grade school. Mr. Koster also said that he would increase the number of deputy sheriffs if elected.
At one of the candidate forums I attended, I asked how much it would cost to hire 20 new deputies for the sheriff’s department – this is less than half the number Sheriff Bart has said we need. The answer was approximately $4 million, because we not only have to pay the deputy, he needs a car and other equipment; and the people he arrests create new costs for the district attorney, judges and jail.
How soon is Mr. Koster going to hire these new deputies and where does he plan to get the $4 million? Surely, he will not raise my property taxes for it. Perhaps he could cancel the ridiculous 50 percent discount real estate developers get on the mitigation fees they are supposed to pay for the roads, parks, and schools their new subdivisions impact. I have never received a 50 percent discount on my taxes – why should developers receive such a gift?
Arlington
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