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The July 17 letter from Ron Wilson indicates he shares the same concerns that the City Council and city officials had regarding how to finance the badly needed public safety measures that will be put to voters in November. Implicit in his letter is the assumption that all possible means of financing were not considered.
They most definitely were. Both elected and hired city officials also pay taxes and are very interested in minimizing them.
Mr. Wilson’s suggestions are problematic. All land dedicated for parks cannot be sold without a vote of the public. The strip he mentions at First and North has been put to a vote twice and twice voters have said, “Don’t sell.” Other suggestions are mostly beyond the city’s ability to implement.
The Public Safety Facilities initiative will fund seven buildings, including three new fire stations and all the equipment to make them functional. It will provide for a headquarters building for the police and fire departments, which recognizes the need for increasing communication and cooperation of all public safety activities.
The proposal for a sales tax increase of one-quarter percent will not totally cover the cost of servicing a bond. Some costs will still come out of the general fund and other needed projects will have to be delayed.
The cost to the average household will be a little less than $40 per year or less than 75 cents per week. Voters will vote on whether they want the project with the sales tax
increase.
I agree with the premise that reducing the cost to city taxpayers is the most responsible way to approach this project. Understanding that the average city resident pays only 18 percent of the total sales tax collected makes this approach the most prudent solution. Selling off assets is not the answer.
JOHN BORGEN
Grand Junction
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