A poor time to seek tax increase
By
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To the editor:
As most Americans today, and particularly those of us in Highland County, I am greatly concerned about our financial situation, and the dim prospects for improvement. With our local 19 percent unemployment rate, this would seem to be a very poor time to ask for more taxes from us.
Yet this is exactly what is being done by the OSU Cooperative Extension Office and its Advisory Board. They are asking us to vote for a 0.45 mill tax levy, which will run for five years, and which they expect to bring them $261,000 per year from local residents. This would mean over $1.3 million transferred from the pockets of our struggling citizenry into the coffers of OSU Extension. Their ballot issue proposes this sum to fund the four programs they offer including agricultural and natural resources services, family consumer services, community development, and 4-H programs. But we have been publicly and assertively told by their campaign that if we do not vote the money, they will close down only the 4-H program.
Why do they emphasize closing the 4-H program rather than some other program area? Or why isn't more effort being made in the Extension budget to reduce costs elsewhere so that 4-H can continue? Like most of us in Highland County, I believe 4-H is a very valuable resource, proven over the years to be worthwhile to the young participants and a training ground for young and old alike to learn leadership skills which benefit us all. I hope 4-H can continue.
But I strongly urge voters to reject this tax which appears as issue #5 on our May 4th primary ballot. We must understand the damage done here if 51 percent of primary voters vote for the tax, they are forcing 100 percent of all our fellow citizens to pay the tax for the next five years. We all know what a hardship that would be in these very trying times. We are told by the tax campaign that if the issue fails in the May election, they will bring it up again in the November election.
I suggest that it would be best for the levy to fail now, thus allowing OSU Extension a time frame of six months until November to reconsider their financial situation. If they say they can't manage on a reduced budget, perhaps they could ask for input from local citizens who may have expertise in personnel matters, business management, budgeting, or other skills, who might volunteer to help out. Perhaps Extension could accept a reduced salary structure such as is necessary today at all levels of society.
Perhaps Extension could join with surrounding counties to combine for more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Perhaps Extension, and other local officials, could lobby the Legislature and Ohio State University to allow more flexibility in Extension offices, particularly in the salary structures which are presently inappropriate in our current grim financial state. Perhaps voluntary donations could be given in support of 4-H, rather than a mandatory tax. After all, we have many, many examples of how local citizens have shown their generosity time and time again to support local needs. Perhaps there are other citizens who have other suggestions for helping keep the 4-H program operating.
This would be a good time for all public offices and agencies to reconsider their priorities, within their budgets, and look for a more efficient way to serve the public. We are taxed enough already.
Sincerely,
Louise J. Hapner
Lynchburg[[In-content Ad]]
As most Americans today, and particularly those of us in Highland County, I am greatly concerned about our financial situation, and the dim prospects for improvement. With our local 19 percent unemployment rate, this would seem to be a very poor time to ask for more taxes from us.
Yet this is exactly what is being done by the OSU Cooperative Extension Office and its Advisory Board. They are asking us to vote for a 0.45 mill tax levy, which will run for five years, and which they expect to bring them $261,000 per year from local residents. This would mean over $1.3 million transferred from the pockets of our struggling citizenry into the coffers of OSU Extension. Their ballot issue proposes this sum to fund the four programs they offer including agricultural and natural resources services, family consumer services, community development, and 4-H programs. But we have been publicly and assertively told by their campaign that if we do not vote the money, they will close down only the 4-H program.
Why do they emphasize closing the 4-H program rather than some other program area? Or why isn't more effort being made in the Extension budget to reduce costs elsewhere so that 4-H can continue? Like most of us in Highland County, I believe 4-H is a very valuable resource, proven over the years to be worthwhile to the young participants and a training ground for young and old alike to learn leadership skills which benefit us all. I hope 4-H can continue.
But I strongly urge voters to reject this tax which appears as issue #5 on our May 4th primary ballot. We must understand the damage done here if 51 percent of primary voters vote for the tax, they are forcing 100 percent of all our fellow citizens to pay the tax for the next five years. We all know what a hardship that would be in these very trying times. We are told by the tax campaign that if the issue fails in the May election, they will bring it up again in the November election.
I suggest that it would be best for the levy to fail now, thus allowing OSU Extension a time frame of six months until November to reconsider their financial situation. If they say they can't manage on a reduced budget, perhaps they could ask for input from local citizens who may have expertise in personnel matters, business management, budgeting, or other skills, who might volunteer to help out. Perhaps Extension could accept a reduced salary structure such as is necessary today at all levels of society.
Perhaps Extension could join with surrounding counties to combine for more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Perhaps Extension, and other local officials, could lobby the Legislature and Ohio State University to allow more flexibility in Extension offices, particularly in the salary structures which are presently inappropriate in our current grim financial state. Perhaps voluntary donations could be given in support of 4-H, rather than a mandatory tax. After all, we have many, many examples of how local citizens have shown their generosity time and time again to support local needs. Perhaps there are other citizens who have other suggestions for helping keep the 4-H program operating.
This would be a good time for all public offices and agencies to reconsider their priorities, within their budgets, and look for a more efficient way to serve the public. We are taxed enough already.
Sincerely,
Louise J. Hapner
Lynchburg[[In-content Ad]]