Hey, Wheeling, you are bleeding us dry

Let me see if I got this right. $5.3 million deficit. How could that happen in Wheeling?

They built a new city hall, and a new oversized public works building, oh hey aren't they in the middle of building a new fire department? Deficit? What deficit? There's no deficit in Wheeling.

Salary raises going up, losses in stock market, pensions going up. I'm sure the list goes on and on. They over spend and over build and they know times are hard for many today given the economy and job situations, but Wheeling wants to raise taxes and that sneaky word FEES again.

Only $72 added on to my property tax obligation for Wheeling. That doesn't sound like much, but it is.

Wheeling, let me tell you something that you probably already know. People are hurting

in these times and I don't think raising taxes is the answer. How can you vote to increase taxes on a person that is out of a job right now to give one of your own a salary increase? Pensions increasing for who? I wonder how many residents from Wheeling lost theirs.

OK, so you have to take care of some increases. There are ways without taking it from the people every time you run short of cash. Look in your own back yard and sharpen the pencils. I bet you will find plenty of wasted cash that could offset your deficit. A little less here and a little less there and voila! you have found what you needed.

I guess you could take $72 from all of us, and then take some more with vehicle stickers, oh yes and we can give you more if you raise the restaurant tax as well. Our opportunities to give Wheeling tax dollars are endless. What else is up your sleeve?

Think again Wheeling, you might drive people away rather than attract. The signs do say

"Wheeling, 'A Village of Choice.'"

Eric Bogoff

Wheeling