W. Dundee flying the Jolly Roger

The village of West Dundee has been unable to right its ship in the face of continued economic hardships. It has been in the same boat as its citizens, tightening their belts time after time. This time, it is proposing to jump ship to put the big squeeze on its crew, the citizens.

As the village has been squeezed with declining revenues, now it proposes to do some squeezing of its own. "Better to Squeeze, than to be Squeezed" seems to be the new village motto.

Not so long ago real estate valuations soared. Many citizens faced hardship to pay the ever increasing real estate taxes. There was no tax relief. The village became accustomed to a full treasure chest with a bloated budget to match.

Now that real estate valuations have plummeted, the village proposes to raid any tax relief coming to its citizens, with a 14-percent increase in the village real property tax. Fourteen percent; it's unbelievable. Citizens are out of jobs; those with jobs face stagnant or declining wages; seniors must forego any Social Security cost of living increase for 2010. Has the village lost its compass, abandoned ship and turned pirate?

But wait, there's more - a proposed 5-percent utility tax on both natural gas and electric bills.

Just last year the voters rejected, by nearly a 2-1 ratio, a proposed village property transfer tax. Apparently the village did not get the message. Send the message again, citizens of West Dundee. Send it loud and clear. Rise up against the proposed tax increases. Then fire the cannons back at the pirates. Vote them out of office.

Ronald Hominick

West Dundee