More taxes not the answer for village

I just finished reading the Village Views from Mayor Weppler and others, asking us to vote for yet another tax increase on Libertyville residents. Mayor Weppler says this is to invest in Libertyville and to pay for infrastructure repairs that are needed declaring revenue streams have decreased over the last years.

Gas taxes increased 100% July 1, 2019. Half the money raised goes to the state - half goes to local municipalities. $1.2 billion in new taxes. Taxes are going to keep going up a penny per gallon a year until 2025 for a total of 130% increase. The law also allows Lake County to impose another 8 cents per gallon on top of the previous and upcoming increases ahead. A good amount will end up in Libertyville. This is absurd. Electric car gas tax loss is not the culprit.

Already over-taxed, adding yet another tax in perpetuity will not solve Libertyville's infrastructure problems. There are funds already available via the current gas taxation and other means - like spending cuts - that can cover any declared deficits. Of the seven budget areas depicted in the newsletter, imagine cutting six of the budgets equally by a mere .166% from each to make up the 1% difference to fund these projects. As many a politician announces with any tax increase, this is a very small, insignificant cut in spending to deem it hardly worth mentioning. Should easy to absorb.

Raising taxes alters a person's behavior and raising taxes again with no end in site will move people to purchase items elsewhere.

There are other ways to fund projects - Vote NO for yet another tax increase in March.

Stephen Phillips

Libertyville