Beware politicians on sales tax referendum

County administration states it would remove the Mental Health Board property tax levy if the sales tax referendum passes on March 19. Do board members’ comments reflect the sentiment?

Board Member Gloria Van Hof: “We discussed having a small amount in the levy keeping the levy going. We’ve had members say that this isn’t a good thing because taxpayers might be double taxed. Well, I think just as we are responsible, future boards will be responsible too. Life is unpredictable. We don’t know what’s going to happen with the sales tax. We just don’t know. And it is a regressive tax, it taxes the people most who can’t afford it.”

Pamela Althoff: “There was some discussion at committees about doing a ‘backstop’ in the levy for Mental Health. I would ask the board what our intent is, because it was my understanding that we are going to still include some funds in our next levy to ensure that we were able to provide as much money as we could to Mental Health. At Public Health the conversation in committee was to do a ‘backstop.’ ”

Mike Skala: “ I would like to see this pass, and I personally think if we are wishy-washy in what it appears, i.e., kind of what [board member] Terri [Greeno] said that there’s a possibility that we could still have this under the levy, I mean as a voter … I’m not going to trust politicians to do that.”

Vote no new sales tax.

Adam Liebmann

Wonder Lake