Mayor can do more to limit tax rate

To St. Charles Mayor Donald DeWitte:

I write with great concern for all taxpayers. As you are aware, we have faced difficult economic conditions for several years now. The value of our homes continues to decline, according to most appraisals down an average of 35 percent since 2008.

While families continue to tighten their belts and find additional methods of cutting spending, you have failed to show similar leadership for the city budgets over which you have direct control or influence.

For example, you authorized pay raises for the unionized electrical workers of St. Charles this year, which will directly affect the tax rate next year. While our home values continue to decline, tax rates for the various taxing bodies just go up to ensure a constant, and ever increasing, revenue stream for all government bodies.

Why not consider putting taxpayers first and negotiate the best possible return on taxpayer investment for such departments as the electric workers, similar to what is being done for the sanitation workers in the city of Chicago? There, the mayor is opening bids for sanitation services to private contractors in an effort to provide the best service to the taxpayer for the money.

There is no reason we taxpayers should be paying excessive union wages and pensions for electrical workers while private providers for identical services can be provided at a greatly reduced cost.

A true leader, under current circumstances, would consider not only this, but other options a mayor has influence over in reducing the tax rate for the people in St. Charles.

Thank you in advance for your response.

Doug Eden

St. Charles