New twice yearly taxes decried

By Letter to the editor
Published: May 13, 2009

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Editor:

The Madison County Board of Supervisors reminded me of its existence today by mail. I, like the other citizens of Madison County, received an unexpected and very unpleasant surprise from the county – a half-year tax bill!

What were the board members thinking? Do they not know that our country is in the middle of its most serious economic crisis in our lifetimes?

Do they not know that every penny a taxpayer must pay is painful? Do they not understand that many citizens are a little short of cash right now?

Does the board not know that many in our agricultural community are dependent upon the sale of crops and livestock in the fall to pay their county tax bills?

When is the board going to do something for the benefit of the citizens of the county like, cutting taxes or reducing the county budget, instead of spending its time figuring out gimmicky projects or new missions?

There is an old Latin phrase that was always applied to acts of the Roman government. It was “cui bono.” This simply means good for whom?

I cannot believe the board was thinking about the good of the average citizen when they came up with this loser. Good for whom? Beats me!

How does it help Madison citizens by making them cough up half of their taxes six months early! No one I know and no one I can think of benefits. They are all hurt! It is a tax increase of the most difficult sort.

Rescind the “pay up early” program. Let us pay our taxes at the end of the year again. That is when we have saved up some money not now.
What were they thinking? Certainly not about the average citizen of the county – I know that much.

William von Raab
Rochelle
Oldford Farm