Tax, spend less instead of extending sales tax

I am sure I don't understand all the issues involved with the recent efforts by our local leaders to extend the 1 percent sales tax, but why are we spending all this time and effort and, most important, huge tax dollars on something - protecting against another flood - that experts tell us won't happen for 498 more years? Haven't our local leaders heard the election message?

How about spending time and effort on cost cutting, less taxing, because my understanding is we are not considered a very friendly tax state (9 percent state income taxes - approximately double Illinois even after they just proposed a 66 percent increase from 3 percent to 5 percent; a proposed 8 percent increase in property taxes, each of these considered one of the highest in the country). And our city manager wants to increase payments to the pension benefits for government employees to a rate of 25 percent - the very thing that bankrupted California, New Jersey, Illinois and Michigan.

I am pleased with our new governor's view that we need to lower taxes and promote an atmosphere of less government, a more entrepreneurial environment and, most important, cost-cutting measures.

Let's read more about ways our local leaders can start with basic economic 101 measures of cost cutting, less taxes and less government so we can attract businesses and keep our children and retirees here.

James Schmitz

Marion