Use your vote to end continual tax increases

Recently I attended a Marion City Council meeting for the first time with the intent to comment on several issues surrounding a continual annual increase in property taxes. Instead, I wrote an e-mail to our Marion mayor and all council members.

One council member replied that, in essence, the extremely high property taxes that we have were the result of decisions politicians in Marion made 20 to 30 years ago. Yet, this same council member recommended hiring two additional staff members this year.

The Marion budget is made up of 70 percent payroll, yet our mayor is quoted in The Gazette saying, “I don't know where the idea came from that taxes are bad. Taxes provide the services that people say they want.”

Of course, people expect services for tax dollars, but what does that have to do with a continual annual increase in property taxes, a 9 percent state income tax and elected politicians who think taxpayers want to be in the hotel/convention business, the medical mall business and perhaps the furniture business? Many cities have decreased property assessments the last several years because of the well known real estate bust that has occurred everywhere. Have you seen this in Marion/Cedar Rapids?

I hope all voters remember those elected politicians who just don't get the message that the days of tax/spend are over!

James Schmitz

Marion