Editor,
On November 4th, we will be asked to tax ourselves to the tune of $1,700.00. That’s an increase of nearly six times the current budget. The fact that the Carbon County Treasurer will write the checks in not so reassuring unless that person can veto unreasonable expenditures.
Mr. Piche, President, Carbon Country Fire Protection District Steering Committee, touts the fact that municipalities can lower their ratings and recover the cost of this tax in insurance savings. However, municipalities are not included at this time, so this is really useless information. What are the residents of unincorporated areas going to save on insurance premiums? I am still ten miles from the Encampment fire house. My water supply is still a domestic well, Beaver Creek, and what the volunteers can bring.
We had a fire here in 1993 and the volunteers answered the call in the middle of the night. Although my garage was a total loss, my home survived. Thank God for that.
We have an exceptional group of volunteers in Encampment and Riverside. Some will have to resign if federal association standards are imposed, although they can still contribute to the fire fighting effort. If they can’t be replaced from the community will we have to wait for a crew from Saratoga to arrive?
If this works like most government initiatives, a lot of money will be spend complying with federal regulations, once they get involved.
It could end up being another irritant in our lives to join the forest management, land fills, sewer lagoons and outflows, etc..
I urge voters to turn this initiative down at this time until all the unintended consequences are uncovered. We know the devil is in the details.
Rev. John McClure told me in the 70’s, “I’d rather want something I don’t have, than have something I don’t want”. And in this case probably can’t rid ourselves of once it is passed. Taxes never go away.
Yours truly,
Sandra Miller
Encampment
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