Dear Editor,
One of the many road tax increases the state is now extracting from our wallets to “fix the roads” recently cost over $400 for us to register just two vehicles for one year! And if your license plate is 10 years or older? Sorry, the law says you must pay an additional $5 for a new plate no matter the condition of your old plate.
But don’t worry, these new tax increases are to “fix the roads” we’re told, so don’t complain.
And low and behold the Penny Stretcher arrived in our mailbox the same day. In it, Independence Township Supervisor Pat Kittle was jubilant about the passage of the township road tax increase proposal that on average will extract $223 more in property taxes annually from us to “fix” county roads in the township (“Updates for Independence Township,” Nov. 14).
An odd reaction considering that the proposal passed by a mere 415 votes, 51.14 percent for, 48.86 percent against, and was passed mostly in precincts where high density apartments and mobile home dwellers reside and will be subjected to a fraction of the tax increase, while property owners are stuck paying the full 2 mills. For that pleasure your township supervisor says “thank you, thank you, thank you”!
A proposal that “partners” the township with the same county agency (RCOC) that tore out and replaced numerous roads in the township that are already falling apart less then a year after they were replaced is hardly something to cheer about. But for that, your township supervisor thanks you.
So when the township extracts from your wallet $223 more in property taxes, and the state extracts $400 annually to register two cars, 7.3 cents more per gallon, 11.5 cents more per gallon for diesel gasoline, 26.3 cents per gallon in total, six percent sales tax after the per gallon taxes are added, and “inflation” kicks in for five percent more, all to “fix” the same county roads, remember, your township supervisor thanks you.
Now that the township has involved itself in the maintenance of county roads, if your car is damaged on any county road in this township, submit the repair bill to the Independence township supervisor. See a pothole? Report it to the Independence township supervisor and say thank you, thank you, thank you!
Michael and Lori Powell
Independence Twp.