Letter: “Lame duck” chairman not accountable

Letter: “Lame duck” chairman not accountable

Susan Godby
Hastings

Dear Editor:

County Commission Chairman Mark Miner said, “Two elected bodies — the city and the county — have a solid, unwavering commitment to the project. It’s going to happen.”

Homeowners beware. Hook up and lose your house. What an option.

Sewers were hooked up to my childhood home more than 40 years ago. The cost of hooking your home to the line is $6,000. They add this amount to your property taxes over a period. If you cannot pay your taxes, you will lose your home.

Only a mere price tag of $24 million (project cost). How do you borrow money when the county is bonded out for 20 years? Hmmm, let us see. Borrow from EPA (taxpayers’ money) which is ripped out of our pockets due to the 16th amendment: Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived.

Commissioner Mark Miner is not running for office next term so he is a lame duck. Lame ducks do not give a rip. He will not be here to listen to the backlash. Unfortunately, that is how our system is set up.

Officials are elected who will, for the most part, if they dance through two terms, enjoy retirement benefits from taxpayers’ money (property taxes) and not be accountable for a thing.

Would it be more cost effective to replace the few leaking ones? Is it constitutional to mandate and force homeowners to hook up?