Here’s what you missed! Meeting Recap from Director Tim Lintz (from 3-8-2015 County Press)

[William Gavette]

Last month our letter invited everyone, regardless of political doctrine, to come to our March 3rd meeting to see what our meetings are all about. Our meetings try to keep everyone informed about things happening in our government that may impact all of us.

We bring in experts on matters to give you the facts. You’ll hear the pros and cons of the matter and then you can make up your own mind on how to proceed on the issue. You can ask the experts questions to thoroughly understand the issue. Our March meeting was no exception.

This month’s subject was the ballot issue of increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. The expert speaking was Scott Hagerstom, the former director of Americans for Prosperity, a wellknown expert on this subject. So what did you miss if you weren’t there? You missed learning that in order to make this sales tax change it takes a change in the state Constitution.

You missed learning that voting “yes” on the ballot not only means yes to the sales tax increase, but also gives your okay to 10 other bills. Most of these bills have nothing to do with getting the roads fixed. You would have learned that no matter what you’ve heard, this is a big tax increase of over $2 billion per year. That averages to around $800 per year for a family of four. You would have learned that along with this bill that increases taxes and changes the Constitution, there are other proposed bills that would direct more money to fix the roads, that wouldn’t increase your taxes or need to change the Constitution.

Our next meeting is April 7 at 7 p.m. at Maple Grove Church. Come join us.

Tim Lintz