Spike,

Our property taxes increased 6% this year when combining Burlington, DMC and the Burlington school district increases. At this rate, we will increase 60% in the next 10 years.

The council members stated at the forum that they didn't raise taxes. Yes they did, just look at your tax bill.

Most of the council members don't pay much in property taxes, so they don't feel it like some citizens.

Tim Scott only pays $600.00 per year. How does he get by so cheap? Sure, he can afford a little more taxes for the depot or Cascade bridge.

If the taxes stayed the same over the next 20 years, Scott would pay $12,000 in taxes. Many others will pay between $50,000-$75,000 in this same 20 years. Big difference.

The school district is starting to bleed everybody dry too. I guess we get punished and penalized for investing in Burlington.

They are killing small business off, too.

At least Bob Fleming pays a lot in property taxes, so maybe he will be more than the lip service that we hear at election time.

The moderator at the forum asked the council candidates if they would support City employee wage freezes and keep property taxes down. Not one of them answered her question about the wage freeze. They went off in another direction.

Candidates should answer the questions and not avoid them. This is why we have candidate forums.

This is why citizens get turned off.

Baffled

You get by cheap on paying taxes when you rent space at the airport for one thing and then sell picnic tables at retail. Nobody else gets that kind of deal unless you rent the house in Perkin's Park.

Or you're John Mercer running amok in the city trough.

It's time it stopped.

Spike