Tax Payers Protest Higher Fire Taxes
By Lee Melsek
lmelsek@gmail.com


Friday, Sept. 4 - Islanders turned out in force to protest higher fire taxes and let elected officials know they want leaner budgets.
Residents packed the small meeting room at the Donora Boulevard fire station, filling most of the 60 seats.

Although town officials have offered the fire department the use of the much larger town council chambers, fire commissioners stubbornly continue to hold public meetings in the stations cramped quarters where, outside, there is no parking.

One resident also protested the commission's insistence on holding the public budget hearing on a Friday evening at 5 p.m., when most people are preparing for dinner or have already made plans to go out.
One after another, residents went to the podium to protest the commission's consideration of a 3 mill tax rate, the maximum allowed by law. The current rate is 1.99 mills.

Commissioners sat silent, failing to respond to the questions some residents asked or to the protests all of them were making.

Taxpayers who couldn't get to this budget hearing will have a chance to express their opinion at 5 p.m. on Sept. 14.

Want to respond to this coulumn? E-mail Lee Melsek with your own opinions. lmelsek@gmail.com



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