Lines Drawn in Sales Tax Fight

Early voting continued this week as proponents and opponents of a street tax that is set to expire in 2029, try to rally their base to do what they believe is best for the city of Monroe. Some might say that those calling for a repeal of the tax is like throwing out the baby and keeping the bath water, while the opposite would be true to throw out the water and keep the baby. In other words, nothing is wrong with the baby, just that it is time to change the water. What started out as a tax to be solely used for street repairs, has morphed into a "tax free for all" for city officials, no matter the situation. Instead of the city asking voters for additional taxes that they knew wouldn't be accepted, is now a "Peter robbing Paul" to pay for projects/services that would have been difficult to pass. The blame should be placed on those officials in government who have for years convinced voters that taxes are not always the solution, that government itself is too big. So, over the last decades, it has been virtually impossible to pass tax proposals because one side will always say that the government is taking money away from the little man. Now instead, city officials want to continue to chip away at the street repair tax because that is an already source of funding that has been successfully hijacked by those in charge. Proponents say rewrite the tax and share the pie where specified funds will be dedicated for streets, building projects and economic development. But opponents want a never-ending tax, one that will ensure a near permanent source of revenue even though the current street tax doesn't expire until 2029. A potential half-billion-dollar money source for an administration to do as it pleases while perhaps neglecting a sizable segment of citizens whose needs have been ignored underscores the importance of why battle lines have been drawn. If the reason is to get it right because of changes from its original purpose so voters can know exactly where their money is going, it kind of makes sense that voters should have the final say. Make your voice heard on Dec. 7, if you already haven't done so. Vote!