Dear Editor,
Really?
$800.00 more per year,for a total of $3120.00 for six parking spaces, is what I will now have to spend on parking for my employees? Due to your inability to raise money for the town coffers? Really, people? Because thats the only reason you would raise rates 30%, Right? Would any of you roll over and accept this much of an increase on anything?
Are you just towing party lines to “tax” small businesses? Parking fines, from the MSD, should be used in offsetting parking costs for businesses and employees in the downtown area, not going into the general fund. (Not to put the funds back into the MSD was proposed by a local “Political Adviser”) The MSD has to deal with the parking situation, thus the MSD should benefit from it.
Could this increase be due to the exorbitant legal fees for the towns litigation’s with Mr. Templeton and to pay our own town attorney his additional fees? (Any body hazard a guess as to what the total in legal fees are already, not to mention the ETJ debacle) These costs, I’m sure, have already surpassed the $200,000.00 mark and growing.
How many of you have to pay for parking when you go to work? Small businesses have been struggling to make payroll and curb expenses, due to our “Leaders” these past two decades, to keep their businesses afloat only to get more increases from our own local Government.
I’ve reduced my salary and work six days a week, we’ve cut costs anywhere we could to keep people employed. We have had increases in our products, inventory and shipping and have not passed these costs on to our clientele. Why? Because now is not the time to raise prices.
Town Council has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on committees, Task Forces, (Task Force sounds cool, like something is going to happen) consultants, engineers, buildings, and you’ve not finished any of it. Guess you don’t have to finish anything, your the “Government”.
Staying in business, in todays economy, takes a lot of hard work, determination and being tenacious with the costs of doing business. Any business. Government, on the other hand, just raise taxes, fines, and parking fees. Nice..
Thanks for having our backs, people. I’m amazed at the total lack of reality our “government” lives in. Especially in our small community.
John J. Mena
Boone, NC 28607