Polk County
Voices
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • April 29, 2015 4A
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Supporting levy
is a citizen duty
very small price to pay for
the safety of your loved
ones.
Paying taxes to support
public safety services is a
civic responsibility. It is my
way of contributing to a
civil society.
The self-proclaimed “no
property tax increase” cadre
ignores the revenue neutral
side of the public safety
levy. County taxes are re-
placing decades of federal
tax-based subsidies. These
anti-levy voices ask me to
reject the public safety op-
erating levy but provide no
replacement solution for
the lost $2,400,000 federal
subsidy.
I will vote “yes” because
“no” means more years of
diminished public safety
services needed in urban
Polk County — no nar-
cotics team, decreasing
crime prosecution and an
understaffed jail.
Jennifer Wheeler
Independence
E.M. Easterly
West Salem
Some can’t afford
more property tax
It makes no difference
whether the public safety
tax levy is needed or not,
many Polk County residents
have no excess money to
pay this new tax. It is sim-
ple. Vote “no.”
Reginald Wiensz
Dallas
Don’t compare
county salaries
Do not let the pay of offi-
cials in larger counties dic-
tate what our officials
should be paid.
Polk County is the poor-
est and one of the smallest
counties in the state. The
money would be better
spent for the Polk County
Sheriff’s Department.
Sandra James
Dallas
Elected officials
can’t be trusted
We need more deputies
on patrol and more staff in
the DA’s office. Why isn’t the
jail staffed with lower paid
corrections officers? Why
not use contract labor for
the DA’s office?
Do you, as taxpayers,
trust our elected officials to
not spend money from the
special levy for other proj-
ects since it will be placed
in the general fund? I don’t!
In five years, the county
will want another special
levy. Our elected officials
should think outside the
box to find less expensive
ways to provide the services
needed. Now they want pay
raises?
to “pay it forward,” support
the public safety levy.
Retired Fire Chief, Dallas
Fire & SW Polk Co.
Bill Hahn
Dallas
Public safety levy a
24-hour patrol
good investment
coverage needed
Vote yes on ballot meas-
Vote no on measure 27-
117.
Lloyd Collins
Dallas
Levy needed to
keep county safe
When a police officer ar-
rests someone in Dallas, In-
dependence, Monmouth or
West Salem, that person is
booked into the county jail,
investigated and charged by
the county district attorney
and prosecuted in the coun-
ty circuit court.
If convicted, the individ-
ual is jailed in the county
jail, when paroled, super-
vised by the county correc-
tions personnel.
All Polk County residents
receive these safety services
whether city residents or
rural residents.
Supporting the county
Public Safety Levy ensures
viability of all our safety and
security services for our city
and county residents alike.
Vote yes for public safety.
James Williams
Dallas
Property should
not be taxed at all
Our home is our security.
No taxes should be levied
on property.
I liked the idea of a rapid
response, on-call deputy for
rural areas and limiting
sheriff patrols to rural areas,
letting city police handle is-
sues of any kind in the city
limits.
Higher taxes on rental
property could cause a rent
increase.
time?
We do not want another
tax. We are tired of constant
requests for new bonds, fees
and taxes. We already pay
too much.
The Polk County public
safety tax is just another
layer on top of other layers
of taxes. At some point the
weight of all these taxes is
going to cause a public out-
cry.
We have an opportunity
to defeat a tax increase with
our votes. Please vote
against this tax levy and
send a strong message.
Faye Frei
Dallas
Voting yes is the
right thing to do
In Dallas we enjoy a re-
markable community, wide-
ly known for its peace, tran-
quility, sense of comfort and
safety.
In this regard, we greatly
benefit from the many as-
pects of the public safety
system operated by Polk
County. In mid-February,
the Dallas City Council, after
thorough briefings, voted in
vigorous support of the Polk
County Public Safety Levy,
Measure 27-117. We believe
this measure is the only
practical means to maintain
these vital services that are
so important to us all. Join
us in voting “yes” for the levy.
It is good public policy and
the right thing to do.
Brian Dalton
Mayor, city of Dallas
County taxes out
of control, vote no
Annette Blair
Rickreall
Vote no, send a
strong message
Seriously? The Polk Coun-
ty Commissioners did not
get the message the first
It is time for voters to put
their foot down. Taxes have
grown out of control in Polk
County. We do not want an-
other increase this year after
the increase last year. We
need to slam our feet down
together and soundly defeat
the public safety tax being
proposed by the county
commissioners and the
county administrator. Only
then will they finally get the
message. It is absurd to
continue the heavy tax bur-
den imposed on property
owners, especially in an
economically depressed
county. Vote to defeat the
tax levy.
Charlie Landes
Independence
Consider your
safety and vote yes
I am writing this in sup-
port of the safety levy for
Polk County. I realize, in ad-
dition to needing more pa-
trolmen, we are affected by
higher insurance rates and
no response to 911 calls
during the hours when pa-
trols are not on duty. This
last reason brings to my
mind a quote of the world
champion knockout artist
Mike Tyson, “Everyone has a
plan until they are hit.” I am
also thinking that no one
wants a cop until they need
one. Please think about
your own safety and vote for
measure 27-117.
ure 27-117 and vote by mail
before May 19.
We really need to invest
in peace of mind and secu-
rity with response to 911
calls, and it makes sense to
invest in personal protec-
tion and protection of our
property.
An investment in public
safety maintains property
values and lowers insurance
rates. It also attracts new
businesses and residents,
which adds to the tax base
and improves the local
economy. Yes, there will be a
small increase in property
taxes, but the return on that
investment is huge. Should
the levy fail — there could
be tremendous costs.
Gene Henshaw
Dallas
Make more cuts
before taxing
Local taxes and fees keep
moving up. Federal taxes
and state taxes increase
each year.
The economy is strug-
gling in Polk County, fore-
closures and businesses
closing. Now we are being
asked to vote to increase
our own property taxes with
the safety tax levy. Everyone
wants to be safe! But we
need our government, on all
levels, to be willing to make
tough decisions, prioritize
safety spending, cut “wish
list” programs first. It isn’t
just “a cup of coffee a day,”
it’s an 800-pound gorilla. In-
sist on financially responsi-
ble government, vote no on
the safety tax increase.
Rachel Daberkow
Independence
Don Grove
Dallas
Time to pay it
forward with levy
Levy needed to fix
safety system
I spent 40-plus years
serving the residents of Dal-
las and Polk County as an
EMT/paramedic firefighter.
Many times during that
service, Polk County
deputies made the differ-
ence on whether my part-
ner and I returned safely to
our family. Sending our
emergency service person-
nel out to help members of
our community without
deputy assistance is selfish
and a crime. Vehicle acci-
dents, domestic issues, and
health emergencies require
additional assistance from
public safety officers.
Money is tight but it’s time
The Polk County public
safety system is broken and
you have the opportunity to
change that. The current
“funding fix” by the federal
government will be used to
offset the cost of the public
safety levy to our taxpayers
— you have my word on
that. However, this funding
will last only two years and,
if more tax revenue is not
generated, we will not be
able to provide basic servic-
es at an acceptable rate. I
urge you to vote “yes” on
the upcoming levy. It is a
Polk County resources
have been severely impact-
ed due to federal timber
revenue reductions. The pri-
mary issue is restoring 24-
hour county police patrol.
Imagine yourself or family
at 3 a.m. when someone is
breaking into your home.
You call 911 and are told
that no Polk County officers
are available to respond.
This could be deadly! Hav-
ing police patrol only from
noon to 10 p.m. is not ac-
ceptable. By supporting this
levy, 22 positions will be re-
stored to increase police pa-
trol, support the jail, sup-
port the district attorney’s
office, and increase deten-
tion beds for juvenile of-
fenders.
Eileen Brown
West Salem
Funding for public
safety has fallen
The 2007 budget author-
ized 19 deputies to patrol
and 22 in the jail. The 2014
budget authorized six
deputies to patrol and 20 in
the jail. Jail population in
1990 was about 40, today
about 120. County popula-
tion has increased, so has
the criminal activity. Crimi-
nals in the county conduct
those same activities in the
cities. 1990 timber revenue
was about 2.4 million per
year and today is 20 percent
of that.
The sheriff augments au-
thorized personnel with
more than 120 unpaid vol-
unteers. Need for the law
enforcement levy is because
of low revenue, not mis-
spending.
Randy Sitton
Dallas
Want to write?
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Reach us at: Email:
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Office: 147 SE Court St.,
Dallas.
ON THE BALLOT
Itemizer-Observer staff report
POLK COUNTY — Ballots for
the May 19 Special District
Election will be mailed out on
Thursday. Ballots are due by 8
p.m. on May 19.
Here’s what you can expect
to see when you receive your
ballot:
Ash Creek Water Control
District: Position 4, Dan Farn-
worth. No candidate filed for
Position 1, Position 2, Position
6 or Position 8, all four-year
terms.
Buell Red Prairie Water
District: Position 4, four years,
Mark A. Millikan; Position 5,
four years, Wendell Lux; Posi-
tion 2, two years, no candi-
date filed.
Central School District 13J:
Position 1, four years, Steven F.
Moser; Position 2, two years, no
candidate filed; Position 3, four
years, Seven A. Love; Position 5,
four years, Kathy Zehner; Posi-
tion 7, four years, no candidate
filed.
Dallas Cemetery District:
Position 3, four years, John Bar-
bour; Position 5, four years,
Rod Watson.
Dallas School District No.
2: Position 2, four years, Matt
Posey; Position 5, four years,
Michael Bollman.
Falls City School District
No. 57: Position 2, four years,
Bob Young; Position 4, four
years, Jami L. Kidd.
Fir Crest Cemetery District:
One position, four years,
Christy L. Riddell.
Hilltop Cemetery District:
One position, four years, Mary
A. McDaniel.
Pedee Cemetery District:
Position 3, four years, Tom K.
Griffith.
Perrydale School District
No. 21: Position 1, four years,
John W. Cruickshank Jr.; Posi-
tion 4, four years, Anna M.
Scharf.
Polk County Fire District
No. 1: Position 1, four years,
Tom N. Snair; Position 4, four
years, Joe Franko; Position 5,
four years, Mike Lippsmeyer.
Rock Creek Water District:
Three positions, each four-
year terms, Roy Steele, Stan M.
Mills, Leonard Fischer.
Salt Creek Cemetery Dis-
trict: One position, four years,
Marvin A. Morey.
Southwest Rural Fire Pro-
tection District: Position 2,
four years, Frank W. Pender Jr.;
Position 4, four years, Robert T.
Davis.
Spring Valley Rural Fire
Protection District: Position
2, four years, no candidate
filed; Position 3, four years,
Virginia L. Nelke Roberg; Posi-
tion 4, four years, Anne M. Cu-
pich.
M e a s u re 2 7 - 1 1 7 : Po l k
County Public Safety Local Op-
tion Tax Authorization.
Yes
No
HOW TO REACH US
Vol. 140, No. 17
(USPS) - 437-380)
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