Dear Neighbor,
As you may be aware, the proponents of the “open space” tax increase have decided to stray from the issues and launch a negative attack on Wallace Voters PAC and our supporters. Knowing the proponents personally and respecting them, we have to admit we were surprised that they chose this strategy. We will not respond in kind with negative attacks on their motives and credibility. Unfortunately, we must spend a little time away from the issues about this tax increase to dispel some of the false information they have spread about Wallace Voters PAC.
The proponents of this tax raise launched their negative attacks by falsely claiming we are not a registered political action committee and that we might be “Big Developers” hiding behind a “fictitious name” [Big Developers? We are a Landscaper and an Electrician]. Again, we are surprised they would make these allegations, since they have known who founded Wallace Voters PAC from the beginning. In fact, while they were accusing us of not being registered by October 7th, they had yet to register as a PAC! They actually registered on October 10th, yet they claim to have existed for a year? We can only imagine how they felt when they realized that Wallace Voters PAC was a registered PAC (September 29th), before they even existed! We don’t hold this against them, as their source must have been bad and their judgment perhaps temporarily clouded. We wonder what they meant when they asked if you could “believe what [WE] say”?
Now let’s put this tax increase into perspective. Our opponents like to compare this tax increase to “Fast Food”. Let’s compare it to something a little closer to home. According to them, the township can collect $251,343.00 dollars from homeowners with this new "open space" tax raise. Last year's Wallace Township Financial Tracking report shows the township collected $258,004.51 in property taxes. This "small increase", as they call it, could effectively eliminate our township property taxes! Now that would be something that would help everyone.
With the continued onslaught of property taxes and now an “open space” income tax, how long can residents, especially those on fixed incomes, continue to live here? Do we plan to throw all of our effort and money at only one part of our townships future? Or, can we at least put a stop to this endless parade of taxes and try to maintain “open space” within our means. We do not want to exchange our life long resident’s homes or our family’s quality of life for 57 acres of land. We can save our families and “open space” with common sense measures, like our ordinances that will set aside 50% of all developable land left in the township (no tax). And, state and county grants that can be used to purchase “open space” (no tax).
Lastly, our opponents found fault with our proposal that residents voluntarily pool monies to fund “open space”. The problem with this, they say, is people won't consistently donate enough money. But, wouldn't the truest measure of one's dedication to preserving "open space" be how much they willingly spend to do so? Or, is the best way to show support for "open space", to vote to force our neighbors to pay from their own paychecks?
On November 8th, vote “NO” to the tax hike, so we can save our “open space” with common sense.
Sincerely,
Robert Jones – Chairman, H. Ward Albert, jr. – Treasurer
Check “Latest News” at WWW.WALLACEVOTERS.COM for our rebuttal of their letter