To the editor:

Jere McElhaney is right to question the usefulness of the ECO2 concept, but not just because serious concerns can be raised about the group’s makeup and spending authority.

ECO2 is the gift to Douglas County taxpayers that keeps on taking. First, it takes our money to fund its land purchases. Second, it takes our tax dollars to finance the upkeep, maintenance and liability of the properties that it has purchased. Then, it takes more from us when the county finds that the properties purchased under ECO2 programs are no longer providing any tax revenues to the county coffers. Douglas County will have to raise our taxes again, just to keep even with the current expenditures. Finally, USD 497, which takes the lion’s share of our property taxes, will be raising our tax levies to compensate for the lost revenue to its budget.

Has the county commission determined which of our current services it plans to cut to make up any loss of revenue? Is the school board ready to make further cuts in its budget to cover any loss of tax revenue? I doubt it.

We have enough needs that are not being met with the current county budget without adding another special interest group’s plans that are financed on someone else’s dollar. If this is such a great idea, why aren’t these “green” influences purchasing and setting aside the property themselves?

Ken Meyer,

Lawrence