To the editor:

Following the recent coverage of the County Commission budget sessions, I think it is necessary to clarify the positions I took at these meetings. I supported various cuts that we needed to make to some county departments and reserve funds because I believed that we needed to do everything we could to minimize the mill levy increase. I objected, however, when the majority decided to fund and expand programs that are not essential operations of county government. Adding or expanding nonessential programs after cutting the budgets of county departments and reserve funds just did not make sense to me if our goal was to reduce the mill levy.

At the meeting I also indicated in detail how I could support additional economic development projects, heritage development and open space preservation if these programs were being funded by a sales tax approved by the voters. Legislative authority exists to put such questions on the ballot. I believe that an election is the proper way to determine if the majority of the voters want their tax dollars spent on such attractive, but nonessential, programs. Local sales tax increases are subject to public approval, but property taxes are merely imposed at the will of the taxing body.

In my opinion, the current budget fails to adequately minimize the adverse tax impact on Douglas County residents. As I stated in the public meeting, I am particularly concerned with the impact on low-income families, fixed-income senior citizens and struggling small businesses. The only way I can voice my concern is to oppose approval of the current budget at the public hearing on Aug. 18.

Jim Flory, Douglas County

commissioner, District 3