Dear editor,
A recent letter to the editor regarding growth, questioned “for whom do the commissioners work.” It noted they continue to resist impact fees. Considering their position on impact fees and the millions of dollars they have let slip by it is a valid question. It has been noted that 12 years ago impact fees brought in $3.9 million dollars to the county. Considering the three-page newspaper story today on the growth of this county, one could easily extrapolate that growth into $25 million dollars in impact fees over the last 5 years. (Given 3.9 million 12 years ago, than considering the growth taken place in this county over the last 5 years, than a $5 million dollar average for 5 years doesn’t seem unreasonable for my $25 million number. In fact, it may be low.).
It is unfortunate that money has passed us by. It is also of interest that this $5.0 million dollars per year is almost a third of the money the half-cent sales tax would bring in, which was listed as $16 million. Granted it is not enough to cover the issues, but it is a start, and I can support a tax increase along with the impact fee implementation. I think such a tax would have a much better chance of passing by the general electorate if the impact fee was reinstated. Even if the tax doesn’t come to pass, don't let $5 million a year continue to slip by. The dollar amount added to a new house is not sufficient to stifle growth and will help in the management of the growth issues. I paid an impact fee in the past and never even noticed it.
RAY SLINGERLAND
Milton
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This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Money has passed us by