Camas resident Jeff Englud shares his thoughts on the Regional Fire Authority
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and do not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com
Creating a new taxing authority is a bit like having a baby. They are cute at first, but eventually, they grow up, and as they do, they eat more and more.
We already have city governments that are always hungry for more money. Money certainly helps if you have it, but if you don’t, then the answer is to tighten your belt.
Right now, we have plenty of “tax kids” clamoring for funding. Everyone wants more! State taxes, gas taxes, school levies, and property taxes all add up. City budgets and levy requests are more “open mouths” that want to be fed.
I’m not rich, and chances are, you aren’t either. Do you need another mouth to feed?
A vote for the RFA is a vote for having another tax! Oh sure, it looks cute now, but what about when it starts to get bigger? Do you want another kid with his hand in your wallet?
I don’t know about you, but I think we have our hands full with the kids we have now. Today’s “tax baby” is tomorrow’s hungry tax teen. Let’s take a pass on this one and vote “No” on April 22nd!
Jeff Englund
Camas
Also read:
- Letter: ‘That is why the process matters’
The I-5 river bridge package is at roughly 30% design, meaning final construction drawings and final price are not yet set. - Letter: Forty years of Democrat governors’ judicial appointments
Tom Schenk argues 150 Democrat-appointed judges shape Washington courts with no impartial check. - Letter: The logistics crisis of universal mail-in voting
Jonathan Hines argues that roughly 70% of voters already bypass mail in favor of drop boxes and in-person delivery. - POLL: Would you support upgrading and reusing the existing Interstate Bridges if it saved billions of dollars?
Rep. John Ley questions whether $400M in bridge demolition costs could be redirected to other regional transportation needs. - Letter: TriMet’s history of over-predicting light rail ridership
TriMet’s MAX Green Line carried ~10,000–11,000 weekday riders in 2024–2026, less than a third of its 2020 forecast.
