Fred Warchol: Don’t let Atwater’s ‘temporary’ tax be extended for 35 years

Some Atwater officials are planning to travel down the road to financial turmoil for the next 30 years. Their journey began years ago with the proposed Measure V utility tax. It was overwhelming rejected by the voters, who have been hounded for more money ever since. Long-suffering taxpayers must now endure the city’s half-cent sales tax increase, the county’s transportation tax, and Sacramento’s vehicles and gas tax increases.

But that’s not enough; greedy bureaucrats want more. Mayor James Price has proposed a multi-million dollar bond to finance long neglected retirement costs. More alarming, Price wants to extend the so-called temporary sales tax for an additional 25 years – on top of the current 10-year term. Welcome to Atwater, where unmitigated gall is used to sell a 35-year tax as temporary. The city council needs to put an end to reckless spending and unrelenting tax increases. Atwater families work hard for their money. Keep you hands out of their pockets!

This story was originally published October 4, 2017 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Fred Warchol: Don’t let Atwater’s ‘temporary’ tax be extended for 35 years."