- Guest Opinion

Central Point voters can rein in the city's government

By CHARLES OLSEN

Carol Fischer and Rusty McGrath are among the originators of an initiative petition to limit unwarranted spending by the city of Central Point. They are in a position to know what happens in the city government. Rusty McGrath served as mayor; Carol Fischer served as a City Council and budget committee member. Who, then, would know better what controls are necessary to control unwarranted spending by city government?

The petitions would not have been necessary if the current administration had not asked city staff to prepare information concerning system development charges because Medford has SDC fees.

Central Point also has or is considering diesel fuel tax fees, sidewalk fees, park development fees, city entrance arch fees, motor vehicle fuel fees, tree and flower planting fees, and park statue fees. Some of these fee ideas were made public, some were not; there are probably more schemes to separate you from your money that are not known.

We as taxpayers cannot take a chance that these ideas with the associated fees will not be enacted into law; once a fee becomes part of the law, it requires a huge sum of money to use the courts to try to remove the fee.

The current city administration has never told the public what the cost of all the fees would add up to, or how long the fees would last. Fees are not called taxes because a state law that is in force prevents cities from increasing taxes beyond a given level. These proposed "fees" are indeed taxes but disguised as something else.

Currently Medford businesses are having a very difficult time constructing new buildings and facilities because SDC fees have become a major cost issue. These SDC fees have also caused other governments problems (see the Mail Tribune, Dec. 13 and 14). Medford has no direct public controls of fees.

We would like every resident of Central Point to review his or her last property tax statement. Look carefully at three tax issues on the tax statement. One issue is money to be paid to the city of Central Point. The second issue is money to be paid to Fire District 3 for fire protection. The third is money to be paid to Bear Creek Valley Sanitary Authority for sewer services. These three taxes are allowed by state law to be increased without question by 3 percent per year.

We think a 3 percent increase in these taxes every year should provide adequate support for increased costs of materials and labor to run the city. Please remember new subdivision streets, water and sewers are paid for by the developers. Motor vehicle fuel taxes are collected by the state. Central Point receives a share of fuel taxes every year for the sole purpose of street repair. Grant funds in conjunction with fuel taxes are available for street repair.

There is controversy now concerning franchise taxes that we pay every month to our power and phone companies. Qwest has filed a lawsuit elsewhere in state concerning these franchise fees; part of the lawsuit expresses concerns about how the dedicated franchise fees for street repair are not used for street repair.

A favorable vote for the measures will afford the people of Central Point an opportunity to tell the Central Point city government what money we as taxpayers shall pay beyond what is currently being paid. The amount of money we now pay in taxes is a burden to many people of this city.

Please understand that it is extremely difficult to write a petition without loopholes. Please read the measures carefully. Do not rely on the newspaper editorials or on other people's ideas of what the measures say or how you should vote.

Charles Olsen is one of the authors of the initiative that would require a public vote on Central Point city fee increases.

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