Letters to the editor

Supes raised parcel tax too much
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors raised the Mosquito
Abatement District parcel tax 3.6 percent at the June 23
meeting.
Proposition 218 allows these type taxes to be raised according
to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), not to exceed 3 percent a
year.
The resolution the board passed stated the CPI for our area
increased 0.01 percent.
The board voted 5 to 0 to raise the tax 3.6 percent.
Marvin L. Jones
Hollister
Supes raised parcel tax too much

The San Benito County Board of Supervisors raised the Mosquito Abatement District parcel tax 3.6 percent at the June 23 meeting. 

Proposition 218 allows these type taxes to be raised according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), not to exceed 3 percent a year. 

The resolution the board passed stated the CPI for our area increased 0.01 percent. 

The board voted 5 to 0 to raise the tax 3.6 percent. 

Marvin L. Jones

Hollister

Good job, Barnstormers

This is to send out a special congratulations to the Central Coast Barnstormers, the semi-pro football team, for their outstanding 2009 season.

Many of us have spent the last 10 years attending their games at home and away. We also have watched most of you grow into fine football players, who show great respect for one another, as well as your community and families.

We would like to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication for the way you play the game of football. You play with your heart! You have made us and many of your fans very proud and you are No. 1 in our hearts.

Our congratulations and best wishes to those of you who are retiring this season. It was a pleasure watching all of you play the game you love. Thank you!

Also congratulations and best of luck to the future C.C.B. team members, may you continue having great success.

Your fans,

Mike(Buddha Man), Rita Smith and all the family

Time to update parcel assessments

The California real estate assessment valuation-benchmark created by Prop. 13 is now almost 35 years old, which is really too long for a California parcel to “escape” an actual taxable-assessment.

If the escape is not capped, there will be less and less revenue, fewer balanced budgets, more lost services, more lost jobs, more election waste, and more pain.

I am suggesting that each California parcel receive an updated evaluation/assessment at least once, each quarter-century, regardless of it being a residential or commercial parcel.

I am not suggesting the elimination of Prop. 13, but merely installing a cap, to stop its choking effect which will get tighter and tighter, year after year, if we continue doing the same thing.

John Bauer      

Martinez, Calif.