Local residents already pay more than enough taxes

Published on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 8:55 AM MST

Dear Editor:

I want to remind our city and county leaders just exactly who pays sales tax around here.

If our city leaders insist on bickering over who is paying more for services that benefit everyone in our county, then we as citizens are forced to remind our leaders who pays the sales tax around here. Because Safford started the war, we have to target the city of Safford and boycott the city as much as possible.

It’s really hard to boycott the banks, hospital and, yes, even Wal-Mart, at times. But business owners fret about as much as a 2-percent loss in sales!

Let’s show them a 25-percent or more loss in sales to show the city of Safford that the nonresidents of Safford do, indeed, pull our weight when they are funding the pool, the library, and the Boys and Girls Club!

Leaders of our cities and Graham County: We do not support a library district! We already pay 8-percent sales tax! We pay way too much in sales tax already!

We also pay too much in property tax. If you want to cut our sales tax in Graham County to total 5 percent, then we may consider a library district.

In other words, stop raising our taxes; live within your means. Put away the extra money during the “good years” and spend carefully during the “lean years.”

No one city (or entity within a city, ex: the library) has the right to spend more than it is able or desires to, then pass its mistake on to the taxpayers of the county. Everyone in Graham County has the right to feel welcome to shop or use services in any part of this county.

Safford City Mayor: We encourage you to rethink your mean-spirited, selfish tactics before your business owners suffer, before ALL of Graham County suffers!

I encourage Safford city residents to help us in our cause. You cannot be proud of the discrimination. You know that you would not want other towns to treat you in this way.

Sincerely,

Linda Stavast

Thatcher

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Comments

6 comment(s)

What wrote on Jun 12, 2009 1:14 PM:

" What does immigration policy have to do with paying enough taxes?

Back on track-the City of Safford should just close the pool, library, and the Boys and Girls Club and then reduce the sales taxes. "

Unemployed resident wrote on Jun 12, 2009 5:32 AM:

" Obama Administration Ready to Give Job Security to Illegal Aliens,
Gut Rules Designed to Prevent Identity Theft by Illegal Aliens
Earlier today, FAIR learned that in the coming days, maybe as soon as tomorrow, the Obama Administration will announce two regulations that will dramatically undermine immigration enforcement.
The first regulation would gut a Bush Administration rule that required federal contractors -- paid with your tax dollars -- to use the E-Verify program to ensure that their employees are legally authorized to work in the U.S. "

Down size wrote on Jun 10, 2009 9:49 PM:

" Down size the grand old Safford Library/Council meeting facility/city meeting facility. Then each community can have their own small library. "

everyone needs to pay wrote on Jun 10, 2009 5:36 PM:

" Duplicating facilities in Thatcher would be foolish and expensive. The simple solution is for Thatcher and Graham Co. Governments to assume their fair share of the cost of running such facilities.
Remember that the city of Safford residents shop the Thatcher busineses without receiving any services for their tax dollars.
Tax boycotts help no one.
Let's be conciderate neighbors and share expenses. "

SO What wrote on Jun 10, 2009 1:19 PM:

" I pay more than $50 per month in sales taxes in Thatcher-- so what, Matt?

Your contribution to the city coffers go toward many things used by people outside of Safford.

Everyone is welcome to use the public library as long as they contribute to its' cost.

Yes, the Town of Thatcher needs to build a library, a pool, and a Boys and Girls Club, but they will not because they can take advantage of the City of Safford. "

Matt wrote on Jun 10, 2009 12:19 PM:

" I know for certain, I easily pay over 50 bucks a month in sales tax in Safford.
Don't want me to use your library?
Okay fine..
Guess we'll have to organize and go built our own library. "

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