Sun Commercial Argues Wheel Tax "Not the End of the World"

From the Vincennes Sun-Commercial:

Enlisting the help of the Indiana Farm Bureau, the commissioners made their pitch to the county council for a wheel tax this week, and the result was about as we expected it would be.

Council members gave Farm Bureau president Don Villwock and Katrina Hall, a tax and local government specialist with the organization, a polite hearing Tuesday night but were noncommittal toward possibly implementing the additional tax.

Actually, judging by past reactions, being noncommittal could be seen as a nudge toward acceptance.

While it’s not “yes,” it’s not actually “no” either.

Discussions about adding a wheel tax have come up a few times over the years, always with council members, united in opinion if for different reasons, announcing themselves as totally opposed to adding it under any circumstances.

Usually, council members would be joined by at least two of the three commissioners, and frequently all three of them, in rejecting the tax.

That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

Over the years constituents, both those who live in the cities and towns as well as those residing out in the rural areas, have experienced first hand the gradual and quite evident deterioration of their roads and streets.

They’ve complained about those conditions.

And the commissioners, and maybe some council members, have heard them.

...

See the full article here:

http://suncommercial.com/articles/2013/05/18/opinions/opinions/doc5198473c7df49532196881.txt