"I don't know why this whole council (chamber) isn't full." That was a quote from one of the fire tax opponent's in Lindsey McPherson's recap of last night's Budget testimony. Facing down a "a 52 percent increase for residents of the rural west and a 30 percent increase for those in the east" the George Howard Building could barely hold the...four people who came out to testify against the fire tax increase.
Maybe I'm old fashioned, but fighting tax increases would appear to be the bread and butter of Republican activism. It's really easy. When someone proposes a new tax, you say things like "American families are cutting their budgets across the Country. The government needs to cut theirs" or "I'm not an ATM machine" or "You already take enough of my money."
Most of those arrows stayed in the quiver last night, making the tax increase all but inevitable. I can't say whether folks were asleep at the switch or just disinterested, but inaction was effectively endorsement. If the Council is going to oppose a request from the Chief of the Fire Department, they better have a darn good reason. Hearing none, tax away.