No new taxes

What's new in Pacifica? Or should I say, old? Well, we all know we are over 50 years old. Nothing new except more new taxes coming our way. The little green flyer you probably threw away is your new increase in your sewer tax. It should have been on a ballot but now you must write a letter telling them you're against it, otherwise you'll pay, pay, pay. You are not only paying an interest upon interest, not on the principal, yet we are sitting on an old sewer plant that should have been sold 10 years ago to pay for the new state-of-the-art one we have so many problems with which has cost us millions in fines.

The ordinance is so outdated that last year I approached the city manager and he assured me it would be revised but it has not been to this day. The county counsel and the assessor's office said, and I quote, we can either sue the city or put it on the ballot as an initiative. If you don't want to sit and take signatures, I suggest you at least write a letter and protest it. Whoever heard of taxation without representation? The city of Pacifica.

Next, the Financing City Services Task Force suggested the following other taxes: a TOT hotel tax increase from 10 percent to 12 percent on the November ballot. Potential revenue of $72,000 over five years minus the cost of the ballot.

Tax #3 — Public safety assessment scheduled for the ballot in 2011. Remember the fire assessment tax? Same thing except for the police. Revenue $4 million in four years minus the cost to put it on the ballot. Tax #4 — Revised utility users tax lowering by 6.5 percent and added to telecommunications tax by how much? No transparency. Ballot 2012.

Now divide all these taxes by years minus the cost of putting them on the ballot. It amounts to less than one million a year. I'll bet we could sell that old sewer plant for a million and maybe even get some revenue from whatever went in there. It's been vacant for over 10 years. Is this the kind of planning you want? I was the only one who spoke against these taxes at the last City Council meeting. Where were you? We are a ghost town and the only thing left is to put a cemetery in the Quarry so at least we can be buried locally. Take a look at Colma. They pay no taxes so one would assume that the high cost of living outweighs the cost of dying. We used to have a furniture store, car dealership, bank and Safeway in Park Mall. Now we have closed storefronts in Eureka Square, the lumber yard and Antiques & Collectibles. Vote no on everything until they sell the sewer plant site. Bankruptcy here we come.

Therese M. Dyer
Linda Mar