To the editor:
The Fargo Forum recently had headlines in it that stated that counties are going to ask for a tax increase. Otter Tail County has done that this year and, I think every past year, as the County Assessor has raised the valuation of our residence by eight percent, which means that our taxes are going up by that amount, not only county taxes but also for school and city taxes. The state legislature gave the assessors this authority to keep the blame from them.
What expertise does the Assessor have to raise traxes? I am sure, on a selective basis, as people who have lake property have had their taxes raised by many percentage points, and if they live out of state, have no children in our schools, are plainly taxed unfairly.
Inflation means the rise in price levels, according to the dictionary. Plainly this means that what you paid this year for certain items is higher then what you paid last year. The same is true next year as prices for certain reasons go up each year.
Pay raises, and I use teachers as an example. Because they belong to a union, they feel they are entitled to raises every year and this year most contracts they have asked for gives them a 4 l/2 percent raise this year plus a similar one next year. I do not dispute their possible need for the raises but this has caused many districts in the state to go to the voters for supplemental tax increases. So real estate taxes go up. Cities who have unions use the same tactic. Having belonged to a union for 55 years - postal union - where strikes are not available and never even threatened. Our union goes after improved working conditions as management is a problem.
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I always suggest to those who I talk to about this matter is that they should be more concerned in what they get when they retire, with Social Security being in a bind with baby boomers retiring, then what they get today as wages. Having been retired for 35 years, I know what I write about.
Harley Karvonen
Perham
