Editor, Times-Union: Last night was my first county council meeting that I have attended since moving here in 2009. I went to hear and speak about the new wheel tax and did hear a few interesting points of view. The meeting in my opinion was not well structured for the following reasons. I saw no sheet to sign in and ask to be heard. Maybe I missed it. The chairman picked people based on them being in favor or against the measure in that order, each time it was one for, then one against. Why did he not just let anyone who wanted to speak say their piece in a set time frame 2-3 minutes, then go on and let the next citizen in line speak based on first-come, first-served? I wanted to share a few thoughts but because I am related to the young boy that was killed in Silver Lake the day before this meeting, and was with the family in Claypool, I got there at 7:01 p.m. and at 7:37 p.m. the chairman said we have heard enough and we will now close this meeting. So even though I raised my hand I did not get to speak and he went on with the closed meeting and I left. The wheel tax is not fair in my opinion for a few reasons. I live in the city and use city and state roads 90 percent of the time, Ranch Road, 15, 30. I rarely drive out in the sticks, I have nowhere to go there. The lakers have cars from other counties and use mainly county arteries and go home not paying for the roads that they also use but we maintain. Why not a 2-3 cent gas tax countywide, so those that drive pay those that don’t drive as much who don’t pay another tax? The answer to everything today is more taxes but we are supposed to be conservative. Personally, I think we are kidding ourselves by thinking our area is conservative, because we must have the latest and the greatest no matter what the people say we must pay. Someday we will run out of other people’s money. Michael R Alspaugh Warsaw, via email
