Friday, February 27, 2009

Dear Mayor Willich: Look around


Fritz Haemmerle is a Hailey City Council member. The views expressed in this letter are his own, not the views of the Hailey city government.

By FRITZ HAEMMERLE

Based on your comments during the most recent airport Blue Ribbon Commission meeting, and statements you have made elsewhere, it is my fundamental belief that you need remedial classes in American government and intra-governmental relations.

At the meeting, you stated that since the north valley pays more property taxes, the north valley deserves a larger role in deciding airport issues. Worse yet, you suggest that because of your so-called economic power, the north valley gets to decide where the airport is located. Totally ignoring public safety issues, you then suggest the airport should remain in Hailey. Your solution to the problem is to simply expand the runway 3,000 feet to the south. As a reminder, the FAA has decided that no airports can be allowed to exist with safety waivers. For years, the Friedman Airport has been allowed to exist only because of safety waivers. The Friedman board reviewed safety standards and decided that safety standards cannot be met at the current site. As a result, the airport must be moved. I believe most of south valley citizens agree with that decision. Does any of this matter to you? Do you suggest that Hailey citizens should be relocated for airport expansion to placate your economic interests? Most importantly, do you suggest that your economic interests are more important than our public safety?

Second, you stated at the airport meeting that since the north valley pays more in property taxes, the north valley should get to decide how that money is spent. Here is where your lesson really starts. It is a fundamental rule of our land that each person is entitled to one vote, regardless of race, gender, economic power or status. The wealthy do not get to govern simply because they are rich and own expensive land.

Now for the most important lesson. The south valley has more people. The city of Hailey has nearly five times the population of Sun Valley. That means that while you may pay more property taxes, the people of the county get to decide how that money is spent. Hopefully, the decision on how to spend taxes is based on the best interest of the community and not just on the selfish interests of those who pay the most taxes. The lesson should not be lost on you. To the extent you believe otherwise, I suggest you may be doing your city more harm than good. The citizens of your city should take this into account during the next election.

Finally, you seem offended with the notion that those with higher valued property pay more money in taxes. Do not be confused. We all pay the same property tax rate. You might pay more because your property might be worth more, but proportionately, we all pay the same. This principle has its roots in the Idaho Constitution (Article 7, Section 2), which states, "every person or corporation shall pay a property tax in proportion to the value of his, her or its property." If you do not like this principle, move to have the Constitution amended. Or in the alternative, if you do not like the principle, you should not have voluntarily chosen to live in a community where property taxes are going to be high based on real property valuations.

Wayne, the bottom line is that you chose to live in Sun Valley where you probably do pay more money in taxes. However, the fact that you might have a high tax bill does not give you extra privilege or power, and the fact that you pay more has nothing to do with how public decisions are made.




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