The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Merrill Foto News, its publishers, Editor, or staff.
To the Editor:
The City of Merrill’s financial situation is better than it has been for over 50 years, due mainly to projects carried through by the City Administrator, former Mayor Bialecki, current Mayor Woellner, and City Department Heads. DESPITE opposition by certain citizens and Aldermen, this is a FACT. Merrill has many expenses, big and small. Like any city, personnel is the biggest expense, but to cut good personnel is to cut the services that we all depend on. So the main concern has been to increase THE source of city revenue, the property tax base. This has been done through investment; loans and Tax Incremental Funding and Districts. Merrill has an EXCELLENT credit rating and IS paying off project debt with money earned from investments. TID also invests in the future. Per the WI Department of Development, the equalized value of TID’s in Merrill in 2013 was $9,819, 800.00. In 2021, the value increased 518% to $60,700,700.00, which realizes, in just 8 years; a tremendous investment.
For 2022, MORE such investment projects are in the works; Fox Point, Champagne Street subdivision, and the Webster Street subdivision. Also, a Request for Proposal for new housing has been sent out for the former Anson Gilkey property along the River Bend Trail. Merrill city government does NOT need “change.’ What DOES need change is for those who are against positive growth and development to finally come on board. Merrill is on the right path, so why not start working TOGETHER?
– Heather O’Neill
Town of Harding, Wis.
To the Editor:
It has been over a year since the Presidential Election was held and, by every recount and by all State and Federal court rulings, Joe Biden has been duly elected and legally certified as the President of the United States. Yet, despite all of the evidence to the contrary, former President Trump and many of his followers continue the mantra that somehow the election was “rigged” and that Mr. Trump is still the President.
The only way that an election can be “rigged” is by the total malfeasance and dereliction of duty by each one of the thousands of municipal and township election committees throughout the country … and I refuse to believe this. Every election committee in the nation is composed of citizens who have recognized a civic calling and have volunteered to be an important part of the election process. These committee members are our friends … our neighbors … our relatives … and our fellow citizens who have volunteered their time to learn their local election laws and be instrumental in the entire election process. We all need to recognize and appreciate this. The least that we owe them is our respect and our thanks for accepting this civic responsibility.
Please remember this when discussions of “rigged or stolen” elections occur … and please consider volunteering yourself for future elections.
Sincerely,
– Bill Weber
Irma, Wis.
To the Editor:
Random Acts of Kindness week is Feb. 13 to 19. If you’re ever down and you want to lift yourself up, go do something kind for somebody. People often forget that kindness is free. A person becomes 10 times more attractive, not by their looks, but by their acts of kindness, respect, honesty and the loyalty they show.
– Jan Leschke
Rhinelander, Wis.
To the Editor:
A recent letter stated that our county government must be run like a business, and if income does not cover expenses, the owner must make changes. First, our government has a responsibility to the public and must provide for the Common Good. A business does none of this. Second, in 2011, then Governor Scott Walker and the Republican Legislature passed Act 10, the “Wisconsin Budget Repair Bill,” which froze the amount that local districts could collect in property taxes and constricted funding to local governments. Although the property tax levy was increased to .9% eight years ago, this was limited to net new construction, which is minimal in Lincoln County and did not keep up with higher costs due to inflation. Those caps imposed by our legislature on property taxes have offered Wisconsinites cheaper government and lower taxes, but meant that local governments have been forced to find alternate revenue sources. Due to state statutes, counties are limited in what they may do to implement new revenue sources: a referendum, a fine on delinquent taxes (which was implemented), or a “wheel tax,” which applies to vehicles of 8,000 pounds or less. In the last years, the county highway department was drastically behind on road maintenance; the “wheel tax” was the only way whereby our highway department would have a sustainable revenue source. There was not a single member of Lincoln County Board of Supervisors who felt good about and wanted to pass the “wheel tax.” But they had no choice.
Respectfully submitted,
– Catherine G. LeMay-Brown
Merrill, Wis.
To the Editor:
I would like the City of Merrill to consider working with the DNR to extend the archery deer season in the city of Merrill through the month of January. About 30 other counties in southern and western Wisconsin have extended seasons due to high deer numbers and CWD reduction efforts. We don’t have high deer numbers in Lincoln County, but we do in Merrill. There are several areas in Merrill like Riverside Avenue where illegal feeding is getting out of hand causing artificially high numbers of deer. If you drive on Riverside, you can see deer at any time of the day or night when deer move from food pile to food pile. I have seen as many as three dozen deer by the two houses on West Riverside that illegally feed in addition to bears feeding on those same piles. My wife and I saw a sow and four cubs feeding there three years ago. We live just off of Riverside and have a deer trail through my yard that looks like a cow path as the deer move between the neighborhood food piles. My hometown worked with willing homeowners who were tired of deer eating their gardens, shrubs, and flowers and set up safe blinds for hunters to safely reduce the population in the city. I don’t doubt we would have some willing homeowners in Merrill and maybe some willing hunters that would like to help them out. Please consider. Thanks.
– Thomas Huftel
Merrill, Wis.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY
*Letters must be 250 words or less (There will be no exceptions to this. Any letter longer than 250 words will not be printed.)
*All letters must include full name, address and phone number of the composer. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published, but will be used for verification purposes, if necessary.
*Letters will be published at the discretion of the Editor. While letters on most any topic will be published, any letters deemed derogatory, inflammatory, slanderous, or involving vulgar language, will not be published.
*Letters will be published on a “first come, first served” basis. Any letters which we are unable to publish in the printed newspaper will be run online at www.merrillfotonews.com and may be printed in the paper at a later date if possible.