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:
Steve Hass is the clear choice to be Merrill’s next Mayor. He possesses rare qualities in our world today, especially in politics and government. He is compassionate; he is humble; and he is honest.
His devotion to this City is something to behold. No one who has ever met Steve could walk away thinking otherwise. They may have disagreed with his decision; they may have thought his position flawed; but none would ever say Steve didn’t believe he works to make Merrill the best it can be.
Local politics is not immune anymore to polarization and partisanship, favors, knowing winks and nods, and moral or ethical ambiguity. Steve doesn’t have to worry about that. He puts the needs of others before his own, and his conscience is always led by one thing: What is best for the citizens of Merrill. Steve consistently and honestly weighs his decisions based on that principle. Not only the businesses; not the City bureaucracy and departments; not specific individuals; but as a representative of THE PEOPLE. Sometimes it is easy to be infatuated by easy money, grants or “Buy now, Pay later.” Steve has the experience to see past any fluff and understand what is really in the taxpayers’ best interests.
We could ask for no better candidate. He is a servant leader, a disappearing breed, and I ask that you join me in making Steve Hass our next Mayor. We will be fortunate to have him.
– Jeremy Thompson
Merrill, Wis.
To the Editor:
There are 14 Tax Incremental Districts (TIDs) in the City of Merrill. With this many TIDs, a portion of our property tax revenue (properties in TIDs) goes back into the Tax Incremental Fund (TIF) fund, and it’s not going to pay for services.
How TIF’s work. When the City Council approves a TIF, it freezes the amount of property tax dollars the schools, the parks, the county, and other taxing bodies get from that district for 23 years or until the TIF expires. If the schools were getting $100 from a TIF district when it was created, that’s roughly all they’ll get until the TIF expires. Any extra tax money, generated by rising assessments or new development, goes into the TIF fund.
Think about this. If the schools, NTC, police, fire, parks, and county can only get $100 from a TIF district, what do they do when their expenses go up to $200? They have to raise their levies – the amounts they each get from the property tax pie – to compensate for the money diverted to the TIFs. When they do that, property taxes go up. No matter what the city tells you, TIFs are tax hikes, plain and simple – the more you create, the higher taxes go.
The tax base will not increase until these TIDs expire, leaving the burden of the increased costs of services to the tax payers. Prepare for property taxes to rise for years to come.
– Rick Romatoski
Merrill, Wis.
To the Editor:
Imagine you are about to make the final payment on a four-year loan. Then the bank contacts you and says they have decided you should continue making your payment for another four years. They need your money for at best, vaguely defined reasons. It won’t cost you any more than you were paying and your budget will remain unchanged. Knowing all the facts, would you agree to such a scenario? That’s pretty much what happened in 2018 when the MAPS operating referendum passed. Back then, however, few citizens were aware that an outstanding debt (the Kate Goodrich School) had been paid off. Had that fact been widely reported, (a lie of omission) I suspect the results may have been different. Had we voted NO, our taxes would have gone down a noticeable amount. In essence, we continued to make the payment on a satisfied loan. Now MAPS wants us to do it again.
This latest referendum request comes barely a month before election day. That’s pretty short notice. I find the brazen guile of the MAPS board and administrators to be insulting. Inflation is running wild. People are hurting. This poorly conceived referendum is just another slap in the face to the beleaguered taxpaying citizens. On April 5th we have a rare opportunity to vote for a reduction in taxes. IT’S YOUR MONEY! Please vote NO on the MAPS Operating Referendum.
– Jeffrey Krall
Merrill, Wis.
To the Editor:
My name is Clyde Nelson, and I am running as a Write-in candidate for the 4th Aldermanic District in Merrill. I too, did not make this decision lightly. If you choose to write-in my name on April 5th, I would be proud and honored to serve you, the residents of the 4th District.
Recently, my opponent questioned my loyalty to the residents of the 4th District and the taxpayers of Merrill.
For the record, my opponent failed to mention my current affiliations in Merrill, which are the Knights of Columbus where I serve as the Grand Knight, St Francis Xavier Finance Council, Merrill Area United Way (Past President), Lincoln County Fair Association, Habitat for Humanity, Volunteer at the Merrill Area Food Pantry, and a member of the Merrill FFA Alumni. Previously, I represented Good Samaritan Hospital while on the Northwoods Ascension Board, a member of Merrill Rotary (Past President) and a Sapphire Paul Harris Fellow, volunteered with Junior Achievement at Kate Goodrich School, and assisted with the planning and volunteering at the annual June Dairy Month breakfast held at the MARC.
Within City government, I am the Chairperson of the Redevelopment Authority and sit on the Marketing and Communications Committee.
Over my tenure in Merrill I have represented all the citizens of Merrill through the countless hours of volunteerism with non-profits and work on City Committees.
– Clyde Nelson
4th District Write-in Candidate
Merrill, Wis.
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