I strongly urge taxpayers to get out and vote No on the LOSST (Forever Tax) March 5. The most appalling part of the vote is, if you vote yes, and it passes, this time it will become a Forever Tax because the mayor and his handpicked committee advised the council not to put in a sunset clause. They want this tax to be forever, which is unconscionable. There must be a sunset clause. No tax should be forever. This should actually be voted on in Nov. when there’s a much larger voter turnout, which the city fears.

Notice the city does not give you a choice to spend 100% of the LOST money on streets and infrastructure. Why not? Voters should have that choice. I would support a LOSST if it was guaranteed 100% of the tax was spent for street repairs every year. But the mayor and some council members would rather keep using bonds and pay long-term interest for infrastructure while the annual $4 million from LOSST is interest-free money that could be used.

That would be $20 million for streets every five years — interest free! It’s a no brainer. And if you add the half million from the controversial speed camera fines, along with the road use tax money every year, the city could actually create and successfully execute a city-wide comprehensive street and infrastructure repair plan, all with interest-free money! And your property taxes would actually go down, because the city would not be using so many bonds with high long term interest payments for infrastructure. Taxpaying voters deserve that option.

I believe LOSST is merely a slush fund for the city to offset their mismanaged and special interest spending and the ongoing damaging effects that the TIF Program spending has caused to our infrastructure in all older parts of town. TIF is like Robin Hood in reverse. It robs the poor of tax money to give to the rich, and that’s a fact you cannot argue.

Voting NO and defeating this tax now will allow the city to bring it back in Nov. when most taxpayers vote, and with the option of putting 100% of LOSST money towards our crumbling streets and other infrastructure. That is the only way I will ever vote for it. Please join me in voting NO on this Forever Tax on March 5. And no tax should be forever!