Support initiative on property tax reform

As you have probably heard, there is an initiative that needs to be on the November 2006 ballot. It will reform the way your property is assessed (valued), and will limit the increase in property tax dollars each year.

To put it simply, your property valuation cannot increase above 0.8 percent of 1 percent based on the 2004 value. The yearly tax levy rate cannot rise more than 1 percent per year based on the 2004 levy rate.

In order to get this on the ballot for the taxpayers to decide, approximately 47,000 certified signatures statewide are needed. If you did not read Tom Suttmeier's letter in the March 7 Daily Bee, please do so for more details.

You must be a Bonner County resident and registered to vote in order to sign the petition. Do not sign more than once time since duplicates will not count. Carefully follow the instructions on the signature page. Each signature is attached to the initiative so that you can read all the details.

A lot of people have worked very hard to get this far and they need your support to make it appear on the ballot. If you do not know where to find the initiative and petition to sign it, call Bob Chenault (265-5531) or Harold Stephenson (265-0266).

If we do not back this, we can quit complaining about the runaway increases in property taxes. And remember: This is not a Republican or Democrat thing. This is a taxpayer thing!

JERRY CLEMONS

East Hope