Letter: Mayor's comment on ability to pay upsets resident

While reading a recent article on the city annexation of county land, I came upon a quote from one of our elected officials.

Now, I live in the southern part of town, in the county (a 35-year resident), and am not in one of these islands.

I know of several people who live in the areas where these islands are located so the article was of particular interest, but when I read where Mayor Jan Jones was quoted as saying, "If someone can afford a $120,000 house, they can certainly afford to pay an extra couple of hundred dollars in taxes each year," I became a bit miffed.

Who is she or anyone else to say I can or cannot afford something? That's like me saying that with all of her money that she can afford to sponsor my 10-year-old daughter's recreational softball team or my 15-year-old daughter's competitive travel softball team.

It's only an extra few hundred dollars each year. Quite an assumption, eh!

In all fairness, I'm sure Mayor Jones and her family pays their fair share of taxes and gives generously to the charitable organizations of their choice.

I do feel people should pay for services that may be extended to them (especially emergency services), but I don't believe it to be politically correct or appropriate for anyone (including politicians) to assume what I can or cannot afford, regardless of the value of my home (which happens to be around $130,000).

Michael Lundwall

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