To the editor:
On April 2, residents of the Mehlville Fire Protection District have the opportunity to continue keeping tax rates low and services high.
However, the only way you can guarantee this win-win combination is to vote for the re-election of current Mehlville Fire Protection board member Ed Ryan.
In 2005, the reform team of Aaron Hilmer and Bonnie Stegman said, if elected, they would lower taxes and increase services, and they did just that. In 2007, Ed Ryan rounded out the reform team and was elected to the board with the same philosophy. Since then, they have accomplished everything they promised and more.
Here are the results with Ed Ryan on the MFPD board:
Tax rate
Now 41 percent lower than 2000.
2005 to 2012 — average tax rate equals 64.8 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.
2000 to 2004 — average tax rate equals 91.44 cents per $100.
Emergency services
In 2012, up to eight ambulances in service with 78 paramedics.
In 2005, up to five ambulances in service with 32 paramedics.
Three new fire stations were paid in full with no tax hike.
Opposing Ed Ryan is Michael Klund, who in 2011 spent nearly $100,000 trying unsuccessfully to unseat board Chairman Aaron Hilmer. Hilmer only spent $14,000.
Ask yourself why a selfserving, special-interest group — the firefighters’ union — would spend so much money trying to get Klund elected as their mouthpiece on the MFPD board?
In 2011, Mr. Klund stated, “… The reserves have been depleted …” In fact, the truth is that Ed Ryan and his fellow board members approved a 2013 budget with a reserve fund balance of $19 million.
Well, Mr. Klund, you were only wrong by $19 million.
Mr. Klund has a hard time getting the numbers right. Maybe that helps explain why he has paid his personal property taxes late 80 percent of the time over the last 10 years.
If you don’t help re-elect Ed Ryan April 2, then hold on to your wallet.
Terry Hildebrandt
Oakville
