To the editor:

It recently occurred to me that April 18 is not the only important tax date to remember — mark your calendars for the April 5 Mehlville Fire Protection District Board of Directors election.

Since he was first elected in 2005, Aaron Hilmer has been hard at work protecting the interests of taxpayers in the Mehlville Fire Protection District. Our 67.1-cent tax rate is the lowest in St. Louis County and is actually lower than the rate that was in effect for the district in 1989.

That alone is a great accomplishment, made even greater when you consider that MFPD services and facilities have been significantly expanded over the last six years:

• Three new firehouses, with a fourth under construction.

• Three new fire trucks.

• Six new ambulances.

• One new rescue squad.

These facts lead me to conclude that Aaron Hilmer has a keen business sense and his priorities are aligned with the community he serves. That makes the April 5 election a no-brainer for me — I will be voting to re-elect Aaron Hilmer to the Mehlville Fire Protection District Board of Directors.

Amy Fix

Oakville