Char Braun in the June 12 Call stated that “we need to pay a bit more” to the city of Crestwood by supporting a 93-percent property tax-rate increase over that of 2007.

I don’t consider this large an increase to be just “a bit more.” My challenge to Ms. Braun and others of similar progressive thinking: If you feel that Crestwood needs more money, get out your checkbook and write them a check.

I don’t think Crestwood would refuse it.

Or hold a bake sale or get the state to let us have all our sales taxes again if that sales-tax-“sharing”-with-pool-cities ripoff perpetrated by the late Buzz Westfall is still in effect.

I pay enough taxes already thanks to Charlie Dooley and the county assessor artificially raising our property values an average of 22 percent last year.

So when I see that Crestwood has $1.3 million more in 2007 than 2006, I have to ask why still even more is needed?

Apparently, there was no crisis when over $377,000 was spent last February on a new police communications system, especially when the budget request was for $95,000.

This kind of spending is not indicative of the disciplined approach we citizens expect from our city government, and we should not bail them out with additional tax revenue.

Henry V. Taber

Crestwood