Editorial by Robert Anderson Publisher
Firefighter may have saved their jobs but now has hurt the economy of Lehigh Acres with the largest tax increase this community has ever seen.
The assessment was but on the back of the poor and medium classes of Lehigh Acres with lies and mistruths from the fire department.
The Fire Board itself is facing multitude of election law violations. And even one local business maybe facing criminal misdemeanor petty theft charges for their activities during Election Day.
Lehigh Acres has not recovered from the real estate bubble crash.
With this tax assessment it also harms small and medium business and makes hard to attract other business or investment into a community that it needs badly.
I have a little harming for the people, Chief Wayne has stated for the record he will lay off 46 men on April 1, 2015 and will not be able the hire them back into Dec 2015 that’s eight months of limited services from your fire department is that what you voted for? What’s your Life Worth Now?
Editor’s Note: The views expressed by Robert Anderson as Publisher do not necessarily reflect those held by the staff of the Lehigh Acres Gazette. The Gazette provides a venue for people to express their opinions concerning any subject matter and presents this as “opinion,” not news.
I guess you classify “poor and middle” class by the size of their house. There may be some truth to this, but in my opinion, that is about the only truth in your statement. Public services provided by a community have a great deal to do with development. Could there have been a better and “fairer” way to raise the money? Probably. Nothing is always absolute. Nothing is made to be unchangeable. The voters have spoken and now is the time to start moving forward. The voters have given the fire department an opportunity to continue their service at a level that the people deserve, the fire department needs to deliver that opportunity to the voters and people of the community.
People fell for it….WOW!! So will this “assessment fee” come separate of my tax bill or no? if that’s the case, I know what i’m doing with it.
it’s not technically a tax right? so, if I don’t use the service why should I pay? I can’t wait till the citizen’s of Lehigh realize what they did, and they band together and take this to court for refusing to pay. They basically have sealed our fate to raise our taxes every year forever. They (the County, Code Enforcement, and Fire Department) already don’t protect my property from the empty lots surrounding me, so what is giving them more money going to do for me now?
Nothing.
The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence. – John Adams, A Defense of the American Constitutions, 1787
Government is instituted to protect property of every sort; as well that which lies in the various rights of individuals, as that which the term particularly expresses. This being the end of government, that alone is a just government which impartially secures to every man whatever is his own. – James Madison, Essay on Property, 1792
A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government. – Thomas Jefferson, First Inaugural Address, 1801
You want my house for not paying?? Putting a Lien on my property???
Molon Labe
although morally rejected by most firemen, the practice of not responding to an emergency because the taxes or assessments were not paid has happened and actions were held up in a high court of law – hope you never need their help
I would hope it would be morally rejected by all firefighters and EMS personnel, considering the public backlash that would be felt by such an unethical practice. Also, The “just following orders” line wouldn’t work as it didn’t work with Nazi’s after WWII who were put on trial. If someone were to die or suffer great bodily harm, I would wonder how they could sleep at night and call themselves hero’s if that were the case. They should probably find another line of work if they feel that way. From a article in Tennessee on “no pay, no spray”: The fire department’s decision to let the home burn was “incredibly irresponsible,” said the president of an association representing firefighters.
“Professional, career firefighters shouldn’t be forced to check a list before running out the door to see which homeowners have paid up,” Harold Schaitberger, International Association of Fire Fighters president, said in a statement. “They get in their trucks and go.”
Also, just because something holds up in court does not make it right, ethical, or moral. The Supreme Court has been turned into a Kangaroo court for quite awhile now for instance. The court of law is a joke as of late, as the government circumvents the law on a daily basis. In fact, the whole United States has been turned into a giant Bread and Circus Show.
The chief stated he would layoff 54 fire fighters and close 2 stations if he didn’t get the bill passed.Also the ambulance service would be turned over to the county.Unless he was BS-ing us we will have reduced service for the next 8 months.So what say you now chief??
This is just the foot in the door. Watch as the assessment climbs every year. No need to vote on the increases either, it’s a done deal.
The people fell for the information fed to them by the chief, now all will pay.
Guess most missed that the layoffs were going to happen if it passed or not.
What happens to the money collected? The chief’s salary goes up? Now we can buy another ladder truck to pick up groceries.
I can’t help feeling violated by the LAFD by the way they conducted the campaign. What I like to know is, if we have to live within our means, why do they get to raise our taxes 50%, yes 50%. Is the reason so they give them self raises to over $100,000 a year while we have to live on less than $20,000. I have had the misfortune to need the paramedics a few times and they have never made it to my house in Lehigh in less than 30 minutes and they raise my taxes 50%. I think Governor Rick Scott needs to look in to the way they conducted the election and order a complete audit of the LAFD