Crash tax is ‘empire building’
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Editor,
Polson Rural Fire Board has implemented the “crash tax,” in which we the taxpayers will start to see our car insurances increase over the years as the department starts charging for responding to auto accidents. Any way you look at this, it’s an increase in our cost of living, as we are paying a property tax to maintain our local fire department plus an increase in car insurance. And if you’re involved in an accident you will get socked with whatever fees the fire department charges for the call in the way of the “crash tax” fee.
In the May 11 board meeting, there was an assistant fire chief in the audience who said our group was “rolling our eyes” and I guess giving the board members the “evil eye.” He was also advocating that we should stop writing letters to the editor — as the fire personnel support this increase in revenue. That statement would make it appear the Rural Fire Board is no more than an extension of the fire department.
I have 28 years of volunteer firefighting experience in another state, so I fully respect the effort and dedication of any person engaged in these efforts. My problem is not the fire personnel; it’s government groups who are “empire building” by sneaking extra income into an organization to build it for their own benefit. What has happened to accountability for the taxpayer?
As the saying goes, if we the people don’t challenge our government agencies’ integrity, then we deserve the taxes and whatever else they dump on to us.
Jerry Peterson
Polson
