I read in Wednesday's paper Post Falls is considering a tax increase. It is interesting when you consider the stats that Coeur d'Alene is not raising property taxes in these difficult financial times and Rathdrum is doing only a 1 percent increase. Rents are at an all-time high as many people can no longer afford to be homeowners yet we want to raise taxes and make it more difficult to own a home.

The article also mentioned police officers in Washington are making more money. Yet as I have been told by people who live in Washington their property taxes are considerably higher than here in Idaho. Is that really the direction we want to be headed? Do we really want to compete with Washington and keep raising our taxes? How is it our other local communities are not having this problem and forced to raise taxes?

I would be very curious to know the pay and benefits of our local officers. I have read it is up to $65,000 a year plus benefits. Have the council members Ron Jacobson and Skip Hissong who are so intent on raising our taxes really looked at all alternatives? As voters we should remember these names. I do believe Post Falls has some really good quality police officers who do a good job here and are happy to stay. I also see the sheriff's department and Idaho state patrol in the Post Falls area patrolling and writing citations so I find it hard to believe the area is understaffed.

If we really need to spend some money why not do so on a much needed Greensferry interchange. When you see and experience the traffic back up trying to get on the freeway off 41 during rush hour you can really see a need for an additional interchange rather than a single lane onto the freeway. Let's remember, this is Post Falls, not Liberty Lake, not Spokane. We are an area consisting of working middle class citizens supporting families and many retired community members living on a fixed income. Lets not drive them out of the area to a less expensive place to live.

C. SCHOLZ

Post Falls