We’re lucky to have dedicated people in county government with deep commitments to preserving quality over quantity. Past taxes were based on a pyramid scheme of unsustainable development. Increased population increases the cost of government — forever. If we want to keep our island way of life, we are going to have to ante-up a little. There just aren’t any free lunches and past development is already costing us more and more.

No one wants higher taxes. They seem high now because of things we voted for when times seemed stable. We’re paying for it now. The commissioners had to cut government hard. They even cut their own salaries and benefits to the extent allowed. When have we ever seen that?

We lost our hydrologist who guards our aquifers. To keep government functioning, our commissioners are asking for a small tax increase in Proposition 1. An average of 40 bucks a year to keep our way of life afloat seems like a bargain to us. We’ve been carried away with blitz advertising and voted for far more expensive proposals before. Now Proposition 1 is important to all who care about staying and living here.

Al and Barbara Williams

Oak Harbor