Letters from July 21, 2007

Josh Brown

Commissioner needs to stay at home

We expect our county commissioners who are paid more than $100,000 per year to stay in Kitsap and do their jobs. In his first seven months in office, Commissioner Josh Brown has traveled to Washington, D.C., New York City; San Francisco; Walla Walla; and Richmond, Va.

Now you know why some Kitsapers complain Josh Brown does not return their phone calls or e-mails. He needs to quit acting like a pop star, get back home, and do his job.

Richard A. Brown

Port Orchard

Library levy lift

Reporter got figures wrong in story

Thank you for the ongoing coverage of library funding needs, as evidenced by the recent article “Library system mulls another try”.

We appreciate every opportunity to get the facts out to our public, and so must respond swiftly to correct the glaring error that, unfortunately, marred an otherwise wonderful article by your reporter.

Regarding our May 15th levy lid lift initiative, the article states: “The original levy lift… would have increased the property allocation from .33 cents to .48 cents per $1,000.” This is nearly correct (the current rate is 30 cents, not 33 cents). However, the article goes on to significantly misrepresent the cost of this increase to the taxpayer. Your reporter wrote “This translated to a $48 increase in property taxes for each $100,000 of assessed value.” This is incorrect information!

This levy request would have translated to an $18 (not $48) increase in property taxes for each $100,000 of assessed valuation. The 48 cent request we made back in May was only an 18 cent difference from the current tax rate of 30 cents, which again is only an 18 cent increase for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.

As your recent article reports, requests for any increase in funding in the future are being considered by the Kitsap Regional Library Board of Trustees.

A well-informed public is so vital to decisions about future library funding. I want to be sure that our community has full and accurate information, particularly in matters concerning their very important tax dollars.

Jill Jean

Library Director

Kitsap Regional Library

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