Monday letters: Columbia taxes, spending threaten growth

I see Columbia at a crossroads. We have achieved much over the past few years, but ever-increasing taxes and fees are squeezing citizens’ budgets and forcing small businesses to close their doors or relocate outside the city, threatening to stifle our potential.

Meanwhile, a narrow majority on City Council continues to transfer millions of dollars from our ailing water and sewer system to pay for an ever-expanding budget instead of investing those dollars to meet the $500 million of improvements mandated by the federal government.

If this were not enough, some on council even want to vote themselves taxpayer-funded, lifetime retirement benefits after only a few short years of service.

It’s time to set aside the easy-money route of raising taxes, fees and fines and instead embrace flat budgets that force us to live within our means just like our hardworking citizens. Let’s start embracing an economic strategy that empowers families, businesses and entrepreneurs and let go of the myth that we can tax our way to prosperity.

Columbia’s taxes and fees are literally taking meals away from the widowed, elderly, orphaned and those on fixed incomes who can no longer absorb the cost.

As long as I am serving on City Council, I will fight this aggressive tax strategy and work to bring back jobs, lower the city’s financial burden on all our citizens and make Columbia business-friendly in word and in deed.