New administrator should rethink RICO tax hikes

JON NOLAND had this letter published in the October 22 Dispatch/Argus. "Mr. Ross, I was and am an ardent supporter of hiring a professional to salvage RICO. I applauded your hire, trusting things would be different now and we could return to financial normalcy. ..... Now, however, I am wondering if you were the right selection for the job. You propose a 16.8 percent property tax increase. You don't want to lay off or fire anyone. That is what your predecessors would have done and said! Where is the original thought and ideas you were asked to bring to RICO? Look at the headlines. What are companies doing when in trouble financially? They lay off people! What does government do? Raise taxes! ..... There are many bold steps you could have suggested. Sell Hope Creek. Eliminate township government and function like our much more successful neighbors across the river. Even reducing the number of board members -- while not a big savings -- would at least demonstrate the board and yourself are serious about change. There are a multitude of other things you could do as well. ..... Mr. Ross, our purses are not bottomless, as all politicians seem to think they are. Let's get some real. original thoughts out of you. After all, that is why we hired you."