The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

The Warrensburg R-VI school district wants to raise our taxes! Taken together with the expected ambulance district and library votes, we’ll have the opportunity to raise our property taxes by over $1.00. Not all that long ago, the voters approved a waiver so the school district wouldn’t have to roll back the property tax as their sales tax money increased; it appears that that blank check wasn’t enough for them. Property taxes will increase automatically as new construction raises the tax base of the district; that’s not enough, either.

The R-VI school district wants a larger share of our incomes. As a recession looms, business activity slows and unemployment increases, the school administrators believe they need our shrinking incomes more than we do. Senior citizens find their Social Security cost of living increases getting smaller; those who have worked hard and invested and saved face lower interest income and declines in portfolio value. Since the property tax increase would apply to both real and personal property, the taxes on that old car would go up as well.

When it comes time for a vote on more taxes, which will be more important: an ambulance to answer your emergency call or a fancier band program? A library to serve all the people or another interscholastic sport for the athletically talented? Is anyone on that school board speaking for the taxpayer?