Unhappy with cost of living in Ritzville

It would be bad enough if Project 56 was nothing more than a piling on of 66 cents per thousand dollars of assessed property valuation for each of two years.

After all, Project 56 will only cost the owner of a $100,000 property $66 each year. Why, that is barely more than $5 a month. Compare the Project 56 dream complex with the ongoing costs of the Ritzville Water Park. The water park currently costs the same property owner $79 yearly, although the tax bill will rise in 2013 to $81 annually or $6.75 each month. Would you like to use the pool for which you are paying? Oh, sorry, that is extra!

And speaking of extra, the $16 (+ 10% city tax) the city council is charging us for fixing the sewer lagoon project then bungled is a $17.60 monthly charge. And since May 2012 an additional minimum monthly charge of $5 (+ 10% city tax) for water has been added to the property owner’s monthly bill.

The city council is expected to raise monthly water rates at least another $5 (+ 10% city tax) for 2013.

It appears that the good folk of Project 56 are unconcerned about the burdens being piled upon local citizens. But worse, it appears Project 56 folk, the Ritzville School board, Ritzville Area Chamber of Commerce and other friends of Project 56 are unconcerned about the promises made to the citizens of Ritzville to not ask for public funding.

Barry L. Boyer

Ritzville