As a disciplined reader of The Bulletin’s editorial page, I find many thought-provoking and logical pieces. I am presenting an alternate viewpoint on the article supporting a property tax increase for improved emergency response time.

Fire protection is one of the community’s few core needs, and as such, should be funded at the level required to meet the population’s true needs, including adequate response times, whatever those might be. Funding for that level of service should not compete with non-core services.

The lapsing jail and library bonds should be viewed as an opportunity to provide property tax relief to a population where many find it necessary to choose between food and fuel on a daily basis. Outside of governments in general, we do not live in an “and” world. Many must choose between food “and” fuel. Difficult decisions are made daily as citizens eke out a living in today’s economy.

There is not an end to the good things to do. We just have to decide how much can be done. Most can be accomplished through individual and group action, and some can only or best be accomplished through government. It is this latter that creates a tax burden on citizens and so must be very carefully scrutinized for true need and value to the community. Government was never meant to be all things to all people. Rather, it is to provide those basic core services people are less suited to accomplish on their own. The non-core services should compete with each other for remaining budget funding.

Steve Crenshaw

Bend