Praise for process

Dear Editor,

Thank you to the reassessment board members. I was one of the few Warren County residents who accepted that the reassessment would raise my taxes. We moved here from Lakewood in 2018 where my property taxes were more than three times what we pay in Warren County on a comparable home value. I received my reassessment value and it looked too high. I calculated what I thought the value was based on purchase price and improvements over the past seven years. I compared it to comparable home sales in the area over the past two years and similar home valuations.

I filed an appeal and met with the board. I was asking for a 10.5% reduction in assessed value. The board listened and reviewed my data. I received our results and the assessed value was reduced by 8.5%.

Not what I was asking for but a significant reduction. I found the process to be very fair.

John D. Osborne,

Sugar Grove

Worx costing too much

Dear Editor,

I see in Times Observer that Warren Worx wants $100,000 from both the city and county each for its $441,000 2026 budget. It aims at digital marketing toward ages 25 to 44 with incomes $50,000 to $200,000 interested in hiking, camping, the outdoors, fitness and exercise. Forget about these people that leave garbage, empty cans, plastic bottles and other junk around.

How about getting jobs into the county that pay $50,000 and up? After all, your alleged name is Warren Worx, not Warren Cleans Up.

Three “tours” of local businesses for what? How about getting new businesses to come in?

Why would Warren Worx do a housing study? People are bailing out of the county because of no jobs. Hell, I can do a study for free: lots of empty houses because of no jobs, end of study. I just saved the city and county money they don’t need to send to the scam.

If the city and county keep funding this scam at $200,000 or more a year we can look for another tax reassessment at least every other year. Ribfest, burgers, basketball and canoe races will not save Warren County. Savannah Casey’s appointment to council will work out real good for WCCBI and Warren Worx. They now have an insider in the city along with county.

I just hope nobody from WCCBI and Warren Worx don’t get to be a county commissioner. Still trying to understand what “The place to become” means. If I remember right it cost us taxpayers almost $200,000 to some outfit that comes up with bright ideas for branding slogans.

I think it is sort of dumb. “The place to become.” Jobless, in debt, bankrupt, homeless and moving out, guess it’s not as dumb as I thought. Apparently they knew more about Warren County than I gave them credit for. They sure did their jobs and due diligence to study Warren and what goes on here. Tax money well spent on a study? Not so much!

Daniel F. Wilson,

Tidioute

Political speak

Dear Editor,

In recent political conversations, I find myself talking to one of the following types of people:

The Humanitarian. This person is guided by a respect for human rights, equity and inclusion. They listen to and learn from those who have experience in government, social systems and education, for example. They understand that opinions don’t change facts — facts change opinions. If they have not yet taken action, the potential is there.

The Indifferent. Their plates are too full of busy schedules or perhaps privilege – the privilege of not being affected, or so it seems. These individuals do not have a hunger for justice. They are not angry, involved or informed. They might lump all politicians as corrupt. In any event, their silence is complicity.

The Opinionated. This one is quick to excuse the Trump administration’s destructive and lawless actions. “Whataboutism” and white supremacy reveal themselves. There is a lack of respect for human rights, constitutional structure and basic rule of law. Repeating sound bites and headlines, their views remain rock solid.

Do you find yourself in any of these descriptions or conversations?

Zohran Mamdani’s recent mayoral win in New York City is a refreshing moment for America. His movement brought out non-voters and Trump voters alike, showing us that political views do not always remain rock solid. Americans can transcend party identities and create something new. This is how America was founded. This is how it will prevail.

Can we create more of these moments? How might we inspire productive political conversation?

Mary Lisa Gustafson,

Kane

Not pretty picture

Dear Editor,

A majority of us have come to a conclusion that there are similarities to Adolf Hitler in Washington with Storm Troopers in several United States cities. Eventually, we the people, will put an end to this un-democratic outrage.

M.J. Shanshala,

Warren