Shopping locally pays off-á
Last week while doing business in Eatonville, I stopped into the health food co-op. I was pleasantly surprised with the large inventory. Picked up some fresh organic rhubarb for pies. I, also asked the cashier if they carried a favorite protein bar that I purchase weekly. They special-ordered the product, and each bar was 50 cents cheaper than I can purchase at Winco. I ordered a case. My next visit will be to visit the Black Star food store in town. I don't do as much shopping in Eatonville as I used to. However, I am going to start patronizing the local businesses again. I found it sad to drive by the empty storefronts. I encourage others to shop locally. It sure paid off for me last week. Judy Whitman-á
Hard to believe town can't survive on taxes, revenue-á
How is it that the town of Eatonville generates $1.90 million from its residents in taxes, licenses, permits, etc., and spends $1.89 running the town and yet the total budget for the town is $9.3 million? On page 39 of the online budget (town website) is a list of totals for the budget that summarize all the different fund buckets. Fund 001 is the revenue and cost to run the town; all the other funds are activities that the town controls, right? Of these other funds, electric, water, and sewer should be cash cows for the town, and these are not part of the $1.90 million in revenues the town generates. These three funds generate another $5.2 million in revenue with a profit of almost $500,000 (you have to look through the details, not the last page totals). Is this half million dollars used to service the multiple bonds (loans) that the town has? It is not that I don't want to support my community, I do. But it is not just my community that is asking for more bailouts. Our local governments from bottom to top are out of or running out of operating income, and our federal government ran out of money some time ago. I say reduce the number of officers in our police force and better account for the expenses in the budget. It is hard to believe that our town can not survive off the $1.90 million in taxes and $500,000 in re-selling electricity, refuse and sewer services. Oh, and a pet peeve is that we lost our animal control officer but still get taxed for $15,000 in animal licenses but only pay out $3,000 in county animal control services. GrrrGǪ James and Jeanna Green
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