Letter to the Editor: If LFP Reserves are $5 Million Why Was Tax Increase Needed?

To the editor: 

I just received a direct mail piece from Dwight Thompson that is designed to take on some of the recent Gov Watch mailings.

On August 8, Dwight was quoted in the LFP Patch as saying he’s not focused on what Gov Watch is doing. “I’m running my own campaign with my own message. I’m not running against them [Gov Watch].”

Obviously, Dwight has a right to change his mind whenever it’s convenient (like his vote and personal financial support for the Prop. 1 tax increase before he heard the citizens (if only he’d asked before he tried to sneak it through on a primary ballot)).

He was obviously motivated to address Gov Watch in an expensive direct mail piece – his third of the campaign (imagine if he’d taken that money and given it to a charity or some cause that could have really used it).

In particular, he wanted to clear up the notion that we were drawing down our City’s reserve funds. Gov Watch says we have $1.5 million in reserves, but Dwight claims we have $5 million.

My question for Dwight: If we really have $5 million, why did you think we needed to raise revenues with a tax increase in the middle of a recession?

Sincerely,

Tom Cox

Lake Forest Park