Opinion

Oppose the option tax

Dear Editor,

While I applaud Killington’s plans for its expansion plans for summer business, I do not think it should be in any way contingent on the 1 percent option tax.

A large percentage of the Killington residents are retirees with fixed incomes who moved here when property taxes were low and the decreases in the population are a testament to the increased property taxes already in place.

Not one person that I have spoken to about this issue is in favor of abolishing this 1 percent option tax.

Why should my property taxes be increased to pay for Killington’s improvements? Excuse the sarcasm, but I don’t remember Killington offering a profit sharing plan to residents; and summer business really has no impact on real estate prices to home owners, no matter what they are

trying to sell.

Those of us, a good percentage in our late 60s and 70s, are interested in NOW; we still have a $5 million golf course debt and we are talking about a new fire house. Is the Killington management dreaming? (By the way, how many of the management live in Killington and would have to personally pay these additional property taxes?)

As I said, I have spoken to many registered voters and not one person is in favor of doing away with the option tax at this time  and I intend to speak to them all. This must not happen.

Between 25 and 40 houses are on the market in Killington now due to the high property taxes, so there is no way the community is going to support any move that requires us to pay more property taxes.

I encourage all residents to voice their opinions now so it doesn’t even appear on the warning for the March meeting.

Diane Scappaticci Rosenblum, Killington

Mountain Times Newsletter

Sign up below to receive the weekly newsletter, which also includes top trending stories and what all the locals are talking about!