Despite the fact that the recent increase in property taxes was mandated by the State, I have been made to understand that 99 percent of the funds collected are put at the disposal of local government. In view of the fact that the tax on my property rose a little more than 66.5 percent, I feel justified in asking these same local governments what circumstances necessitated the need for such a radical increase in taxes, and to ask further for a detailed accounting of how these taxes will be allocated and spent.
Specifically, I want to know how many of my tax dollars and those of my neighbors are being spent to provide benefits for illegal immigrants in our city and county. What are the costs of school breakfast/lunch programs? How many children of illegal parents are being jammed into our classrooms (some of whom don't speak English well or not at all and either slow down the level of instruction or create the need for a parallel curriculum)? To what extent does the presence of these children, whose parents are in our country illegally, contribute to the projected need for school expansion, which, of course, will be at further public expense? How about reimbursement for medically related costs to illegal immigrants? What does that tab come to over a year's time? Welfare, food stamps, judicial costs and the list goes on and on!
When I consider all the things that have been done for illegal immigrants in this city and county, and the complete lack of any enforcement of immigration policy or interest by local officials to buffer the citizenry from the cost of this influx of lawbreakers, I have to ask and I hope someone in authority will respond in this forum for all to see: Have our city and county officials declared Warsaw an illegal immigrant sanctuary without public notification or approval?
I realize the projections I requested above might be hard to come by, so instead why doesn't this newspaper do an investigative reporting job on what the costs related to illegal immigrants and their families has been to this community for the last couple of years? Certainly, those figures are available, even though there may be good reason why politicians might not want them made public. As the chief source of dissemination of news and information, the Times-Union has an obligation to inform the public of matters that so significantly impact their community and their personal finances.
With local elections fast approaching, every candidate for whatever office should be interviewed, and their position on these issues made public knowledge so that the taxpaying/voting public can elect local officials who will represent their interest and will enforce existing laws. There is no reason to maintain the status quo that provides people who have broken our laws the benefits of our society, all of which are funded by American citizens.
