Don’t get me wrong, I think the community center is a good idea. However, the new Kingston taxing district is a poor way to pay for it. By taxing 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for each home means that only homeowners will foot the bill. Sixty percent of homes are occupied by renters, that means the other 40 percent will have to shoulder the entire financial burden — just like school funding.
If this is the way our community is going to pay for things, then I believe only property owners should have the right to vote on these types of matters.
The only fair way to pay for the community center is by raising the sales tax, that way we all share in the cost and the burden is not passed on to the already over burdened homeowner. Unfortunately, I have no doubt this will pass since 60 percent of you have no financial stake.
Jack Shubic
Kingston