A City Council committee’s Dec. 7 examination of how Dover residents are paying for duplicate city and county services was long overdue. According to staff writer Doug Denison’s story, city residents ante up taxes that pay for Dover employees to provide numerous services within our municipal limits.
That’s only right.
But since Dover is a part of Kent County, Dover residents also pay county taxes, and some of those taxes are ostensibly used for the same things — building inspections, recreation, planning, etc. — the county provides people living in places such as Thompsonville or Dinahs Corner.
But those people aren’t paying for duplicate services like the folks in Dover, and this has caused some city residents to cry foul.
Attempts to change switch to a system where taxes are prorated, similar to that agreed upon between New Castle County and its various municipalities have made it through the state House of Representatives, but not through the Senate. The last attempt was a decade ago. That’s too long.
To my recollection, this is the first time the subject been brought to this level at least eight years, so it appears some baby steps are being taken to at least talk about it.
The problem is that if Dover’s residents find relief from paying for some county services, then Levy Court commissioners will have to find a new source of revenue. It’s not hard to imagine a property tax increase would soon follow.
That may please Dover residents, but I doubt voters around Blackiston, Hazlettville or Andrewville will be very happy.
It may turn out its better to leave things as they are, but it’s good the subject at least is under discussion.
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Quick — name things that come in multiples of nine.
Innings in a baseball game.
Planets in our solar system (I still count Pluto).
Holes in a round of golf (the front nine and the back nine).
Tiger Woods’ alleged mistresses.
Ooops.
The legend that is Tiger Woods continues to grow, but in ways the world’s best golfer certainly hadn’t anticipated when he allegedly crashed his Cadillac Escalade on Nov. 27. Several sources now report Woods has had enough liaisons to field his own women’s softball team.
The ladies coming out of the woodwork, as my wife said this morning.
If all of this is true, only Tiger knows why he’s gotten himself into this mess. I can’t see cheating on a spouse even once. Nine times — and perhaps even more — strains belief. But it’s not the first time a celebrity or politician has done this, and it won’t be the last. It’s just unfortunate that Tiger, who has fostered an image as a sportsman and family man with a reputation above reproach, has let down a lot of people who looked up to him.
