LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

 

I, like many Wisconsinites, are asking the question — why are the millionaires and billionaires in Wisconsin not paying their fair share of state income taxes Senator Ron Johnson, a member to that exclusive group, has made it clear he is vehemently opposed to this.  On the contrary, Senator Johnson tries to justify supporting a GOP agenda that would increase taxes for 32% of Wisconsinites. Senator Johnson’s entire career has been built while voting against Wisconsin families and negotiating deals for the affluent few, who support his campaign.

It is unacceptable to see someone who represents our great state, actively work against Wisconsinites. We deserve a senator who will fight to lower our taxes, as well as make sure the ultra-rich pay their fair share.  I will be passing over Senator Johnson’s name on the November ballot and encourage my friends, neighbors, and family members to do the same. I, like many residents in our fine state, deserve a fresh new type of elected official.  We need a younger, value-based individual who truly believes in public service, not private gain.

Paul Kristoffersen, 287 White Oak Road, Fontana, WI 53125

 

I just wanted to bring up an issue about how the city of Lake Geneva department heads are handling particular ordinance/rule violations on a property here in the city. For at least four years a property owner without any approval from the Building & Zoning Department, Plan Commission, or the City Council significantly enlarged the parking lot and removed the required/ mandatory buffer/screening of trees on its perimeter. Had no marking for a required handicapped parking space.

This addition encroached on the city’s right of way. It is so frustrating when I see a number of these well-paid department heads mishandling this kind of thing. When I first brought up these violations to their attention about a year and three quarters ago, I was ridiculed and made light of. After numerous attempts by me to be taken seriously, I finally was able to get some traction with it. Eventually, with much ado, the city finally did order the owner to “restore” these illegal changes to the imposed 1992 conditions. That was on Jan 4th, 2021. It is now 1 year and 4 months later and not even one item has been rectified on the property! They have never given the owner a deadline with penalties/repercussions for non-compliance. The suggestions that I gave them a while ago have not even been acknowledged! In essence, they have trained the owners on how to treat the city. The owners went before the Public Works Department back in November of 2021, to get “relief”. Then they filed an appeal with the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) to allow the changes they made to remain in force. The city still did not impose any kind of deadline with repercussions. The last correspondence was that the owner would be filing a lawsuit. And so far, no suit is on record.

City resources are being wasted and misused here in my opinion! It is so frustrating that I thought that if a citizen brought to light something like this they might try to handle the process a little differently. I can only imagine what other “undiscovered” issues are being treated in this same ineffective way! Remember that these are your hard-earned tax dollars being wasted here. I am just trying to help things along here, but I get the feeling that they don’t take it that way. A number of times I was treated like I was an intruder to their “operations” when I was just providing some constructive ideas.  I think that if more citizens were more aware and got involved even a little bit about their city’s functioning its operations, the city’s employees who really work for you would be more prone to do a much better job.

Tom Jacobsen

 

 

Sign up for Updates