To the city: Spend wisely

To the Editor:

I read the front page article in the newspaper of Aug. 19, 2009, titled "Annexation Process Begins."

A good portion of the land in Zone B that Brazil is planning to annex is mine. Currently, I live on this land and have small livestock. It is zoned county and agricultural.

I paid $2,700 to run water to the barns in November 2008, which the City of Brazil received some of that money for their "services."

I pay them a monthly bill for water for my barns and my home, as well as trash removal. I do not plan to develop my land or sell it for commercial use, even if the City of Brazil annexes me and bans my animals.

It will cost them more to annex me than they will ever receive in taxes from me.

Therefore, who will benefit from this annexation? I certainly won't.

I already have paid and continue to pay for the services I receive from them. If Brazil is truly interested in attracting businesses and jobs to the area in order to increase tax revenue, there are so many more ways of doing so rather than spending tens of thousands of your tax dollars to annex land that is privately owned and will produce modest taxes.

Just look at the empty commercial building lining our main street. Why can't we look into revitalizing main street as so many other cities have done so successfully? Have the residents of the proposed annexation zones requested services, which can be provided only by annexation?

Have they been polled in order to establish their views? How much research has been invested in this plan? Who benefits?

I will attend the upcoming city council meetings to express my concerns and hope residents in the other "zones" will too, as well as Brazil residents who are currently paying the taxes the city is planning to spend to annex these zones.

Most families in Brazil and around the country have felt the economic crunch and have been forced to think more wisely and spend their money more wisely.

Shouldn't our local government have to do the same with your tax dollars?

Amy Adams,

Brazil