<b>Unhappy about huge tax increases  </b>

I wish to thank the six members of the Beaufort County Council who supported what I believe to be the largest tax increase in the 22 years that I have been a resident.  And I mean the increase over and above the reduced base because of reassessment. When a later computation of the tax base came out better, the school board volunteered a reduction, but county council leadership chose to ignore it. My home tax bill is up 11.6 percent.

My promise is that I will work diligently the next two elections to make sure the voters understand who voted for these huge tax increases — Operations 15.6 percent, debt service 23.4 percent, land purchase 12.1 percent. Was the debt service increase necessary to cover some of the $52 million (and not finished) overspending on the penny tax road program?

Then when the tax base was not as bad as originally computed, the school district volunteered a reduction, but council leadership refused to budge.

<b>Jim Bequette, Beaufort</b>
<div><b> </b></div>