County's taxpayers need remedial government math

Although I freely admit to being less than a mathematical genius, I did recently dive to the wreckage of a few past years' tax payments, and feel something is amiss.

The percentages of increase in actual dollars paid on the same piece of property, comparing each year to the year preceding were: 2002, plus 11.41 percent; 2003, plus 1.56 percent; 2004, plus 2.46 percent; and 2005, 32.11 percent.

Thus, for me, the average increase in tax dollars spent was 13.29 percent, or 443 percent of the mythical 3 percent annual increase limitation. This of course does not include 2006, which saw my assessed valuation increase 68 percent over 2005. Even considering my mathematical deficiencies, this looks like too many percents. Perhaps I might suggest that Bonner County consider holding remedial governmental math classes for those of my ilk which might alleviate our confusion?

TERRY LAMB

Sagle