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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Belt keeps getting longer

It appears that our local government leaders do not understand the concept of belt tightening, but have grasped the concept of hiding the peanut under the shell.

As a nation, we are struggling to recover yet from 2008 to 2011, our local leaders have increased our sewer charges by 35.5 percent, our refuse removal fees by 7.9 percent, my property taxes by 10.6 percent, plus $20 more for auto tabs and who knows what else. The goal of these decision makers seems to be if you spread the increases widely and broadly enough no one will notice that each of us is paying hundreds of dollars more and the leaders avoid the hard choices of belt tightening that all of us have to make in our daily lives.

Phil Reed

Spokane

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