Sound Off Delaware

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Tax exempt?

An idea to consider waiving town of Cheswold council members’ municipal tax obligations as a form of compensation has been floated in the Kent County community. Vice Mayor Larence Kirby clarified this week that the possibility “came from a brain storming session, as someone thought other municipalities utilized compensation.” The topic appeared on the Nov. 5 regular meeting agenda posted online at cheswold.delaware.gov.

• Exempting selected persons from municipal taxation is a bad idea —perhaps a violation of law. Among other things, some council members hold more valuable property than others, unfairly creating unequal compensation among them under an exemption plan. Some council members, present or future, may own multiple properties. If council members are to be compensated, it should be in a stated amount per office holder paid from town funds. — Bill Anderson

• It is not possible to understand the pain of taxation if you are not subject to the taxation. This is like turning Cheswold into a medieval fiefdom where the ruling class was exempt from the lord’s taxes. — Bob Skuse

• It’s a slippery slope once you start paying them. Don’t do it and you’ll only get people that truly want to serve the community. — Greg Sheraton

Immigration debate

Readers reacted to a recent letter headlined “Applause for Trump on immigration issues”

¶ Where is the caravan now? This activation of military members was a political ploy. The 5,000 military members would have better served California fire victims. Even the Pentagon cannot continue with the wasted taxpayer dollars to “protect against a caravan” of asylum seekers 1,000 miles south of the US border.

• Seriously? They are in Tiajuana on our border. — Dana Watford Kavanagh

• Another sad diversion from Trump, and an expensive one at that and a total waste of the military, all they’re doing is waiting around. — Rob Roth

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