Dear editor:
In reference to the annexation article series in The Sentinel-Record April 10, 2017. No, Mr. Frasher, "You don't get it!"
I am offended by your statement that county residents are enjoying benefits from the city that we don't pay for.
Fact 1 -- we are charged triple the water and sewer rates than city residents are.
Fact 2 -- we paid for a water improvement district and a sewer improvement district back in the 1960s and 1970s. My payment was $200 more a year added to my property tax statement for 20 years. Check the facts with Ray Owen.
Fact 3 -- my fee for fire protection from the Lake Hamilton Fire Department is $106 per year.
Fact 4 -- 90 percent of the taxes on my county property go to the Hot Springs School District. That is before the millage recently voted on is added for 2017.
You and the city board have created a lot of animosity with the county residents that didn't exist before you sent a delegation to Fort Smith to help draft the amendment that would be voted on by our state Legislature to ramrod it through.
Our representative, Mr. Cozart, admitted he didn't know to what extent your land grab would encompass when the board exercised their "affirmation of the democratic process" and annexed Enclave B (and C and D).
The democratic way would be to let the county residents vote whether we want to be annexed to the city or not.
This is not Wisconsin, Oregon or Missouri.
Welcome to Hot Springs, Ark.
Do you get it now?
Ann H. Goff
County resident for 64 years
Editorial on 04/19/2017