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Residents of Davis County are hopping mad, as they should be.
In times like these, any hefty tax increase, let alone the 138 percent hike County Commissioners initially proposed is incredulous.
Yet, Davis County residents should be pointing some of their accusatory fingers in their own direction as well as at the three republican County Commissioners, two of who ran virtually unopposed for re-election in November.
Some residents complain they should have been told about a potential tax hike before the election. It’s a legitimate complaint.
But honestly, why would incumbent politicians raise such an explosive issue on their own?
Granted, the news media bears some of the blame for not performing its watchdog role. Some aggressive reporting could have exposed what was happening.
The bigger problem, though, is lack of political diversity in Davis County. Had there been some competition from candidates from other political parties, other than a lone Libertarian, the taxation issue likely would have surfaced. Voters, then, would have been more knowledgeable when they cast their ballots.
KSL firmly believes the political process in a free society is best served when divergent voices are heard, and conflicting views are openly debated and given serious consideration.
It didn’t happen in politically homogenous Davis County during the last election and residents there will be paying for the absence of election-time dialogue.
