Keystone tax money only a pipe dream
This is an update concerning the property tax dollars being promised to the six counties the Keystone Pipeline passes through.
Legislators and Keystone have stated repeatedly the counties just have to be ?patient,? and after 10 years they will start receiving property-tax dollars from the pipeline.
The reality is far different, and I feel the counties involved are being systematically misled about this issue. For property-tax determination, the value for the pipeline is based on a ?state assessed? value provided to the counties. The county appraisers have no role in this determination.
In two different court hearings, Keystone lawyers have pointed out to the judges that they do not concur with the county?s concern about the exemption since after 10 years they will start receiving the property tax money.
The reality is as follows:
In 2011, the state valuation was $21,171,668.
In 2012, it was $17,784,097.
In 2013 it was $13,875,655.
As you will note, the pipeline has lost 34 percent of its original state-assessed value due to accelerated depreciation after only three years. After 10 years there will be little if any value remaining for tax purposes.
Keystone has also stated this is a 100-year pipeline and the counties will be paid property taxes for up to 90 years. If you do the math?90 times little or nothing equals little or nothing?you will note this situation, and hopes for the future is nothing but a pipe dream.
Dan Holub
Marion County commissioner
Recent blood drive reaches donation goal
It is wonderful to think of all the lives that will be touched by the blood donations given at the American Red Cross blood drive in Hillsboro June 17 at Trinity Mennonite Church. Fifty-four people came in to donate. We met our goal for the first time in quite a while. Thanks!
We hope each person who came in and bravely donated to help save a life will share this positive experience with someone who has never donated before. The No. 1 reason people do not give blood is because they are not asked.
Blood shortages are increasingly common, as many people who were once regular blood donors are now in need of medical treatments that require blood. We need more people to make blood donation a routine community responsibility. Donating blood is safe and easy, and something so simple is also very vital.
Thanks to everyone who made our last blood drive a success?to all the wonderful blood donors and all the generous community volunteers who made the drive run so smoothly.
Our next blood drive is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 12, at the Hillsboro United Methodist Church.
Gladys Funk, Shirley Kasper
Blood drive co-chairs
Hillsboro
