Dear Editor: This coming up Feb. 5, in our presidential primary, in our state, there will also be on the ballot a question asking the voting citizens to allow the seniors of our county, over 65 years old and with an adjusted income no more than $25,000 income, to have an additional $10,000 exemption from school taxes - for a grand total of $30,000. 

I think every voting citizen of our county, would like for the 65-year-old and older citizens to be free from paying school taxes, like so many other counties in our state do. 

But, all I hear, is, "Somebody else will have to pay the taxes that the seniors don't pay." 

This is true, looking at it one way, but there are other ways of looking at the taxes that the seniors would not be paying. 

The tax digest for the county is going up each year, with the increased growth of new homes and business. The tax rate or millage is based on the value of all taxable property. 

Is it fair for people who don't even live in this county to pay school taxes?  Well, that is what is happening, every hour of the day. Visitors come to the county and when they buy something, they pay a 2 percent sales school tax, so somebody else is paying to school our children. Is that fair?

Citizens who drive an SUV, are paying twice as much gas tax as people who just drive a car because the car gets twice as much miles per gallon as does the SUV. Is this fair for one set of citizens to pay more taxes?

I ask all citizens to please vote yes on the question of more tax exemption for our senior citizens - of school taxes. It does not mean that every 65-year-old property owner will be free from school taxes. Only those with an adjusted annual income of $25,000 will be exempt.

Thank you for your support of the 65-year-old citizens of our county.