Taxpayers get burned

Editor:

Brentwood plans to discontinue fire service contract with the county within 30 days. Their statement: "It was not a good deal for the city of Brentwood three years ago and it continues to be a poor deal for us." Since they have to pay $650,000 annually, I can understand and agree with their way of thinking.

Why didn't they think of that back in 1997?

The county merged the Byron Fire District and the Brentwood district to help Brentwood. Brentwood as a city should have had its own fire department back in 1997, as it has its own police department.

Our County Supervisor Mary Piepho lived in our area at the time the county stole every thing from our fire district. Our supervisor knows what I'm talking about. How could our supervisor consider placing anything on a ballot to raise taxes $250 per year for "enhanced fire service"?

In my opinion, the voters (taxpayers) should and would turn it down if the county were to place it on a ballot (remember, we were denied our voting rights before).

The California Department of Forestry should be considered an option.

The county finds $6 million more in property taxes. The county supervisors gave themselves a 60-percent raise, plus cost of living, plus annual deferred compensation.

Contra Costa County needs to be renamed Santa Claus County.

John E. Fritz