Voters of District 2 have let me represent them since 1998. With many opinions about how Lee County should operate, it’s part of my job to understand why people have their perspectives. People talk to me about how local government affects their personal lives: taxes, roads, zoning, veteran support, wind farms, garbage trucks and dogs.

The most contentious topic is money: We all know it’s hard to get and easy to spend. We’re not happy with how much is required for taxes, yet we want the services those taxes provide, including schools, roads, fire and police protection. We all want “more for less.” Lee County needs businesses that provide jobs and pay taxes.

With our tax caps, revenues don’t come close to meeting rising costs, so proceeds from the landfill are used to fund day-to-day expenses. There’s a limit to how much longer Lee County can deficit spend.