Re: Highland assessment shocks Sanford

I want to set a few things straight about various “feelings”, reactions and statements attributed to me by Wes Keller in his article.

Firstly, I found your headline and several lines in the article rather strange. The headline and the mention of my name twice more in the article seems to be making me a significant part of the story, when the story (if there is one here) is really only an answer to a question posed to council. Who asks the question, which was a natural follow-up to the questions asked by Mr. Lowndes in the previous council session, is irrelevant in this case. Is there a purpose or “agenda” here?

Secondly, I was never “shocked”, and for Mr. Keller to state that I was, simply by reading the question I sent to council, is a bizarre stretch.

Thirdly, to say that I was “less than pleased” upon learning of the increased assessment, is again not true and is an example of an reporter injecting thoughts and feelings where there are none.

Fourthly, I never used the word “unjust”.

Here is exactly what I wrote to the Melancthon Council (you be the judge):

re: John Lowndes questions about The Highland Companies property taxes:

While I have no sympathies with The Highland Companies due to their stated intentions to quarry Melancthon farmland, the questions and their answers provided at the last council meeting appear to me to be puzzling and disturbing. The change in taxation as revealed in the questions and answers is arbitrary and unfair and I have to ask:

Would Council please explain how it is that a taxpayer’s assessment would be allowed to jump to new tax category (approximately four times higher) with no apparent change in use of the land?

Regarding the issue of discussion, I was puzzled by this assessment change, and concerned about how it might affect others in the township, not necessarily only The Highland Companies. I was surprised about the answer given to my question (and I think The Highland Companies were too). Mr. Keller should be more careful in writing his articles. I know I will be more “careful” when reading articles written by him.

Dennis Sanford

Shelburne