Who do you recommend we contact besides the County Executive?

We moved here from Connecticut 2 ? years ago. Our house in Fairfield County Connecticut was comparable to our home here in COH, but our property taxes are more than double - and climbing! I keep asking myself where is the value for all those taxes when we had the same services and good schools in CT?

Yes - who do we contact to complain? We've been here for 11 years and have seen our total Property and School taxes double or maybe a little more in that time. With the State in the shape it's in those taxes are likly to rise significantly, and likewise at the Federal level. The fact is - we can no longer afford all the services and cuts will have to be made - otherwise - people WILL have to begin bugging out to lower cost areas. KJ seems to cause nothing but trouble when it comes to water and other resources while avoiding taxes with politicians afraid to say NO for fear of anti-semitism charges. So - who do we - the average OC and COH citizen complain to?

The ChangeOrange website says to contact your county legislator. Here is a list:

http://www.orangecountygov.com/documentView.asp?sessionID=CAAGBBABABHBEJJJJIA&docID=2206

I would recommend you sent a letter to ALL the county legislators and ask them to oppose the water master plan. We need 11 votes and I am hopeful we can get the legislators to realize that people are tired of taxation without representation.

In the case of the OCWA when combined with the Water Master plan, the county executive can use the OCWA's power of eminent domain to seize municipal water supplies and then send it to the "High Priority Growth" areas identified in the Comprehensive plan. Without the Water Master Plan the county can only use eminent domain to seize private wells and property.

Since the OCWA was established with a county-wide water district the OCWA also has the power to tax all residents to support its capital projects. So the county can tax all residents and only has to supply water to only those who are in these preferred areas. Just like the MTA, you can be taxed and not ever use their service, and you have no one you can go to except the County Executive if you want to complain.

In the case of the Orange County Sewer District the members pay fees and the county administers that district. The municipalities have had to fight for an opportunity to participate in any decisions concerning that facility. In fact, they have never been given the opportunity to participate in any decisions. It is frightening to think what this county executive will do over the next 4 years if he is not accountable to any other elected officials in this county.