Volunteers shouldn’t be tax collectors

At a recent Augusta County supervisors meeting, discussion was conducted concerning adopting a policy ordering all of the volunteer rescue squads to charge fees for rescue work. This is another example of outrageous conduct by this board. The idea was temporarily tabled.

My fellow citizens, this was a trial balloon to see if they can get away with having our wonderful volunteers become cashiers and debt collectors. This is not what these fine people volunteer for and we the people of this county must stand up and fight this ridiculous idea coming from the collective minds of board members who have only one thought: tax, tax and more tax. This is a backhanded method to collect more money so they can throw more funds toward senseless projects.

We must stop this before it is adopted. I am calling for another meeting of everyone in our county to show up in force to protest this idea at the next supervisors meeting. I ask, in particular, that our wonderful volunteers – both fire and rescue squads – show up in their uniforms. Perhaps the next idea from these tax-minded board members will be charging for putting out fires.

This concept of charging by volunteers will destroy the beauty of volunteering in our community. Volunteering for community work is a cherished concept that must not be used as a form of taxation.

Please support my efforts and those of our outstanding volunteers who do so much good for all of us by protesting this idea by writing letters to the editor and especially by showing up for the supervisors meeting at 7 p.m. today in the Government Center in Verona.

Francis Chester

Churchville