By Linda Sutter – February 22, 2021 On November 3, 2020 the citizens of Crescent City voted to increase sales tax from 7.5% to 8.5% under the vote “yes” for Measure S. The city Council will be appointing people for the oversight committee, not by the people, but themselves 5 people for the oversight committee. Those 5 people are the following; 1. Cindy Cruse 2. Heidi Kime 3. Emery Matz IV 4. Ernest Perry 5. Kelly Schellong Cindy Cruse, according to her facebook page worked for Sutter Health and has not been involved politically for any form of committee or elected position. Heidi Kime would not be a good choice because she would not be able to vote on certain issues as it would be a conflict of interest after just ending her elected position as a city council. We do not need more of the same, out of control spending of tax payers dollars especially when this covid is projected to go through to December 2022 according to President Joe Biden. Emery Matz IV, according to his facebook page he has not been politically tainted or foiled. Nor has he been in an elected position so there would be no conflict of interest. I reached out to Mr. Matz who said he did not want to comment. When people don’t want to comment there is cause for concern that they are already demonstrating lack of transparency. Ernest Perry, according to his facebook page he worked for the Harbor District 11 years ago fixing the harbor after the tsunami. He has not served in an elected position and from our short conversation doesn’t understand what he will be doing as an oversight person. He stated, “i just threw my hat in and i live in the city.” Mr. Perry believes the 1 cent sales tax will be spent only on what the public was told, roads, law enforcement, fire district and swimming pool. He was not aware this one cent sales tax goes directly into the general fund and can be used for anything. (including Japan trips) Kelly Schellong has been a previous elected council member. She belongs to many political committees and would definitely be a conflict of interest person for the oversight committee especially with dealing in tax payers dollars. She is involved with the Point of Honor project. She is also ok with spending tax dollars frivolously. People have not taken a general interest in signing up for the tax oversight committee. This speaks volumes of why our city and county has nothing and gets nothing done. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to be on an oversight committee. You just have to have a general interest in keeping tax dollars for what the City Manager Eric Wier told everyone they would be used for. Streets, law enforcement, fire district, and the almost million dollar a year swimming pool.