A couple of years ago a few of the new independent aldermen including Joe Hayden and Melinda Hult pushed to eliminate the wheel tax. After much debate, Mayor Mark Eckert and his Good Government Party minions caved in but iniated an increase in the sales tax to make up for it.

It was decided to return half a year of the wheel sticker tax to Belleville residents.

Eckert decided to create a hoop to be jumped through for the sole purpose of cheating people out of their refund. A special form had to be filled out to get the refund. As a result, only 22.79 percent was refunded.

In 2011 the city collected $427,126 for the wheel tax. Half of that was $213,562 but the actual amount refunded was $97,358.50. The amount kept by the city: $116,204.50.

This is a matter of trust and character and this is just another example.

Eckert needs to go.

Rick Brown

Belleville