To the Journal editor:

The Peter White Public Library closing on Sundays is just the tip of the iceberg facing Marquette and surrounding townships.

Local corporations and big box stores are appealing their tax assessments to the Michigan Tax Tribunal and winning millions of dollars in future tax reductions and even refunds for past years. How can anyone plan for this?

Mayor Mike Coyne’s op-ed in The Mining Journal glossed over the adverse impact of reduced taxes. The library faces a $300,000 liability if We Energies wins their appeal and a possible liability of $40,000 from Marquette Township.

These amounts will severely limit PWPL’s ability to serve its patrons this year. But keep in mind, PWPL’s future operating budget will be greatly reduced due to less tax revenue.

PWPL is not alone. Other tax-supported institutions will also suffer from these capricious decisions. What about our schools, MARESA, senior citizen services, EMS and more?

This is a plea to the citizens of Marquette and surrounding townships to contact your representatives in Lansing and share your concerns regarding the actions of the tax tribunal.

A great injustice is occurring in the name of taxation fairness, actually it’s corporate greed.

Mary P. Buys

Marquette