“[Jocelyn Mathiasen’s] love of tax increases is evident when she bashes her Republican predecessors for foregoing property tax hikes during the Great Recession years of 2008-10, when residents were truly hurting. This was the right thing to do. The Council held the line on taxes while managing to keep our capital plant in good condition by prudently (and temporarily) spending down reserves to minimize adverse tax impacts on our residents. When the economy and our residents’ finances improved, adjustments were made to the tax levy to replenish reserves. That’s what good, responsive government does, not view property taxes as an unlimited, bottomless source of revenue for the government’s taking.”