Grand Rapids entrepreneur Dan Tietema has launched an online petition in opposition of directing tax dollars from Grand Rapids city residents toward the Purchase of Property Development Rights for farms outside city limits. "If Grand Rapids residents are going to be asked to spend money, it should be toward preserving public parks and green space, or toward reinstating the 69 Firefighters and Police Officers who have lost their jobs due to underfunding," said Tietema. "It is unconscionable for Commissioners to approve new spending on PDRs one minute and then cut 145 jobs due to underfunding the next." Shortly following the Kent County panel’s recommendations to eliminate the positions and implement new spending to publicly fund PDRs Tuesday morning, Dan Tietema began circulating an online petition to Grand Rapids residents, urging them to oppose the program. "I call upon Commissioner Brandon Dillon and others to join me in opposing public funding for PDRs and other spending increases during these economic times." Tietema said. "We should not and will not accept a tax increase to pay farmers outside of the city." If the commissioners vote in favor of using tax dollars to fund PDRs, Dan Tietema has pledged to lead an effort to ask supporters of the online petition to circulate official petitions that will put the issue onto the 2010 ballot to prevent the county commissioners’ decision from taking effect.

Sponsor