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Aaron Wiltfong: Voting no

Hayden residents will be voting for an additional “special tax” on rental cars and lodging only: Referendum 2A and Referendum 2B.

This tax will be paid by people that rent cars and rooms. These folks are mostly from out of town. How can these citizens represent themselves? Taxation without representation. Why should one business pay a higher tax than other businesses in the same town? This tax would be in addition to the taxes already being collected evenly by all businesses in Hayden. If taxes need to be increased then any increase should be across the board. That way, all the people pay a little instead of one people paying it all.

By targeting one individual business with a “special” tax we will create a negative effect on that business, by increasing costs thus decreasing revenue. This has a direct effect on employment ability of these businesses. Meaningless sales taxes, less property tax collected and less healthy businesses within the town of Hayden.



The town of Hayden already enjoys a large percentage of its budget being generated by rental car companies. In a town of fewer than 2,000 people with four car rental companies, the rental car industries are doing their fair share.

We are in the middle of a recession! The rental car industry, in Hayden, is down. These companies in town are major corporations; however, the people that run these locations are local small-business owners. If these businesses don’t rent cares, there are no small businesses.



Additional tax on a small business in a recession, when business is down, does not sound like a good idea. Any resident in town who needs to rent a car will pay this additional tax.

The lodging tax builds in an additional expense into a room before it is even built. This could have a negative effect on the town’s marketability to a hotel chain. That is bad for future growth.

The town of Hayden’s fiscal spending has increased 96 percent in five years. While the town’s population has remained fairly static. About $1,415 per person. If this continues, then who is next for an additional “special tax”?

I will keep these things in mind when I vote “No” this November on Referendum 2A and Referendum 2B.

Taxation without representation; target taxing; raising taxes in a recession; negative impact on locals; negative impact on future growth.

Aaron Wiltfong

Hayden resident


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