Dear Black Forest Neighbor,

This flyer is sponsored by the Keep Black Forest Free Committee. If you can help us in any way with the anti-incorporation movement let us know at Keep Black Forest Free, P.O. Box 75001. Colorado Springs, CO 80970, or call Gary at 495-4200, Bill at 495-4706, Joe at 495-3255 or Pam at 495-3035.

There will be an election, according to the Black Forest Incorporation Committee (BFIC), before March1, 2007. Only registered voters living within the proposed incorporation area will be able to vote, You will have to stand up and be counted, this is your future and your children's future. If you are not a registered voter please register at the Chapel Hills Mall Motor Vehicle Department.

The majority of you live within the proposed boundaries by the BFIC. You can go to www.Savetheblackforest.com for the complete boundary description. If we incorporate, we will be a home rule city, not a village or town. The home rule government currently being proposed is just that, a proposal. By nature, city governments grow and change. Once in office, elected officials are not obligated to keep their campaign promises. They will pass laws and enact taxes and fees. As one BFIC member said, "What does it matter, the money has to come from somewhere."

At the most recent meeting it was said that the property tax alone would be $2 a day. Additionally BFIC proposed budget includes a 3% surcharge tax that will be added to your phone, electric and natural gas bills. There will also be a 2% sales tax added to anything you buy within our boundaries. Right now we can buy large items in Colorado Springs and have them delivered to our home and not pay Colorado Springs sales tax. If incorporated, our sales tax would increase from 4.9% to 6.9%. We will have to negotiate contracts with the county for road maintenance and law enforcement, which means that we will pay more than we are paying now for the same benefits. INCORPORATION IS USUALLY BASED UPON A SOLID TAX BASE, HERE, WE, THE BLACK FOREST PROPERTY OWNERS, ARE THE TAX BASE.

Most important, Home Rule government means that the three or four elected officials can impose laws, fines, fees, including a tax on the food we buy, as well as appoint officials such as mayor or any figures of authority that they see fit. BFIC claims that we will be able to rule ourselves, WRONG !!! There or four people will be making all of the decisions and we will have to abide by them. We already pay county, city and state taxes; we do not need another level of taxation. A NEW GOVERNMENT CANNOT SAVE US FROM ANYTHING, IT WILL ONLY TAKE OUR HARD EARNED MONEY AND WE GIVE ENOUGH OF THAT AWAY ALREADY !!!