To the editor:

There is a special taxing district in Greenville County, S.C.

This district consists of properties contiguous to, and in close proximity to, the Town of Tryon Water Reservoir, (aka Lake Lanier). The tax in this district is levied and collected by Greenville County. These tax dollars are paid to the Town of Tryon, N.C. for services.  Payments are made to Tryon quarterly and the annual payment for the year ending June 30, 2013 will be $32,600.

This tax district was established June 18, 1991.

Without benefit of a formal audit, it can be assumed this taxing exercise has generated in the neighborhood of $600,000. The only visible or tangible result of this investment is a light bulb and a fixture. This light was mounted by the town on a wooden platform on the lake proper.

Folks, come by the town reservoir at night and see this magnificent beacon to citizen indifference, government negligence and the needy, worthless, “takers” that we were warned of in the presidential election campaign of 2012.

– Michael Verbonic, Landrum