Letters to the Editor published in the July 14, 2021 issue of the Tomahawk Leader.
Second installment of 2020 Oneida County property tax bills due July 31
The second installment of the 2020 Oneida County property tax bills is due by July 31, 2021.
To allow for social distancing please consider making your payments electronically, mailed, or use one of the other methods for payment.
For payments in person: Masks are recommended for those that are not vaccinated. Social distancing continues to be recommended for all. Please send one member of a family inside to pay. Please no more than two persons in the lobby at a time.
If paying by check, please make sure the numeric and written portion of the check are the same and check is signed. If numeric and written portion of checks do not match or if checks are unsigned they will be returned, which could result in penalty and/or interest charges. Postdated checks will not be held and will be processed the day they are received.
Payments should be mailed to Oneida County Treasurer, PO Box 400, Rhinelander, Wis., 54501.
Payments in person can be made to the County Treasurer’s office on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Oneida County Treasurer’s office is located on the first floor, door #2, Dahl St. side of the Oneida County Courthouse in Rhinelander. To help expedite processing, please have payments ready and checks written before stepping to the counter. The drop box located on the Dahl St. side of the Courthouse is available to drop off payments. Tax payments must be postmarked by July 31 and received in our office by Aug. 6 or they will be considered delinquent and will accrue an additional 10.5% interest and penalty charge for late payment. Penalty and interest will continue to accrue at a rate of 1.5% per month until the bill is paid in full. For more information, phone the Oneida County Treasurer’s office at 715-369-6137.
Oneida County payments may also be made at Associated Bank in Minocqua, and mBank branches in St. Germain and Three Lakes. Bank staff will only collect those payments presented with a tax payment stub and exact payment amount.
Oneida County payment by credit card or electronic check can be made through Point & Pay by going to www.co.oneida.wi.us, click on Tax, Parcel, Permit and Deed search to find your parcel and click on the link to pay online. You will also need your tax bill number, which can be found on your parcel. Please be aware that Point & Pay will charge you a convenience fee for using their services.
Any payment returned by banks or Point and Pay will be charged a return check fee of $20. Taxes will be returned to unpaid status, which could result in penalty and interest charges.
Tara Ostermann
Oneida County Treasurer
Kapenga kowtows to Trump
Donald Trump recently accused Wisconsin GOP legislative leader Chris Kapenga of covering up election fraud and, threatened a primary challenge if he did not “audit,” the 2020 election results. Rather than speak truth to power, Kapenga, chose to write a cringeworthy letter kowtowing, to the former President.
Trump and his surrogates filed over 60 lawsuits to prove voter fraud exists. Not one judge has found merit in those allegations. One example:
“Judicial acquiescence to such entreaties built on so flimsy a foundation would do indelible damage to every future election. Nothing in this case casts any legitimate doubt that the people of Wisconsin lawfully chose Vice President Biden and Senator Harris to be the next leaders of our great country.” – Brian Hagedorn, WI Supreme Court Justice.
While unpersuasive to judges, Trump’s claims have resonated with his supporters and benefited him politically. After AG Bill Barr stated there was no election fraud, polls show a majority of Republicans believe the 2020 election was stolen. Those false claims, have been amplified by Trump’s surrogates, including Ron Johnson and Tom Tiffany. Senator Kapenga joins that list.
Kapenga writes, an audit is important, “to determine what took place in the last election, this will help guide us as legislators to put fixes in place for any issues found, and more importantly, to ensure the integrity of elections moving forward.” He assures Trump that in addition to wearing “my Trump socks, I will pull up my Trump/Pence mask ,” while boarding an airplane. And, gently rebuffs Trump for questioning his loyalty to the former President, by saying “You owe me a round of golf at the club of your choice,” then concludes: “Thank you for doing great things as our President.”
Chris Kapenga is willing to put his political career ahead of his oath of office and his duty to our republic. His fear of a primary challenge is palpable.
Sadly, Republicans’ false claims of fraud, are simply a pretext to rewrite election laws to both disenfranchise voters not to their liking and, insidiously, to pass bills like the recent Georgia law, that removed Secretary of State Raffensperger as voting chairman of the state election board, and instead, gave the state legislature itself a voting majority on the board, as well as control of county boards. These changes allow the Republican legislature to potentially overturn elections. These changes undermine both fair elections and, our faith in the process. It’s a dangerous turn away from self government of, for, and by the people.
Liz Cheney (R-WY) said: “The Republican Party is at a turning point, and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution. Trump has never expressed remorse or regret for the attack of Jan. 6 and now suggests that our elections, and our legal and constitutional system, cannot be trusted to do the will of the people.”
Cheney courageously speaks truth to power, regardless of personal consequence.
Republicans should listen.
Rick Plonsky
Harshaw