Lowered Mill Levies and Property Tax Increases Expose Government Spending Disconnect

Susan Kochevar, entrepreneur and owner of the 88 Drive-In Theater, hosted the October 24, 2023 broadcast while Kim Monson was away. The program featured Douglas County GOP Chair Steven Peck and school board candidate Dave DiCarlo discussing property tax ballot measures 5A and 5B, followed by Dr. Jill Vecchio’s analysis of the Biden administration’s $42 billion net neutrality infrastructure push and its implications for government surveillance.

Capitalism and Free Markets as the Foundation of Liberty

Start listening at 4:00 – Hour 1

Host Susan Kochevar opened the program with a discussion of capitalism as the Word of the Day, drawing on Ayn Rand’s definition to explain how free markets differ fundamentally from other economic systems. As a small business owner herself, Kochevar shared her perspective on profit as the engine that enables job creation, better services, and community benefit. She challenged the notion that capitalism concentrates wealth in few hands, arguing instead that government regulation and cronyism, not free markets, create monopolistic conditions.

“I cannot put people first without profit. I cannot expand my business and give people better, more meaningful jobs with better pay. My employees are my best asset.”

Susan Kochevar, Owner, 88 Drive-In Theater

Net Neutrality and Government Control of Internet Infrastructure

Start listening at 62:00 – Hour 2

Jill Vecchio, a radiologist and longtime political commentator, exposed the hidden implications of the Biden administration’s $42 billion broadband infrastructure initiative. Vecchio explained that treating Internet Service Providers as utilities under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 would give government unprecedented regulatory control over internet access and content. She connected this push to the broader agenda of Central Bank Digital Currencies, noting that universal high-speed internet is a prerequisite for a fully digital payment system where hard currency becomes obsolete.

Vecchio detailed how 5G infrastructure enables mass surveillance and data collection, citing Beijing’s one camera per three people ratio as an example of where such technology leads. She warned that government control of internet infrastructure, combined with digital ID requirements and CBDCs, would give authorities the power to freeze accounts, delete identities, and control individual behavior based on social credit scores. The conversation drew parallels between current policy directions and dystopian scenarios once dismissed as conspiracy theories.

“5G is not about faster internet speeds. 5G is about data collection and surveillance. And I mean surveillance with camera surveillance. In Beijing, China, there is one camera for every three people.”

Jill Vecchio, Radiologist and Political Commentator

Douglas County Property Tax Ballot Measures Under Fire

Start listening at 31:00 – Hour 1

Steven Peck, Douglas County GOP Chair and former school board member, challenged the district’s request for additional tax revenue despite already receiving significant funding increases. Peck noted that per pupil revenue has increased from $7,300 in 2017 to $10,100 today, even as student enrollment has declined. He emphasized that there is zero relationship between money spent on education and academic outcomes, calling for fiscal discipline rather than perpetual tax increases.

School board candidate Dave DiCarlo provided detailed analysis of the funding structure, revealing the district received $53 million more in state funding year over year, a 10% increase that far outpaces family income growth. DiCarlo advocated for a top-down budget review, examining expenditures line by line to find savings, rather than asking taxpayers already struggling with inflation to fund additional spending. He positioned himself as the only candidate in the race taking a firm stance against the tax increase.

“I know of no working families, and I certainly know of no senior citizens that are receiving that amount of increase. And we’ve also got, at the same time, property taxes jumping through the roof, cost of living is up sharply.”

Dave DiCarlo, Douglas County School Board Candidate