Iosco considers tax to bite mosquitos

From the Bay City Times comes this article: Iosco considers tax to bite mosquitos.

Iosco County is spraying about 250 acres of land this week to get rid of some creepy, crawly gypsy moth caterpillars. The county's bug battles may soon target pesky mosquitos as well.

At Wednesday's Iosco County Board of Commissioners meeting, the board heard from a study group that looked at the mosquito issue and the potential for the insects to spread the West Nile virus. The county board agreed to have [Stephanie] Wentworth [Alabaster Township supervisor] work with township officials to place a question on upcoming property tax bills, asking people if they are interested in a millage for mosquito control.

William Carpenter, Iosco's MSU Extension director and a member of the study group, said the virus was not a significant problem statewide last year, after Michigan recorded 600 cases of humans contracting West Nile in 2002. Carpenter said experts aren't sure if last year's drop was a fluke or evidence that the problem had resolved itself. "We don't know what 2004 is going to be like," he said.