 This
editorial is a last minute, last ditch effort to encourage you to
vote YES in the courthouse repair referendum.
There are two things that I want to address: 1) that most tax
referendums usually get voted down and 2) other possible motivations
we might have for voting NO.
1) Looking back over the past referendums to do such things as build
the Lincoln rural fire station, build two new schools, etc, these
requests for a raise costs and taxes are often voted down numerous
times even though the projects were valuable to the community. This
referendum is very valuable to this community. If we delay the
repairs by voting NO, then greater damages to the Logan County
Courthouse will occur and that will result in higher costs, and
possible loss of the whole structure over time. If we vote NO
thinking maybe we want to replace this historical courthouse, every
other measure will be more expensive, less attractive, and a loss of
historicity than repairing and upgrading this existing courthouse.
If your NO vote is to keep from having higher taxes, you are only
delaying. This cost will come sooner or later. And this sales tax is
very reasonable: a fifty cent tax on a hundred dollar purchase, and
the tax on groceries and medications will not be raised. This is not
affecting your property taxes. This sales tax has a sundown clause,
meaning it is not forever. And if we do it right away, it will be
effective, save and improve our courthouse, and prevent disaster!
Not to do it now would be like having the roof of your own house
ready to cave in and destroy your home when you can afford to fix it
and avoid disaster. How long would it be wise to wait? This
courthouse is OUR COURTHOUSE, and we need to avoid further
procrastination.
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2) There have been some public discussions and
anger expressed about the irresponsible behavior of past
administrations for procrastinating and overlooking these repair
issues and not taking care of them sooner. The courthouse has been
deteriorating for many years, and the problems were not addressed by
previous county boards. That is indeed negligence, and poor
government, and the public was not served in this lack of decisive
action. Your anger is appropriate and deserved!
This responsibility now falls on this county board and on our
shoulders. If we vent that frustration and anger about past inaction
by casting a vote against this referendum, we become the negligent
ones, the ones who fail to do the right thing in the right time.
Tuesday I will cast my vote in favor of this referendum. And so I
encourage you, I implore you, vote YES Tuesday on the Courthouse
Referendum and together we will save OUR COURTHOUSE!
[Jim Youngquist, publisher LDN]
[Posted
March 16,
2020]
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