 To the editor:
I am writing in strong support of the Logan County
Courthouse referendum that will be on the ballot March 17th. It is a
$0.50 sales tax for every $100 that’s spent in our county. This tax
money would strictly be used for the repair and maintenance of the
courthouse. The money cannot be used for any other county building,
project or expense that’s not related to the courthouse. Also, this
tax would not apply to food or medicine purchases and it would end
in 20 years. Let’s face it, no one wants to pay more taxes, but the
silver lining to this sales tax would be that it affects anyone that
spends money in our county and not only Logan County residents.
I have had the pleasure of serving on the Logan County Board since
2014 and in that time I have seen the courthouse’s state go downhill
at a very fast pace. The courthouse has been bandaged up so many
times over the last few decades due to lack of funds, but now it’s
to a point where we cannot put anymore band aids on it. Our
courthouse is a beautiful, functioning historical building and the
heart of our county. A lot of other counties have gotten away from
repairing their courthouses and instead have built new law and
justice centers to handle the day-to-day operations. The county
board looked into this option, but it would cost the county almost
double what it would cost to restore the courthouse.
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Not only does the dome have major holes in it, the
boiler has several leaks, part of the ceiling in one of the
courtrooms has fallen in, the windows leak water and air, the floor
is buckling, which a huge trip hazard and the electrical system
needs updating to be more energy efficient. The county has not been
in a position financially to make all of these repairs at once, so
this is why we’re asking people to vote yes for the tax. People love
to assume that all elected officials waste taxpayer’s money. So for
those people who believe that our county board or the other elected
county officials aren’t good stewards of the county’s money, I
encourage them to attend any of our committee meetings and ask
questions. The dates, locations and times are all posted on the
county’s website each month, they’re open to the public and anyone
may ask questions or bring up concerns. It’s easy to make
assumptions and listen to hearsay, so that’s why I tell people to
attend our meetings and so they can get the actual facts. Please
vote yes for the sales tax so our courthouse can continue to serve
its vital purpose to the residents of Logan County.
Emily Davenport, Chairman
Logan County Board
[Posted
February 26,
2020]
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