Letter to the Editor: We The People, The Farmers
Osky News
Editors Note: The views and opinions expressed in this editorial are not necessarily the views or opinions of Oskaloosa News.
On Tuesday November 5th the citizens of Oskaloosa will be going to the polls to elect or re-elect our city council. For those of us who live outside of the city limits we will NOT be afforded that privilege, to let our voice be heard.
To correct a letter that was recently written to the editor saying that TARA was a group of Marion county residents, that is plain wrong. Those supporting TARA are mostly Mahaska county residents; these individuals started this organization because they would be directly affected by this airport. These individuals and families support the Oskaloosa businesses and schools by buying, selling and participating in the community just like Oskaloosa residents, but they are unable to vote on life altering situations such as this.
Therefore, we desperately ask that you hear our voice and go to the polls on our behalf. And remember that farming is the backbone of Iowa’s economy and had a huge role in what originally built this community. We have canvassed the town collecting signatures against the issue of eminent domain and have presented them to the city council, spoken at city council meetings concerning the airport and the effect it will have on not only our livelihood, but our children and our grandchildren and even had private conversations sharing our hearts with council members, all to be quickly dismissed with the hypocritical comment “a few must sacrifice for the good of many.”
If we, small business owners and hardworking taxpayers just like you, were convinced that giving up our land would truly benefit or make Oskaloosa a better place to live then we might feel differently. Taking what isn’t yours is considered “sacrifice,” however, we are certain that is called stealing or even coercion. Tax dollars WILL be used to maintenance an airport, perhaps not to build it, but even that is questionable.
Businesses in Oskaloosa have grown without a regional airport. We are near airports, which are not self-sustaining, that as “good businessmen” our local businesses should be supporting and learning from what they themselves ask of others, to sacrifice for the good of many. We don’t need to build more of something when airports are available that need our dollars to thrive. The current Oskaloosa Airport could be expanded and THAT airport financially has been holding it’s own.
Businessmen in our community boldly proclaim that they “don’t need a regional airport” but behind closed doors hold “informational meetings” for their employees laying out why the airport would make things more convenient for their business. Residents of Oskaloosa must “follow the dollars” if you want to know who is really pushing the regional airport issue…it’s NOT the farmers and it’s NOT the city dwellers. We have always been happy for the success of business in Oskaloosa but when lying comes into play our respect for them diminishes.
The growth of companies like Interpower, Clow, and Musco haven’t infringed on anyone to this point, but now the very people who also are business owners, farmers, are being asked to “sacrifice” our businesses, our livelihoods, and our inheritance to our children so that airplanes can fly in and out of Oskaloosa at a nearer proximity. Why can business executives that fly into Des Moines, and other large cities, drive from the airport to the other side of Des Moines amounting to more than 30 minutes, but our own Oskaloosa businesses are unable to sacrifice the same?
Surely you can understand when coming to this conclusion, this does not makes sense at all. You are asking us to pour concrete over our dreams, our pasts, and our future.
Again, we ask, with our livelihoods on the line, for the residents of Oskaloosa to help protect our homes, families and hard work and vote for ‘The Solution.’
Jim and Mona Van Zomeren
Homer and Doretha Hasselman
John and Gladys DeRooi
Bert and Elaine Bandstra
Robert and Kandi DeRooi
Jeff DeRooi
Tyler DeRooi
Jack and Tami Rempe
Alan and Florence Rempe
Ezra and Carly Caligiuri
Kay Hamilton
John Bandstra
Betty Barnard
Randy and Diane Mick
Tom and Deb Overbergen
Chuck and Jacque Mick
Ron and Margie Vande Wal
