Letter To The Editor: One of their main arguments is they will never use
Editors Note: The views and opinions expressed in this editorial are not necessarily the views or opinions of Oskaloosa News.
The citizens of Mahaska County, on May 3, are being asked to vote on a one cent tax proposal to fund road improvements in rural Mahaska County, a new rec/early childhood center, and a new environmental learning center. The penny tax generates approximately $800,000.00 annually. The proposal on the ballot is 40% of the penny for roads, 40% for early childhood/rec center and 20% for the learning center until it is paid for. Once the learning center is paid for the extra money would go to roads. The learning center will need approximately 1.5 million of the tax money. That would leave 8 plus million for the roads over 20 years. There is a PAC(political action committee) working to defeat this proposal. Is is being lead by a Mahaska county supervisor, the local Farm Bureau president, and a candidate for county supervisor. One of their main arguments is they will never use the early childhood/rec center plus they believe all the money should go to roads. The PAC is under the assumption that if this tax question is defeated the next ballot will designate 80% for roads and 20% for the environmental learning center. I think that is being a little over optimistic. The past option sales taxes have been used to fund a new law enforcement center and a new grade school, at least for Rural Oskaloosa community school district residents. I am sure many of us have never used the new jail or have had children in the new grade school. So why did we vote to do those projects? Because they were needed improvements for the community and Mahaska county. I believe the same is true for the early childhood/rec center. I would ask you to talk to some local small business-owners like Jane & John Nichlsen at Mahaska Drug, or Mark Fencil at Garden Engineering and get their prospective on why this is important for Mahaska County. Mahaska County Secondary roads is not broke. The April first balance on hand is 2.8 million dollars. That does not county money in the Farm to Market Fund, Bridge money available, and Federal Highway funds. Another factor that nobody is talking about is the property tax money which will be generated with building of the oil pipeline through Mahaska County. If the ballot question is approved I am sure something could be worked out to shift some of the money to secondary roads. All I ask of rural voters is that they get their questions answered before they vote. Don’t vote on hype which seems to be a driving force at this time.
Henry W.(willie) Van Weelden
