By Nora Maddocks, Creston
Dear Creston Residents:
I would like to voice my opinion, and I cannot believe that I would be the only one to think this way, with regards to our town going into debt to this extreme amount at this time in our economy. Considering the world economic crisis that we are in. With the instability of the world we presently live in, I strongly believe that raising the spending to $7 million dollars for the fire hall, by our mayor and council, would be suicide for our town.
Caution should be the determining factor when making these determinations. When, as a household, one is making a decision regarding renovations on our homes, we tread with caution and only do what we can afford. The mayor and council are draining our pocketbooks dry. They are always raising rates on utilities and services, and in the meantime not even doing the required upkeep on the old sewer and water lines, the streets of Creston, just take a drive around our town. We are losing businesses in town due to raising the business license fees, business property taxes, etc. etc. What is the rush?
Is there no way that we are able to have a functional fire hall without all the frills? Is it not a fire hall that we need that is safe for our firefighters? Then if that is our goal and not all the frills we should be able to come in under budget. How much of our taxpayers’ dollars have gone into studies, reports, investigations, etc., only to be spending that money foolishly, thinking that they can come up with some other way to fool the town residents?
Yes, build a fire hall, but do not bankrupt the residents in doing so. A couple of dollars increase here on your taxes, another couple dollars there on your taxes, promises that they will not increase your taxes when building the fire hall are all ways of deceiving the residents. Check your tax bills for comparative years and discover how it has affected your pocketbook.
In my opinion, the mayor and town council are not being totally transparent with the residents. Why is everything that is happening behind the scenes not made public?
Lots of questions that others may have that I have missed. If everyone spoke up who has reservations about what the mayor and town council are doing regarding the fire hall, without fear of repercussions by those who do not agree with their opinion, maybe we could have some positive results.