March 28, 2024

May 7 election

By Dr. James D. Kimball

Osceola

Our community is facing a real crisis. Water is basic. Water cannot be manufactured. You can do without gold, but you cannot do without water.

We are in a drought. We do not have a water supply that we can rely on. We have to assume it will rain enough to keep our supply adequate for our needs.

We need a new reservoir. We are supplying water to many people. We have a plan for a new reservoir. We have a site for a new reservoir. The election on May 7 is about how we will finance this project.

Studies have been done. The amount of water we need and the means to obtain that water have been established. There has been, and continues to be, opposition to the results of the studies. Many meetings have been held to answer the objections. I hope that most now recognize we have a real need for this project, not more studies.

There have been many hurdles to this project. The latest is an election on May 7 to determine how part of the financing will be raised.

Those who petitioned for the election are against the project and have been able to word the ballot in a negative way — a confusing way.

The current plan uses the LOST (local-option sales tax) to help pay for the project.

The wording on the ballot will require a “NO” vote to continue to use the local-option sales tax.

The ballot will read, “Do you wish to repeal the LOST?”

Obviously, if you want to continue to have the LOST finance the water supply, you vote “NO.”

The alternative is to have property tax fund the water supply. The project is going to happen. The election is to determine how it will be funded. In my opinion, it is less painful to use the local-option sales tax. Do not vote to repeal it.

Vote “NO” to those who oppose an adequate water supply. A “NO” vote is a vote for an adequate water supply.