By Ida B. Torn
I’m a middle of the road type of person who likes to play devil’s advocate. I worry about what the Parish will do if its ad valorem renewals don’t pass. I try to tell myself that we’ll cross that bridge when we get there except the bridge is out and can’t be replaced because it costs an arm and a leg to fix it! If the taxes do fail, then perhaps it will be a blessing in disguise. The Parish can go back to the drawing board and we can get a new and better road tax that’ll be the best thing since sliced bread. After all, drastic times call for drastic measures. Maybe the loss of 1/3 of the Highway Department’s funding will cause more people to jump on the bandwagon and all Parish residents will start to see eye to eye.
Perhaps the March election will be a referendum on the Parish Council and President since actions speak louder than words and the subject of roads has become a hot potato at the Council meetings. Maybe the voters are ready to add insult to injury and will convey through their votes that the Parish Government is barking up the wrong tree.
I know that some folks prefer to sit on the fence and not speak of the devil (taxes) while some folks act in the heat of the moment. Some folks find themselves caught between two stools and prefer to cry over spilt milk.
Just remember, our roads are a far cry from where we want them to be. If you decide that it’s best not to let sleeping dogs lie and you want to kill two birds with one stone, you’ll have seven months to burn the midnight oil to put a plan together that finally puts the Parish on the path to recovery.
Let’s cut to the chase. The ball is in your court. GO VOTE!
My problem is not voting for a tax to repair our roads but what I see is none of the money is spent on our roads especially the Harmony road. I know other roads are in bad shape also. If they could show me they would repair the roads I would vote for the tax but until then !!!!!!
Very well said Ida. Just an opinion of mine, and I believe you would agree, taxes sound bad, and are in many cases misused. I trust the audit reports that say we have no money for our parish roads. I was told once when questioning the old Police Jury about where funding went for garbage pickup at dumpsters in the parish. I was told, true or not, that the Detention Center took all of the money for operations. I really have no problem with funding a facility to incarcerate criminals, as long as they are not given better benefits than our poor military veterans get nothing; however, if what I was told is true about the Detention Center utilizing so much money that is wrong
Bottom line, as Ida correctly states, is that we HAVE NO MONEY to repair the terrible roads in our parish. A Tax must be passed and I pray the money is utilized for the road improvements only.
I would be heartbroken to hear of someone being involved in a terrible crash, in which the driver dropped into a pot-hole, lost control of their vehicle, and crashing into a tree KILLING their 10 year old son/daughter…..,,when earlier this person VOTED “NO” for a Tax to repair terrible roads…..Sound a bit harsh…It could happen, and perhaps already has……I’m on your side Ida.