June 6, 2012

I’m planning to be in town on Tuesday, June 26 so that I can vote YES on the city’s four bond issue propositions. The five-year $15 million bond issue keeps the city’s portion of our property tax millage steady, so it won’t increase my annual taxes. My perusal of their online presentation shows that each proposition has important elements for our city’s well-being.

PROPOSITION 1 – $325,000 for INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY; improve the city’s computer system

PROPOSITION 2 – $7,085,000 for PUBLIC SAFETY; buy a new fire pumper truck and Tel-A-Squirt fire pumper and remodel and expand the downtown fire station to relocate police headquarters from the floodplain near Johnstone Park and expand the living quarters and provide room for ladder fire trucks downtown where they’re needed

PROPOSITION 3 – $2,236,500 for PARKS, RECREATION, AND CULTURE; build two more soccer fields by M.J. Lee Lake, resurface the Pathfinder Parkway from there to Atwoods, replace playground equipment at five parks, and various other upgrades

PROPOSITION 4 – $5,350,000 for STREETS; includes east portion of Tuxedo and Price Road between Silver Lake and Washington Blvd

In each case there are designated projects which must be done and then, because actual bid costs will vary over the life of the bond, additional priority projects to be funded whenever possible. All of that makes sense to me. If you’re into specifics, take a look at their online document.

We MUST continue to invest in our city’s infrastructure to maintain our quality of life. This plan does that while keeping my taxes steady. I’m VOTING YES!