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Letter: Why should wealthy ’burbs pay rural bills?
<i>Originally published in the July 24, 2009, print edition.</i>
To the Editor:
Just got done reading Dick Hagen’s June 26/July 3 “Land Minds” about spending. Great! There has never been a spending option our liberal legislators do not like. They absolutely do not know what it is to be frugal with the taxpayers’ funds.
I have never been a supporter of Local Government Aid. Why in the world should wealthy Minneapolis suburbs subsidize the wants and needs of rural Minnesota? By the way, I live and own rural property between Willmar and Lake Lillian. I pay for everything I need out in the country — sewer, well, light poles, lights, etc. — all of it. If all residents of rural Minnesota towns paid in as much as it costs us rural residents to live and the municipality operated in a fiscally responsible manner they would have money left over.
The thought is that there should be “money from heaven” to pay for all their bills. Questions for Kandiyohi County, for example:
• Does a county short on money build a new dog kennel?
• Does a county short on money build a new rescue center building for approximately $1 million?
• Does a county short on money provide sheriffs deputies cars 24-7? Their work hours are about 25 percent of the clock week; let some other officer use the vehicle the other 75 percent of the time.
• Does a county short on money put up surveillance cameras to watch over the populace?
• Does a county short on money keep increasing the night-time lights over rural intersections?
• Does a county short on money keep subsidizing transportation throughout the county? This is a business for private enterprise. If it is not financially viable for them, discontinue the service.
The answer is term limits — the entrenched politicians would not be as likely to promote local pork.
Bruce Vruwink
Lake Lillian
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