LAST EDITED ON Jun-12-08 AT 03:40 PM (CST)LAST EDITED ON Jun-11-08 AT 07:56 PM (CST)
This isn't a matter of whinning or complaining, this is a matter of facts!! There isn't anything wrong with having vision but one must learn how to live within their income!!
We have lost population the same as most other rural areas have. The population in Allen County has changed: 2000 14,385; 2006 13,677; 2007 13,414. (In 2004 the county had 14.6% of the population living below the poverty level. With the cost of living increasing as it has, I'm sure that the numbers for those now in the poverty level has doubled if not tripled since 2004.) Iola: 1990 6,351; 2000 6,302; 2006 5,966 (Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Population Estimates)
We have lost 100+ properties from the county tax rolls. (Which causes the lost of $30,000+ in property taxes.)
Every county ambulance will set within 8 miles of the west county line while the county is 26 miles wide!! Run a north to south line straight down eight miles from the woodson county line and look at the entire area on the east side of that line that will soon be without ambulance service. We have doubled if not tripled the number of ambulance personnel and are now paying the paramedics more to do the work that was once done by the EMT's. Even when a paramedic isn't required to make an ambulance run so we pay for services that aren't needed or required. Take a closer read of the local rag and the comments of the editor about the ambulance fiasco that was brought on by the county!!
The county is also looking at building a new hospital and I was told by a land owner that some of his land was being looked at. Who knows what else the county has on their minds that they aren't talking about to the public. Maybe a building for the Emergency Manager. There are probably a few other projects that the county has in mind that haven't been released to the general population!
The city, is doing away with 2 steam generators to go for generators that use alternate fuel. Wait a minute, what is alternate fuel, diesel or natural gas, surely they don't plan on burning wood to generate electricity. Steam generators are by far the cheapest way to generate electricity but we aren't going to repair the two we have.
The city wants to extend the sales tax for street repair. Well, come look at the streets in Iola and then tell me how my tax dollars were used. State street floods with every shower and Cottonwood sure didn't require to be torn apart and rebuild.
Now they are talking about increasing the sales tax to build a new swimming pool. I'm sure there are a few other projects that the city has going on too that haven't been released to the general population!
Now the school board wants a K to 12 school build out in the county which will just add to fuel cost to bus all the city children to the county.
As for housing, the paper states we have at least 60 vacant houses in Iola. I have three in my neighborhood & 2 of them have been vacant for at least a year. Take a closer look at the requirements for the housing they want to build. Then ask yourself how many business in Iola pay $10.00 an hour? Not many so that eliminates most of the residents in Iola from meeting their requirements. You might even read the comments made by Commissioner Craig Abbott in the local rag dated ll JUN about that new housing.
The paper has also carried some of the same concerns made by those seeking office to replace what we now have serving us.
So FavoredBabe you should come live in Iola, Allen County, and keep abreast of all that is going on before you start calling posters whiners! After all it is our dollars not yours that we are concerned about.
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