KTEC is not needed

Could Kootenai County benefit from a facility like KTEC? You bet. Should it be the responsibility of property owners to fund it? Not in my opinion. Most of us paid for our own educations.

We currently provide a free education through high school, we subsidize the costs at our community college, we pay state sales and income taxes to do the same for our state universities, and our federal taxes to provide grants and scholarships. Now we are being asked to seed another government agency in the hopes we will produce educated individuals to add to our employment pool? When will you people realize that the monster that we have created will eventually devour us. Quit asking your government to FIX everything! We are relieved of nearly six months of our earnings to fund our governments and programs.

These proposed "professional technical" programs already exist at NIC. To duplicate these at a new facility funded solely by property taxes and no student participation is ill advised. Should we be funding professional educations to children unsure of their future As mentioned by other commentators, this is the first inch requested with miles more to come. Once this has started, we will be unable to stop it. How longmuch do you believe businesses will contribute Federal assistance Don't be nave, in time, this will fall squarely on your back. Are you positive that you want to open this can of worms

Immigrants to Kootenai County with their grubstakes, retirees and second home investors with their low impact, and hard working average people have been our salvation for the past 20 years. Continue to raise taxes and you reduce the attractiveness of North Idaho and its ability to grow its tax base.

Supply and demand are basic understandings of economics often lost to the shortsightedness of all the taxing districts.

You want to attract educated people to this area? Pay a decent wage, control government spending and involvement, maintain the existing quality of life, and keep your real estate prices reasonable for the "average" person by voting NO to these continual requests. Don't be morally blackmailed by these same outspoken know-it-alls with 20/20 hindsight. Has anyone tried hitting up Bill Gates for the money? Or better yet, anyone think of contacting ITT Tech. There's something to be said of private enterprise! Reject this request on the 24th or include a blank check and your first born with your yes vote.

Peter Ward is a Spirit Lake resident, business and property owner.