LIDS: Bypass voters' rights

The recent write-up about the three LID districts that were proposed by Dorsey, Edinger and Sverdsten, Kootenai County Highway Commissioners, and approved by JUB Engineers (without going out to bid first) excluded some areas without reason.

These areas made use of Sunnyside, the same as those residents that were included within the No. 2010-3 Zone. At the weekend meetings for these three LID districts at Eastside Highway District headquarters, the Sunnyside No. 2010-3 group was told by hired legal adviser, Dara Wetzel, that you don't have a choice. She said that 60 percent of the resident parcel owners hadn't signed a protest, but didn't give out figures. When asked about protest letters, she said, "You can come by the district office Monday and count them." They apparently hadn't taken the time or made the effort to determine the percentage of the protest. She also made the remark that it didn't matter. Also, when asked if everyone was mailed a notice, she said and those that didn't reply were considered "for" the proposed LID.

The meeting was held to conform to legal requirements and the attendees were permitted to ask questions when called upon, but most of the questions didn't receive a straight answer. The decisions for forming the LID's was already in the works. When the bonds for road improvements are not approved and passed by the voters, the commissioners have found another way of forcing residents to fund their projects whether needed or not. The end of Sunnyside that could use paving, from Bonnell down to Blue Creek, and used by many, wasn't considered, but from Lakeside Drive up to Bonnell with already a substantial blacktop base and good condition is planned for a new four-inch overlay. Most road overlays, according to the records within the highway department files that were checked, show a two-inch overlay base. And not four inches. When the money isn't coming out of your pocket, over-spend.

One of the previous stories printed stated that approximately 50 people attended the Saturday district meetings held at three specific times and the reporter took these figures from interviewing Dorsey. The Sunnyside area meeting at 1 p.m. had more than 150 residents in attendance with many standing. Maybe this is where Mr. Dorsey got his figures of $964,314 projected, with $865,510 coming from the Idaho Transportation Department. This leaves a $98,804 difference. It was suggested at the meeting that using recycled blacktop would be far less expensive. We were told it didn't meet county standards. This whole LID idea is just a newfound way to bypass the legitimate citizen voting standards and stick the taxpayers with an additional tax already being collected on their county property taxes. Let this idea get started and everyone living in Kootenai County will be paying for every road that they use. LIDs are just another way to force citizens to buckle under to the government.

BILL SINGLETON

Coeur d'Alene