LIDS: Way to circumvent fairness

We were set up! We didn't have a chance!

Eastside Highway District (ESHD) got a federal stimulus grant for nearly $2 million if there was a match of $250,000. How about a Local Improvement District (LID) to repave O'Gara Road?

Let the residents who access their property from O'Gara Road pay the match. We'll assess them on average $1,700 each with some paying between $500 and $6,500. No cost to ESHD.

The property owners had 10 days to respond in writing to this assessment, which said that if 60 percent of the owners responded as a "no" then the LID would be reconsidered for 60 days. Many people weren't home during this period and our 60 percent couldn't be met. At the required by State Code meeting on Sept. 18, ESHD stated the engineering was already completed and they were ready to go. We were allowed to ask questions, but they were not required to answer them.

One ESHD commissioner stated that "this is what happens when you people don't vote in our permanent tax levy override." ESHD's attorney stated that "this is not a democratic process" and the SHD could (and would) pass this LID even if 100 percent of the property owners wrote in rejecting it. This is a great way to circumvent voter approval for taxes! Other federal stimulus grants for LIDs were for Burma Road and Sunnyside Road. Do you live on a county road? Are you next? Get your wallet out!

K.A. SHARRON

Harrison