LIDS: Citizens are pushing back

Commissioner Jimmie Dorsey and the other two commissioners that were elected to represent the citizens of their Kootenai County district are still trying to shove their LIDs down our throats. I would think that after all the meetings held concerning the three LIDs and the turnout of local citizens voicing their objections, they would take the funds needed from the General Fund as they stated.

With 72 percent of the residents concerned with the Sunnyside LID voting against being double-taxed for a public road repaving, Dorsey would understand we are not sitting by quietly. If it comes down to filing a legal action, since this is something new these commissioners have come up with concerning paving a public access road, the citizens involved would be more willing to contribute their hard earned money to fight this.

When this was first proposed, and citizens attended the first meeting, we were told it did not matter if 60 percent voted against it; they would press for it to get done anyway. When shown a topographical map with the Sunnyside LID boundaries and the exclusions of many property owners within those areas, we knew these new LIDs were rigged. The reason this is new is because it has never been tried before.

The Eastside Highway District should understand that not living within their road resurfacing and repair property tax budgets cannot just be increased just by asking us to pay more money on a public road resurfacing. They should be held to a same practice as a private household now has to adhere to.

Everyone understands these are very lean and cost-cutting times, except these three highway commissioners. Yes, we understand the roads have to be kept up, but when we attended the first meeting and was told a 4-inch overlay was proposed for the section of Sunnyside from Lakeside Drive up to Bonnell, which is already paved, and not the section continuing past Bonnell down to Blue Creek, which is still rock base.

Residents did not "plead" as Commissioner Dorsey said in the article, they let him know in no uncertain terms they were not letting him shove it down our throats just because he thought he was right. We have attorneys within the district that have expressed their displeasure with these LIDs.

If these type LID's are passed, there is no limits on these same commissioners passing additional taxing to resurface and repair any roads or highways they choose. With their type of thinking, any road or highway is fair game if they run out of money. These commissioners need to be replaced with three representing Kootenai County residents and especially in these lean times with many on fixed incomes.

BILL SINGLETON

Coeur d'Alene