Rural Idaho doesn't need more low-income homes

In 1978 I brought my family here from the hordes of people in southern California to live in a peaceful and beautiful place. The people were respectful of each other. They held the door open for you and thanked you when you did the same for them, and your word meant something.

I will never forget an ad in the Nickel's Worth. It read, "Found a bag of groceries. Call and identify for its return." What a great place to raise a family.

Thankfully some of that respect remains but is slipping away fast. Now North Idaho has a real problem with satellite developments ruining the integrity of North Idaho. Developers also propose a sewage treatment plant. What guarantee do we have that it will never contaminate the water supply? After its completion, all property owners in the area will be taxed to pay for its operating cost. Do you think 86 low-income homes can afford to do so? If these applications are approved, it will lead to further high-density developments including 1,000 or more homes on the former Rickel Ranch.

The developers would like us to believe they are doing us a favor. If they are so concerned about low-income housing, maybe they could work for Habitat for Humanity. The developers do not care about us. Once the homes are sold they put the money in their pockets and move to the next project. Silverwood and the sawmill will not hire people because of hundreds of new homes. They hire people when they need them. Silverwood is a seasonal operation which hires mostly part-time employees.

Where are these new people going to be employed? There are not enough good-paying jobs to support a large increase in the population, which will keep wages low, and more people on welfare. How are they going to pay an estimated $1,000 or more monthly payment and all the other family expenses on a $12-an-hour job?

Unfortunately, lower income neighborhoods usually lead to more welfare and crime, putting a burden on police, fire, EMTs, prisons, jails, courts and school systems. We the rural residents of all North Idaho choose to live this way and not what appears to be shady politicians and greedy developers to ruin it for us. What gives these few people the right to destroy the area? Idaho relies on tourism. Do you think tourists will come to look at rooftops?

Maybe it is time for us to purchase the DVDs from the TV show "Outdoor Idaho" to remind us of what we had. What about our rights? This problem is not unique to this area; it is nationwide. How much longer are we going to stand for this? These politicians are supposed to work for us and what we want, and not special interest groups or themselves.

All rural residents need to get involved. Your back yard could be next. Let's keep the 5 and 10 acre minimum developments; no zone changes.

Get involved at 6 p.m. Thursday evening, March 12, Boswell Hall at North Idaho College. Come early.

Ron Nichols is an Athol-area resident.