Dear Editor,
I would like to point out to you and your readers how important the May 4th election is. More so than usual. The most important thing on the ballot is the hospital tax increase. The rate was established in 1986 at 12 cents. That was 30 years ago. Do you think you could live and pay your bills on what you made 30 years ago? Well, the hospital can’t either. If this tax measure does not pass, we’ll probably lose the hospital and then what will we do?
Right now our City Council is divided into two groups. The “stay-puts” who wish to repair and expand the present city hall or build a new one. The police would prefer to stay in the same place and it would be more convenient for the rest of us also. There may even be grants to help with a new building.
The other group is the “head ‘em up” and “move ‘em out” bunch. They want to buy the old telephone company/Navarro College site two miles east on Hwy. 84. It comes with 11 acres, a huge and expensive to heat and cool main building, some asbestos concerns and one main in and out entrance to Hwy. 84. (Right where all the school traffic is.) There will be only a few people working in this huge place so I guess we need to figure roller skates in the cost.
Because it has a 1/2 million price tag plus another million and more relocation and renovation cost, (the last figure I had) the Council has found a way to do this without voter participation and they are one vote away from doing so.
I cannot tell you where all the candidates stand only 3. You will have to ask each one yourself. Be prepared for some “run-around”. Some are in the phone book. City hall may help you. You may have to ask around.
There are 1900 plus voters on the roll but only 300 or so vote on a regular basis. The rest of you should be ashamed, get off your “rotundas”, ask questions and go to the polls.
Jo Olive Turner
Fairfield, Texas
