Our future is in our past

From our reading of the many letters to the editor involving the three county tax questions, it seems to us that the issue is not so much the tax as the principle of the thing.

Many folks have pointed out issues such as the Minden parking garage, the lack of a growth control ordinance or the failure by county fathers to prepare for the needs the tax questions would fund.

Whatever the legitimacy of these issues, there is one group of people seeking support who are blameless in any of the county's past doings.

That's the members of the Douglas County Historical Society, who are hoping for approval of a 3/4 of a cent property tax increase to support the county's museums.

You won't see a lot of signs backing Question 3 and there aren't a lot of people walking neighborhoods on their behalf. The people who would be stumping for Question 3 are pretty busy just keeping the museums going. That should be enough to earn them the voters' support, but it isn't.

Of all the questions on the ballot, Question 3 is clearest about where the money will go and that probably won't do proponents any good.

The property tax would go to hire people who will be able to finally catch up with the work the museums have delayed while living hand to mouth for all these years.

We have no doubt that Douglas County's future prosperity will be found in its history and that's why we endorse Question 3.