With due respect, I am compelled to respond to the letter submitted by former elected official Lynn Hettrick. He cites two studies provided by two different consultants, both paid for by the same interests. Hardly independent. Also, the assertion that these documents support "reasonable growth" without regard to the details of Douglas County's spending practices is creative. But the devil is in the detail and there is more to the ledger sheet. The conclusion of increased collections ignores the increases of unfunded liabilities. So is it the lack of trust in government officials or our personal observations fueling the "emotional rhetoric?"
Deficiencies in infrastructure, such as; stormwater, floodwater and roads are often compounded by development practices. Predictably, increased taxes are needed to offset these and continue to grow with the current practices.
Compliance with the federal requirements for stormwater management will cost the taxpayers of Douglas County hundreds of millions of dollars. To meet the standards Douglas County should have implemented design standards a dozen years ago (like most desirable communities). In this way new development would have been paying its way, not adding to the future burden of the taxpayers. To be fair, some of our development community chose the high road and implemented better practices; others with low-ball approaches added to the problem.
Similarly, the county has approved development in the floodplain using real off-account engineering practices impacting flows, now parts of Chichester Estates and Winhaven are in floodplains, as nearby lands were developed, pushing floodwaters new directions. Calculate that liability. The taxpayers are obliged to spend $5-7 million just to address the flood water needs of a small development approved on Stephanie Way. The taxes collected even with compounded calculations for those 20 homes will never repay the liability created.
Do we need to discuss roads? At least, the electorate voiced our opinion and must accept the downward spiral we inflicted upon ourselves by not supporting the road program. But how much faster do our roads fail with increased traffic? Are we afraid to sum the full deficiency of the road program? We obligated the taxpayers to nearly $30 million to build the public's share of Muller Parkway, yet no funding source (nice deal for someone). So blindly following the past, we continue to add more vehicles and ignore the obvious growing gap in funding. Yes, taxes will go up, just higher for the Smart Growth Coalition position.
Inexplicably, the interests represented by Mr. Hettrick and these consulting firms do not take into consideration the liabilities that poor quality development brings. We can develop Douglas County into the type of community to be proud of, or continue the downward path prescribed by low-ball land developers and rudderless government.
We have good firms and less than so, it is our elected officials obligation, not a distorted analysis of market factors, to raise the playing field vice justifying the degradations that have become the standard. Figures and liars aside; is the quality of life you experience in Douglas County meeting your expectations?
We know our roads; water quality and infrastructure are declining. Our economy is limited; our trust in government is low; yet our families and community ties are strong. We have an earnest and capable populace; pulled together it is time to build a Douglas County with real roads, wastewater, and flood facilities with costs equitably shared. We can rally to build the economy and societal programs, such as education, recreation, arts and culture we may aspire. But first, we must have leadership we trust to safeguard our future and our family's, by not adding to the debt. Unit by unit, we are falling behind. It is not emotion; it is math. Demand and support leadership in the county to deliver quality projects, this protects all of our property rights not just a privileged few.
-- Mitch Dion is former Douglas County Community Development Director and a Gardnerville resident.
