In recent days, we’ve seen the natural threat of flooding to our county and we send our offers of help to those who lost their homes or had damage. Our thanks go out to all first responders and volunteers who were there from the beginning through the receding waters and now working on recovery.
Our second natural threat is fire – wildfires that can eat up acres of forests, homes, businesses and watersheds in minutes.
What happens if our county funding is so limited that can’t send out timely warnings? What if we don’t have staff to plan evacuation routes on the spot and people get trapped? What if we don’t have enough deputies to warn people – door to door – to leave in time? What if we don’t have the funds to do essential fire mitigation work each year and our wildfire risk increases?
Do we want fewer first responders for our growing population, especially of older residents? Do we want slower response times? Do we want more property damage? Do we want more catastrophic wildfires? Do we want higher home insurance rates?
I know we want the best staff and the best resources for them, so they can be successful.
We must approve 1A the 1 cent sales tax increase to have the funds to mitigate these natural threats; county residents, city residents, and visitors all contribute.
Keep La Plata strong – your “yes” vote on 1A will help La Plata thrive.
Paulette Church
Durango
