LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Dictatorship or Democracy

The more I attend council meetings and read our local paper, I am dismayed by the lack of decorum and dedication our elected leaders have shown. Perhaps dedication isn’t the correct word. Oh some are dedicated, but the dedication is not to the people they serve which in their words are the “tax payers” and “constituents”. It is their dedication to their own agendas of which the people who elected them are not privy. Let me say I don’t believe this of all of our leaders, but even the ones that are not following their own agenda are at the very least not willing to fight or stand up for those they serve. It is sad.

The biggest issue right now is the 95 million dollar upgrade of our water system. Instead of educating those they serve they simply will do Certificates of Obligation. I have looked up the certificates of obligation, studied up on how they should be used and the controversy around local governments using them to circumvent tax payers voting. This is all information open to the public.

Don’t for a moment believe that this 95 million dollars will not come out of tax payer pockets. That is quite misleading considering when they applied with the state for the certificates of obligation, they had to state that tax dollars may be spent. They also have stated that they will capture the money with water utility bills. It is laughable that our leaders can even state that the money will not come out of tax payers pockets whether business or an individual, when it absolutely does.

Oh and I agree that the petition was obviously not done as it should have been, but the same goes for the Certificates of Obligation. I heard a council member state they did not like that when people were asked to sign the petition they were not educated on what they were signing and misinformed. Our leaders are completely misinforming the people they serve when saying tax payers will not pay for this upgrade. I heard another council member use the word “resent” when the petition was brought up. Not sure why anyone should resent a petition, but I know the people that voted for our leaders most definitely will resent when they are paying for this upgrade without getting to vote on it.

Deana Cosper

Odessa