L&T Publisher Earl Watt
Many of us chose the rural lifestyle to avoid the hustle and bustle of those who prefer the big city. There are times, however, when we appreciate the additional shopping, dining and entertainment options of places like Wichita, Kansas City, or even Orlando.
The 8 million who have chosen to live in New York City may love it and the massive fees that come along with it, but we have chosen Southwest Kansas.
And even here in Seward County, some have chosen to live outside of the cities of Kismet or Liberal. They wanted a more rural life with their next door neighbor being a mile or so away.
That’s the beauty of country living. But, just like the rest of us who have chosen to forego the traffic and tribulations of city life, as well as the additional amenities, those who have chosen to live in the country have also given up certain perks.
Sidewalks is one of them.
At a town hall meeting more than a year ago, a county resident shared a concern of children walking on a dirt road with industrial trucks driving just a few feet away.
That’s the challenge of county living. And it’s not the only one.
Dirt roads are also a trade-off from the paved city streets.
It’s too expensive to pay for an asphalt street on a road that only has a handful of home owners for several miles.
Over the years, some of these roads, and a few paved ones in rural Seward County, have not been maintained as well as they should have been.
Some have said it is due to deferred maintenance. Others have blamed the equipment or the misuse of it.
It’s easy to point fingers, but for whatever reason, some roads just aren’t as good as others.
Through property tax, there is already a $3 million annual investment in the Road and Bridge department for Seward County. It’s not a zero-funded department. There has been an investment made.
We have also seen some additional industry in or very near to Seward County in recent years, and that puts further strain on the roadways.
There will be a proposal on the ballot in November on whether or not to have a half-cent sales tax added in Seward County for the sole purpose of repairing and maintaining county roads.
Many of you have been confused about this issue, believing there is already a sales tax to help with road repairs.
The existing 1-cent sales tax is only passed by the voters in the City of Liberal and is used for the enhancements in the City of Liberal. That tax began in 1993 for seven years and was renewed for 10 years in 2000, 2010 and 2020.
City streets are improved by using this tax. And a large part of that tax is paid for by the citizens of Liberal as well as by those who live in Seward County and shop here. It is also supported by those who live in Oklahoma and other states who shop here.
By being a place that offers dining, shopping and entertainment to the surrounding communities, their investment helps keep Liberal a destination for them and their families.
Not only do city residents pay the sales tax, but they also pay a vast majority of the $3 million currently being used by Seward County for the Road and Bridge department. The citizens of Liberal have been doing their part to help our rural neighbors who have chosen to forego the city mill levy by living in the country. Liberal residents have been paying the lion’s share of the county’s overall budget.
The half-cent sales tax proposal will also be predominantly paid for by City of Liberal residents.
The reason, we are told, is that development in the county benefits the city, too.
And there is truth to that. Specifically the half mile of road to Conestoga, which has been overpaying property taxes since 2018, and the access road to DCP by the river, another company that overpaid taxes.
It seems the contributors are paying for the roads they use.
But the roads that have no industrial assets have been maintained for a century with the mill levy.
We have asked for more information about the proposed tax with a vote less than two months away and so far have received none. It is our understanding that a consultant is developing up a plan, but it would seem that expecting to spend $2.5 million per year would have come with a plan beforehand.
An estimated $2.7 million of the current budget for county roads is already being paid by city residents. Someone needs to explain why they need to almost double their contribution.
