Vote down Electric City Proposition No. 1

Voting for a property tax increase for Electric City (E.C.) police protection is one thing, but in effect giving the city government a blank check to determine the type of police services is another.

E.C. recently sent a letter to the voters outlining five options for police services. The letter does not include how the specific option to be implemented would be determined. One of the options is to establish a new Electric City-only police department. The costs were approximated, but would likely be much higher to provide 24/7 police coverage at the level to which we are accustomed.

Even without considering cost, it is the wrong thing to do. Local area leaders should be working to combine existing common services, not create more. Having one police department, one ambulance service, and one fire department, etc., to service the entire Grand Coulee Dam area should be more efficient and thus, provide improved service and be less costly.

It seems to me the conflict between Grand Coulee and Electric City regarding police protection costs could be resolved by hiring an impartial arbitrator. It should not be that hard to figure out the fair/justifiable division of costs between the two towns.

I support funding for police protection, but not the open-ended Prop. No. 1. Vote no on Electric City Prop. No. 1.

Jim Bailey