Op Ed – James Van Doren
While the pandemic has caused much heartache and confusion, we know that eventually our lives will change again and Coronavirus will be part of our history. As we look to the future, we should consider what we can do today that will set Lenawee County up for prosperity in the years to come.
In our economic development work, we’ve learned that a variety of factors influence the quality of life in a community. While arts and culture, restaurants, and recreation are important, education, career opportunities, and public services also play a key role in the life, health, safety, and happiness of residents. These are also key points that individuals and businesses look at when they are considering our County as their home.
We want to see our children and grandchildren choose Lenawee County as their home. We want to attract more startups and businesses to our communities. We want to see all of our communities grow and our economy thrive.
In order to achieve these goals, Lenawee County must have critical public services in place that support a great quality of life for our residents. The three proposals that will appear on your ballot this fall will renew and fund vital Lenawee County services that influence the perceptions of our community and make this a great place to live, work, and play.
With proper funding for programs and services that protect our community, educate our students, care for our senior citizens, support our businesses, and positively impact our most vulnerable citizens, we can improve all of our lives. That is why the three proposals up for renewal on the ballot for Lenawee County, the Separate Tax Limitation, the 9-1-1 Surcharge, and the Senior Millage, will ensure that Lenawee County continues to prosper for many generations.
The funding provided by these proposals helps local businesses grow, provides leadership opportunities for our children, ensures safety on our roads and in our communities, and keeps our loved ones healthy and safe in their homes longer. Without this funding, we cannot become the County that easily attracts and keeps our businesses, friends, family, and neighbors.
I urge you to vote on November 3rd.
