We need that levy passed
There are 35 million seniors now over 65 and in another 22 years it will double to 70,000 seniors needing services.
On March 13, seniors from Hot Springs came on the senior bus and only myself were at the courthouse to get the commissioners to agree to a three-mil levy to be put on the June 3 ballot. It was embarrassing when the commissioners made mention of about no interest from the other centers. They sure noticed it! We all need to pull together.
We had a levy passed in 2000, but forgot to include a cost of living increase. Since then, everything has gone up three to six times with less money coming in every year due to the bigger companies and their tax protests.
We have got to pass this levy or services will have to be cut drastically and could even close some of the centers. $15,711 of the current levy goes for transportation for the whole county. $21,195 goes for match money for meals, respite, homemaking, caregiving, Alzheimer's respite, etc. And the rest goes to pay expenses. The COA gets between 20 and 40 percent and the match is 54 to 80 percent is available.
As you know everything is going up drastically: food, propane, utilities, fuel for the buses, etc. With the price of gas, a lot of people are depending on the Sanders County transportation. We just got it started and people are using this to save money.
Like everyone else, I hate tax increases, but we are against the wall. Our centers are more than senior centers - they are community centers used by all ages for things like painting or quilting classes, dancing, AAA meetings, voting, indoor yard sales, a place to have pot lucks after 50th wedding anniversaries, weddings, funerals, etc.
A lot of the centers are in the hole now because of high propane and utilities and with more money needed each year it will only get worse.
We are not getting any younger and I have gone to the rest areas along the freeway where seniors have packed buses and given out drinks, cookies and other goodies - it's hot, grueling work, not to mention all the cookies to bake!
Seniors get tired of being hit for raffles and dollared to death. The three-mil levy will cost $5.92 on a $100,000 house or about 50 cents per month - of course, double on a $200,000 house. The levy with the cost of living increase would set us up.
Everyone is going to have to get up out of their chair and help instead of expecting others to do it. Talk it up with everyone; call everyone in your area at least two times and ask for support, talk to churches. We are desperate - help is needed and please, please get out there and support us on June 3.
Nancy Jo Howarth
Noxon