BCC and Private RoadsI hate the way politicians talk around things. Happened again Tuesday when the Board of County Commissioners discussed both emergency maintenance and establishing municipal services taxing units for regular county maintenance of private roads. Not one of the Commissioners, four of them since Travis Cummings sat out this meeting, offered the blunt, "this could get me unelected" truth. Government, even if it is reimbursed through emergency fees or regular special tax assessments, should not be in the business of maintaining or improving private property. Period. Harsh, I know, and certainly not what the many citizens living on private roads who attended Tuesday's meeting would want to hear. But that's the bottom line. It's a private road. The owners need to keep it maintained at whatever quality they desire because it's their property. At the meeting, residents said roads need to be able to accommodate county services like responses from fire or rescue. OK, if that's the level of quality owners of that road desire, then they should keep it that way. But no one should expect government to venture onto a road that's private property and make necessary improvements to reach that private ownership-chosen standard. Suppose I live on a few acres, with my house at the end of a quarter-mile long driveway. It rains, the wind blows, and Mother Nature deposits a tree right across the driveway. Well, the county is still offering me the basic fire, rescue, police and garbage services, but I should not expect government to come on to my property and remove that tree so they can drive to my front door if I call 911. Heck, no. I'd have to break out my chain saw, or hire someone else to clear my driveway. Clay County Public Works won't - and shouldn't - perform that task, even if there is a mechanism for me to pay them for the service. Suppose that wasn't my, a regular ol' citizen's, house. Suppose instead that it belonged to a County Commissioner. Think there'd be no uproar if Public Works cleared a tree from their driveway? How is that any different than working on a private road to guarantee government services can be delivered if needed to someone else's door? I hate that some residents have to keep spending their money every time we have a storm or drought, just so the road the live on can be driven. But that road was private property when the homeowners bought their individual shares of it. It belongs to them, not Clay County, and government should not be working on someone's private property. Besides, don't county workers have enough work to do already, just trying to keep county-owned roads functional without Public Works hiring out as labor on private property? County Commissioners talked around it, but not one said, It's private property, none of our business and we can't and shouldn't go there.
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Submitted by OneMann on Wed, 07/01/2009 - 6:00pm.
Finder, welcome home. This isn't an issue of Republican or Democrats. It's more basic than that. Besides, the only real difference in the two major political parties is where money gets spent. This, I think, is about government's defined role and its responsibilities inherent in those roles. And nowhere is government's role defined as being responsible to maintain private property. It is, however, often defined as being prohibited from that very thing. Somewhere along the line, government has to stop trying to be everyone's savior. It government only did what it's really supposed to do, our tax bills would be a lot smaller and the government we would have would be a lot more efficient.
Submitted by RichK on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 6:04am.
The issue of private roads is new to me. I've never had to deal with them. Growing up & living in chicago & othe places, I never had to come acroos any problems concerned with them. Consequently, I have no stake at all in the issue. But it would seem that a private road is exactly that. Private. It is up to the owner to bear the cost of at least minimal upkeep. I can also understand any law that, because of necessity, outlines some guidlines regarding minimal upkeep. So thanks for shedding some light on the subject for people like me who wonder what the big tsimmes is. As to the posting titled, "Hot blondie ally gets," thanks for giving me a morning jolt better than any coffee I've ever had. I don't think it will last long with the "report abuse," button, but it was a change of pace, nonetheless. At the very least, it was a welcome change of pace to Obama bashing & the CCAC circus. But alas, I think that the "report abuse," button should be hit on this one & if I don't do it, someone else surely will. And that's the way it T I Is, tis. JATFUR. Rich K
Submitted by TruthHurts on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 5:53pm.
LOL Too funny, but I think you guys are forgeting two things. Not all people should be seen naked, and the people that you would love to see naked would only keep your mind off of the job at hand (no pun intended). TRUTHHURTS Please go to http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer and sign the petition for the Fair Tax Bill. Tell Congress to pass this Bill.
Submitted by oneguysview on Fri, 07/03/2009 - 9:17pm.
TH, I'm still laughing too over the story. And your comment is right on the mark. That's why I would not like to see the BCC adopt this policy. I'd have to skewer my eyes with chopsticks. People are talking about ...Here are the recent blog postings with the most comments. |
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Republicans would never consider asking the government to spend public money on private entities like private roads, private schools, church schools or for profit toll roads.
When my front sidewalk develops a crack, maybe I should ask the county to come fix it for me. I wouldn't want an EMT to trip and fall on it but why should I have to pay to fix it? Those EMTs work for the County don't they? Shouldn't the County be responsible for making sure they have a safe path to my house?
I guess it depends on which side of a bailout you fall. Asking the government to fix your personally owned private road is the same thing as bailing out a bank. And you know how loud the Reps have been screaming about that.
Mike Heemer