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Huge yes vote will help firefighters statewide
By John Wylie, Oologah Lake Leader
Northwest Rogers County voters can protect themselves and send a clear statewide message Tuesday by voting for the special fire district proposition.
The ballot language is intimidating, but its meaning is simple: Without raising taxes, approval will provide a $975,000 line of credit to replace and upgrade fire equipment.
The money will only be drawn down as needed. Right now it is needed to replace trucks destroyed by the recent wave of wildfires.
A simple majority of those casting ballots will provide the badly needed money. But a huge turnout and overwhelming yes vote will do so much more.
Simply put, politicians of both parties have given plenty of lip service to properly funding firefighting statewide. But they have shown no leadership. The House action Tuesday is still little more than a glorified bandage.
From Gov. Brad Henry on down, politicians seem to think that voters don’t care about long-term protection of their lives, homes and businesses.
That can change dramatically on Tuesday. Voter turnout above 40 percent with 90 percent-plus approval will send a strong message to Oklahoma City that firefighting funding is a very high priority.
A commitment to our brave firefighters also will help surrounding departments with far fewer resources. That’s important because wildfires do not respect city, county or other political boundaries.
They go where they want, destroying everything in their paths, unless a properly equipped fire department is there to stop them.
How bad has Oklahoma’s wildfire plague been?
So far, over 590,000 acres have burned. To put that in perspective, imagine every square inch of Rogers County left as charred rubble, with half of Washington County thrown in for good measure.
Imagine a charred mass stretching from Watova to Collinsville and from Chelsea to Ramona with another 30,000 or so acres burned on top of that.
That’s what the wildfires have done.
Imagine at least three deaths.
That’s what these wildfires have caused.
We have lost no occupied homes and suffered no fatalities thanks to the dedication of Northwest firefighters and the modern equipment provided by taxpayers for a quarter of a century.
The toll on that equipment has been devastating, but when a rash of new fires broke out Sunday, Northwest continued to keep the flames away from homes and people.
Now the people can ensure that this success continues by providing capital funding for up to 40 years – without one penny of additional taxes.
If the margins are big enough, it will wake up the sleeping “leaders” in Oklahoma City, providing additional long-term funding not only to Northwest but to surrounding departments.
That benefits Northwest, because as good neighbors we are expected to help out when other departments are overwhelmed (just as they help us).
Please vote yes Tuesday. Call five friends for breakfast or lunch, and then go vote as a group. Vote Friday or Monday at the election board in Claremore by in-person, absentee ballot. Do whatever you can to make a statement and send a message.
You will help our state. You will help our fire district. And most important, you will protect yourself against that inevitable day when smoke and flames come racing towards your home. |
