Letter from Jan Roggy–Vote Yes

Have any of you driven down Wall Street recently? How about Main Street or Winfield? Did you think you had gone off-roading? Imagine living on one of those streets where you had to drive it daily. Do you ever ask yourself why the City isn’t doing anything to take care of this situation? It’s like everything else…not enough money in the checkbook. If everyone would reach into their pockets and grab a penny, the $200,000 that is projected to be generated would start to fill those potholes.
 
Another question, have you ever turned on the TV and watched the news of a school shooting? Not going to happen in Morrison[, IL,] is the reply. Do you think that those parents ever thought it was going to happen in their small town? Do you think there will be an alert sent out to keep your child home one day, because someone is going to take a gun to Morrison Junior High School? I doubt that will happen! Did you realize that your penny could provide a more secure environment at our schools? I guarantee that my kids and grandkids are worth far more than that penny! I have a child working in the school system, and I have grandkids attending….Their safety is of utmost concern!
 
Another thing is the fact that our schools are getting older. I know that the auditorium opened my junior year of high school. I’m almost to retirement age, and those same covers are on the auditorium seats. How many of you have attended a dance recital, play, etc., and had to move, because the springs were poking you? The money raised will not pay for salaries or buy new computers, but it will put new roofs on the buildings or replace a 60-year-old boiler.
 
We are trying to attract new residents and businesses to our great little Community, especially in light of the Thomson Prison opening.  But how does our town present itself to “visitors” looking to call Morrison home?  Aging schools and torn up streets are not high on their priority list, I’m sure.  We CAN make a difference by putting in our two cents and voting “Yes” on November 4th!
 
There will be no taxes on grocery items, vehicles, prescription drugs, or agricultural equipment.  By voting yes, this burden is spread out over every person who spends money in town, not just those who live in the city limits…, own property, and have their taxes rise on their homes.  Remember when you spend dollars in any Iowa community or our neighboring communities of Fulton, Rock Falls, Sterling, and Dixon, [IL,] you are putting your pennies into their coffers.  Let’s keep it in Morrison to fix our streets and schools.
 
I hope to see that you are giving your two cents and that we will have a “Yes” vote for both referenda on [Tuesday,] November 4th.
 
Morrison Chamber Board of Director, Jan Roggy