Let officials know your thoughts on SDS impasse

Published 5:39 pm Tuesday, December 11, 2018

City and county officials will reconvene next week on service delivery mediation talks. This will mark the final meeting the two entities have scheduled this year. Officials remain at a stalemate and have a June 2019 deadline in hopes of getting a new Service Delivery Strategy finalized. 

The SDS, which every county and city develops, helps communities establish a framework for providing funding for local services such as libraries, recreation, airports and infrastructure. It helps determine who pays and who is responsible for what and at what portion. 

As we’ve stated in previous editorials, lack of a resolution on this issue certainly doesn’t come without a considerable price tag. The mounting cost of legal fees these negotiations are no doubt racking up should be cause for concern for every local taxpayer. 

Local residents should implore their elected officials to get a resolution in place. 

Too often we have opportunities to make a difference in how our government works, but for whatever reason, we don’t. Instead, we do nothing — assuming that someone else will or that we have to influence — but we never know if we don’t try. Sometimes it’s worth trying.

Service delivery is too important and has too much an impact to allow that to happen.

Local residents need to let elected officials know what they think about this matter not being resolved and how much it’s costing. 

We should all question whether officials are being good stewards of taxpayers’ monies by allowing this issue to stretch out this long.  

Imagine if this money being used for legal fees were redirected what areas we could impact. Imagine if it could be refocused on combatting the growing issue of mental health care treatment, workforce development programs, family literacy and youth education programs. 

Imagine the impact potential. 

Instead, we’re here — still at the negotiating table. And as long as we’re here, no one wins — except the attorneys involved in the mediation. Remember — this affects your bottom line, and has the potential for an even greater impact now that library services and the animal shelter funding are in question. 

That’s why local residents should let officials know their concerns on this issue. 

If we continue making this issue more about winners and losers, then we all lose and it builds ill-will on both sides of the negotiating table. 

We urge local residents to remind their elected officials of that and let them know what you think about this whole situation. 

Get involved in your local government — attend city council and county commission meetings, email and give your thoughts. They represent you; it’s up for you to decide how you want to be represented.