Get Out and Vote

So, it is not everyday I get to start a column with such a cliche, but in this case I believe the title is cliche for a reason. The votes coming up are important and meaningful and need to be decided on by as much of Valley County as possible.

Therefore, I wanted to take this time to get up on my soapbox and ask each and every one of you to vote in the upcoming elections.

Currently, there is an election to pass a hospital district to support Valley View Home, and a school levy vote intended to help raise teacher salaries. Both are due to be turned in by May 8.

The Valley View ballot needs to be turned into the County Courthouse or mailed back to the Clerk and Recorder’s office. They must be received by May 8 in order to count, so do not delay in filling them out. You should have already received your ballot in the mail and if you have not you need to check with the Clerk and Recorder’s office to either register to vote, or to update your address. One more time those ballots are due to the Clerk and Recorder by May 8.

Valley View has received a lot of attention in the media as of late, and for good reason. Valley View is not only one of the largest employers in town with an operating budget of over $4 million, but it is also where we take care of our seniors. The moms, dads, grandparents, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives of our community. These are our family and friends.

Those people who built this town, those people who taught us, represented us, and sold us our first car. Those people who invested in our futures and our community, and now they are asking for a less than seven percent investment in them. So many families rely on Valley View Home, and many more will rely on them in the future.

The school levy ballots were mailed out April 23 and should be arriving about the time you are reading this column. The school levy was explained in previous editions of the Courier as well, but could use reinforcing. The simple fact is we are paying teachers too little to effectively recruit and retain quality people in Glasgow’s School District. I, personally, am in full support of the levy and feel we need to invest in our children and in their education for the sake of our community and our children’s future. They simply deserve better, and I know for a fact the ones teaching my children deserve even more.

The school ballots need to be returned to the school district by May 8. They cannot be returned to the Clerk and Recorder’s office at the courthouse.

Irrespective of your views on taxation, Valley View or the School District I urge you to please vote in these elections. They are all important to our lives, our community and our way of life and those principles are far to important to ignore, shrug off or neglect.