Vote for senior mil levy
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Editor,
A two mil levy for support of Senior Citizen Programs of Lake County will appear on the June primary election ballot. I urge everyone to support this issue.
At the present time about 20-25 percent of the population of Lake County is 60 years or age or older. Census reports and other studies indicate that within 10 years that percentage will increase to about 40 percent.
Services furnished to the aging population are hot meals at senior centers, home delivered meals (meals on wheels), transportation for medical appointments, shopping, homemaking, laundry, respite care to relieve caregivers for short periods of time, information and assistance for dealing with Medicare, Medicaid and taxes and, above all, socialization.
There has never been a true mil levy for senior service in Lake County. What was passed many years ago was a directive to the County Commissioners to support the aging programs. The commissioner have done that with an amount less than one mil, about $40,000. These funds are subject to elimination as department funding demands increase.
Senior citizen programs, like all others, must have stability of fund to continue to operate. There are senior centers in Arlee, St. Ignatius, Charlo, Ronan, Polson and a small group from Woods Bay in Lake County who attend the Bigfork Center in Flathead County. There is also the Lake County Council on Aging and the Area VI Agency on Aging.
The two mil levy would increase annual taxes on property with assessed value of $100,000 by $2.62. The duration of the levy would be perpetural. TI would bring an estimated total of $148,000 to support senor program and would be split among all senior groups previously mentioned on a formula presently used by the county.
I urge you to support this mil levy proposal. Remember these aging programs are beneficial to everyone, and as the old western song goes, “The young get older, the old get older, time marches on.”
Al Sampson
Ronan
