Dear editor, $24,560,000! Where is it coming from?

Area farms and local businesses will be responsible for over 80-percent of the burden of the proposed Southland referendum! In the event of a farm crisis, where land values decline, the farmer will still be responsible for the tax burden, regardless of the economic situation. This will not change. As in the past, businesses will either close or relocate exacerbating the situation.

We need to make wise and frugal choices that we can all live with and not jeopardize our only industry, the farmer. Our population trend is declining. I graduated in 1981 with 82 seniors and my daughter’s class of 2014 graduated 54 students. The fifth grade class is currently at 22 students. What will the next generation look like? There is very limited career opportunities here.

We don’t want the levy to be out-of-date before it’s voted in. Have we exhausted all of the choices? Approximately 80-percent of the money is coming from the farmer and the businesses, how many of them were represented in the Task Force? Was it 80-percent?

The farmer is the backbone of our communities and we’re discussing a $24,560,000 referendum where they’re responsible for 80-percent of it, right in the middle of their most critical time of the year.

Joe Landherr,

Rose Creek