Trick or Treat? Clarke County sales tax vote Nov. 3

Trick or Treat time for the landowners in Clarke County will continue past Halloween. On Nov. 3 there will be voting on a special ballot to decide whether or not the city of Murray and rural Clarke County will pass a 1 percent sales tax to help pay for their share of the costs to build a lake. A lake that will mean grabbing up land which belongs to some of their long time family farmers.

In following some of the letters in the Osceola Sentinel -Tribune I find a few heartwarming “treats” which I will share here.

“One Clarke County resident said that she will note for the tax …’I’m going to vote no because I can’t live with the thought that I could possibly be taking someone’s land…So I will pay the (higher) property taxes. I can’t vote for it, I can’t.”

Some residents feel the issue of the lake “is not Murray’s problem. It never should’ve been a county issue. It should’ve stayed an Osceola issue, but you crammed it down our throat…. I think we need to stand up and say no.”

My fellow Iowans -there are some “treats” but alas, many tricks with this land grab issue, as well.

A letter writer to the paper wrote

“Do we sacrifice value and benefit for all citizens of Clarke County because of those disgruntled land owners even though we empathize with them? I think not.”

Tricks and threats are the theme of several letters. I urge you to read them all, though the term “disgruntled” should give you a clue as to the theme of the letters. To some people the desire to keep a family home or family farm is meanly called “disgruntled”. I find the term disgusting!

I will continue to watch and care about the developments of the land grab from American farmers and others. Also of interest will be the opinions about eminent domain from the candidates running for the opportunity and privilege of being elected as our next Governor.

The vote on Nov. 3 will be a signal if American taxpayers and citizens can withstand scare tactics in order to stand up for private property rights.

Seeing the potential of private land being gobbled up is very scary. And worse, it is Un-American.

Trick or Treat? Iowans need to be watching. The next land grab could be in your neighbor’s home, or worse yet, your home.