Letter To The Editor: Questions To Ponder

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Submitted by: Annette Loy

SO…what’s so wrong with a bedroom community?

Jefferson County is often called a “bedroom community”   That means that most of our citizens go outside the county to seek employment. They go to Morristown, Sevierville, Knoxville and other surrounding areas and then they come “home” to Jefferson County to spend time with family and friends and to enjoy the environment of the county.

SO…what’s wrong with that picture?

The qualities that make Jefferson County so attractive to those seeking a quiet, peaceful, scenic environment in which to live and raise families are also the qualities that hold back “progress”, “economic development” and all the other catch phrases that our county leaders use when touting the fact that they are seeking to provide us with a “Better Future”.

SO…how can we “have our cake and eat it too”?

The fact is, we cannot do both. We as citizens are going to have to choose between development, industry and jobs that are located at the factory next door to where we live, resulting in the loss of our quality environment and everything else that we value. We citizens need to take an active role in this process, because if we do not, the decision is going to be made for us.

So…can we do that?

Taxes will go up regardless of whether we choose to maintain our quality of life or  to develop an industrial atmosphere that no one will want to next door to them.  We can tell our leaders that we value our county as it is. That not all of us are interested in seeing the things that we value, green space, farms, streams and rivers and quiet country roads destroyed in the name of almighty “progress”. We need to redefine “progress” as community development that supports the lifestyle we desire. 

SO…if we do that, how can we take care of the needs of the county?

We need to develop a philosophy that invests in those things that are our county assets.  The things that we value are the scenic beauty of our county, the healthful environment, the relative safety and serenity of the communities in the county.  If we choose to live here, we must be prepared to make some sacrifices. Yes, these things cost money to maintain, but if we want them we must defend them and be willing to pay for them.  Additionally, we must see the big picture by supporting regional development at sites that are appropriate for development of industry. The end economic result for Jefferson County is the same.  We not need to own it to benefit  from it.

SO…does that mean that my taxes will go up?

Without a doubt, if Jefferson County stays a “bedroom community” taxes will rise.  It costs to provide adequate services, proper schools and roads. We will not be able to afford the finest and best of everything, but we can provide for our needs. We will have to be willing to compromise in the way we support the various needs of the county.  We must learn to make our tax dollars work smarter, not harder. We must pay attention to what our leadership is doing with our tax money and we must insist that it be used to support those things that we value and support.

If you value Jefferson County as I do, SPEAK UP. Do not allow our leaders to sacrifice our county in the name of “Progress, Economic Development and a Better Future” The future is NOW…hold on to it.