“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” — Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities”

ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.

Unfortunately, many would insist these are the worst of times, and I fear that bearing the brunt of this unpleasantness will be all those millage requests that voters will decide in the Aug. 3 primary election.

There are so many millage requests on the ballot that they had to be placed on the other side of the places where voters make their selections for candidates. The timing is awful, and it’s a perilous situation because all of the requests deserve to be approved.

The Allegan Area Educational Service Agency has three proposals, all to override tax rollbacks because of the Headlee Amendment, restoring the original levies. One is for special education services, one for operating millage and one for career and technical education.

All are essential, but they may be in trouble because of hard times. Yes, I’m suggesting that yet another negative consequence of the COVID-19 crisis and economic downturn could show up at the polls in the primary.

Another potential casualty is recycling services in the county. I and many others I know have enjoyed having curbside recycling, but it may discontinued if we collectively turn down a proposal to increase the annual surcharge from $36 to $50 a year.

Dorr Township has critical millage requests for roads and for fire equipment. Hopkins Township is seeking a road millage, as is Martin Township. And Watson is seeking millage for dust control.
However, because so many people now have lost their jobs and are on the unemployment rolls, also at risk of being eliminated, it is entirely possible voters will be in no mood to pay for essential local services.

It’s a damn shame if it comes to that. Voters just might be throwing the baby out with the bath water, all because of incompetent federal management of a crisis and its economic fallout.

t is my fervent wish voters will understand that the requests before them are essentially no different than in the past. What has changed is a federal problem, which the federal government will have to solve. And if out ladies and gentlemen in Washington won’t get it done, let’s throw the rascals out.