The Argument for Separation

What is it?

Separating is a simple but time consuming process where a town separates into two towns.

Where is the area that would separate?

The Lake-District is bordered on the north by the county line, on the south by Song Lake Crossing, on the east by 81 and on the west by Otisco Valley Road. More or less can be included depending on the people living on the borders of the new town. While it is a small area it represents about 50% of the population and about 50% of the appraised land value of Preble. That detail is one of the things that would have to be determined during this process. A town separation is similar to married people separating. One of the more interesting aspects of it is that both the liabilities and assets of the town would have to be divided between the two new towns. Preble has little if any liabilities but has lots of assets. The town hall, firehouse, town garage, town park, all the land the town owns and all the equipment belongs to the whole town and would have to be valued and split evenly between both halves.

What are the advantages for those separating?

Most of the expenses the town has are in the larger part of the town. I'll call it 'Old Preble' OP for now. The Lake-District or LD has a few roads that don't require much work. That could be sub-contracted to a private firm or a neighboring town. With our half of Preble's assets we could easily buy some land for a town garage and town hall if we wanted but it wouldn't be necessary. We could better use our windfall for improvements to our part of the town. Better roads, lights, signs etc. We could really spruce it up because we would not be carrying the rest of the town with our tax dollars. Most important we would have control of our destiny. We wouldn't have to worry about OP rulers forcing things on us like the Song well or that 15% tax increase. We would be our own bosses, we would control everything ourselves. Our tax rates would likely drop, plummet more likely, and we would still have all the things we are not getting from the town now. The only real disadvantage is the work it would take to do it. However after the work I've put in over the last three years it would seem like a walk in the park.

Oh and by the way. This is our decision to make; we don't have to ask permission from OP for this. If we want it we will have it and they can't stop us.

I'll put up more details on this if the caucuses don't go our way. There is two ways we can deal with our differences in Preble. We can elect people who have all of the people of Preble in mind or we can separate into our own town. On the one hand I would like to stay as one town but not if things stay the way they are now. These caucuses will be the turning point for us. If OP gets their people out and reelects them then we will have no other choice. However, the more I look at this 'other choice' the more I like it. I'll be busy with the caucus and the primary till mid September so you won't hear any more about this till after that.

Frank Hogg 7/30/01