Letters to the Editor
departments
Money Worries
Coos Bay, Ore.
We have been concerned for several years about the distribution of federal and state grant monies. Recently, our concerns have been escalated by reports in the fire service publications.
Our basic concern is fairness and equity in distribution — small districts or cities as opposed to larger cities and districts. We recognize that larger areas generate more revenue from a greater number of taxpayers, and we also recognize that the revenues they receive through grants serve a greater number of people than they do in smaller areas. We would also agree that larger populations receive more political consideration than do smaller ones. However we do not agree that any of the above or any other political excuses are adequate to overshadow discrepancies in the distribution of these grants.
Aid is granted to many foreign countries, large corporations, private industries and many political entities which is questionable, especially when our small, economically depressed, publicly-supported entities are struggling to exist. This year, these small entities are experiencing 15-30 percent in uncollected taxes, and are told to estimate 20 to 40 percent in uncollected taxes next year with no new tax bases, serial levies, bond issues or other revenues.
First, we discovered that to be knowledgeable about the when, where, how and who of receiving a grant, it costs money. Submitting requests costs money and follow-ups and proper procedure cost money. If we had the thousands of dollars nesessary to accomplish this, we would not need the grants. Is it possible to simplify these application procedures to assist small districts?
Secondly, we discovered that the large grant recipients seem to have opened a path to the money tree. Shouldn’t we limit the amounts received by any one area and have a greater distribution nationwide?
Thirdly, we found that rules and regulations vary from state to state or area to area, depending on the bureaucratic agency involved. For example, we seem to be unable to qualify for a new fire station, but our neighbors in an adjoining state can build stations, purchase equipment and install computers — all on federal money! Where is the equality, uniformity or fairness in qualifications?
Chief Duke Groff
Charleston Rural Fire Protection District
