Frontiersman argues for bigger government

I see the Frontiersman’s Sept. 23 editorial bent is to defend the unwarranted growth and incursion into of our lives of government. The comment that Mat-Su Borough Prop. 1 “is designed to limit the progress of municipal and borough government” is just unbelievable.

The letter by Scott Haan was just as specious and absurd in its claims. There’s nothing like exaggerating beyond reality.

I remember this whining when Evergreen first came into the Valley — there will be drilling rigs all over, they will plow down your house, we have no control. Yet, that is exactly what Prop. 1 is supposed to prevent, only in this case prevent the Borough from taking land.

Here on Lazy, the Community Council’s “plan” calls for a bike trail on Wolverine on the east side of the road. When Wolverine was first paved and the curve taken out by the former Lindeke Place, Alaska Contractors and DOT both promised that the road would be placed on the section line. It was not. It is entirely on our side of the section line. The utility easement is also on our side of the road.

This means that we have had 25 feet or better taken by the road to begin with and another 15 by the easement. We are left with a small yard fronting the road. Now, the community council’s planning committee in its progressive, “comprehensive” five-year plan has decided that a bike trail needs to be built down the utility easement.

This means what front yard I now have becomes four-wheelerville on Wolverine. The utility easement is exactly that — a utility easement, no more. The purpose of the easement was as a utility corridor, not a corridor for four-wheelers.

Prop.1 would prevent the Borough from using the utility easement for a bike trail and four-wheeler raceway.

This is why we need Prop. 1. Were the Borough to try to use the utility easement for other than its intended purpose, the Borough would have to pay us for that use, as that is an unwarranted taking beyond the intended purpose. While the utility easement is for the public good, it is still comprised of private property.

Good-minded socialists will always make what is yours theirs for the common good. Prop. 1 merely make sure you will get paid for their excess. Do you really want to let the Borough get to the point where it’s required to get a permit to cut down a tree on your property?

That’s what the Frontiersman meant by Prop. 1 limiting municipal and Borough government “progress.”

I further urge those in my district to vote for Bruce Waldron for Borough assembly. He is a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, an intelligent and forthright individual of high integrity who will defend your property rights and work to limit the unwarranted growth of our Borough government that is eating us out of house and home.

Larry Wood

Palmer