Losing trust in leaders

The paper’s editorial in the Nov. 21 paper lamented, “Cape leadership must regain residents’ support.” This is true. There was a time when voters passed every bond issue, increase in property tax or utility increase because we trusted elected officials to use our money efficiently and wisely. That time seems to be over.

When residents see sidewalks that no one uses, we have to ask why? When we see grass and weeds taking over those sidewalks, we have to ask why? When residents lose half of their front yards and their property value goes down to build these sidewalks, we have to ask why?

When all of a sudden our water system is on the verge of collapse, we have to ask why wasn’t it updated and maintained along the way. Why weren’t funds put back for exactly this purpose?

It is hard to think that we have a serious group of leaders when we have sidewalk projects that citizens do not want and then leaders tell us we might be drinking out of the river soon.

I’ve heard that the sidewalks are paid for with grants. Well, do we have enough grant money to maintain them? Mount Auburn and Lexington sidewalks are filled with grass and weeds. Not really all that beautifying. I don’t mind making our community better, but when we don’t take care of existing systems, roads, sidewalks, and the like, we should not be continually building more. Please stop building more infrastructure that we cannot maintain.

LINDA REUTZEL, Cape Girardeau