State needs to make roads around Goose Pond better

To the Editor:

We hope that everyone enjoyed the lights at Pleasant Grove Farm. We had 50-100 cars per night! We plan having even more lights next year.

We hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year's as we did.

Those of you that enjoyed the lights had to endure the roads; especially 300 South and 1100 West. Just the 1,000 or so cars and busses that came out have significantly deteriorated the roads.

The state expects an estimated 10,000 birders and 8,000 hunters will flock to the area each year. You can double that the first year. That's 350 a week or about what our traffic was.

When the state purchased the property, it was removed from our tax base. But Greene County is supposed to pay for and maintain the roads (about 18 miles) within and surrounding the Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area.

The state eliminates the tax money, builds an attraction, and wants us to spend our money to maintain their traffic? Maybe the 18,000 tourists will provide the tax money? Most of that money will prosper companies -- individuals and the state. Very little will get to the local tax coffers especially with a 0.01 income tax rate. Hopefully the property tax will go down or better yet, go away.

A few broken axles, lost hubcaps, front end alignments, tow trucks will impress the tourists.

It seems apparent that the state or higher should put the roads into quality shape then let the County maintain them with increased tax revenues. We've got two years till the grand opening of the Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area.

Your support will help Greene County prosper. Please let your representatives know we need some help.

John Cline

Pleasant Grove Farm

Lyons