Letter to the Editor
On Tuesday, April 1, 2025 a majority of voters against the County leadership’s proposal to fund a new County Complex Building with a 1% Sales tax to be paid over 35 years. The documentation shared with the public states the bond costs of about $93 Million. I am proud of my fellow voters, who voted “NO”, for being involved and educated on the issue.
Unfortunately, the vote only addressed the question of funding the proposal, meaning the County Leaders may just go ahead with the building project and shift the funding requirement to local property taxes. I hope that is not the case. My vote, “NO” represents my opinion of the entire project as currently planned and if we were to ask the other “NO” voters, we might find they disapprove of the building plan as well.
I participated in the County open house and agree the jail does need to be modernized and possibly expanded. I acknowledge other problems discussed about the current County structure. Those issues can be solved with creative decision making.
My objection to the current building plan goes beyond the overall cost, $92 Million over 35 years. I object to the plan for the reduction of office space for our key County offices, (County Clerk, County Treasurer, Supervisor of Assessors, others). The employees of the current Treasurer’s office are crammed into the offices like sardines. The same can be said of other offices. They need more space-not less. These key offices are where the bulk of residents do business; so taking away their spaces to expand courtrooms and prison leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Likewise, I do not like the argument we need more jail space to accommodate more prisoners so the County can house prisoners for the State and other departments for revenue generation. The priority of the County Sheriff and County Jail should be for prisoners of this County and not focused on revenue generation.
Listen, I can appreciate the desire of County Leaders for a fully new building complex. It just seems they defaulted to the easy solution- GO BIG and NEW instead of doing the uncomfortable but more conservative option of modernizing and expanding the existing building.
There is a lot of space around the existing county complex that could be used for expansion and probably could be done at a third of the cost of a new structure. Modernizing, repairing, and expanding would keep the current sire occupied and not abandoned like other structures in Vandalia. I urge County Leaders to revisit the issue and petition on this option. I predict a more favorable funding outcome from voters if they do.
Regardless of the decisions of out County Government leaders, the residents of the County will bear the bulk of financial responsibility to pay for those decisions. With all the others taxes residents are dealing with now (Fed income tax, State income tax, gasoline tax, state and city sales tax, annual property taxes. 1% school support sales tax, others), when is enough- enough? I say – no more.
Gordon Moore
Vandalia, Illinois
