Special elections often fly under the radar for many voters; Tuesday’s elections in Buchanan, Cassopolis and Niles Township are no different. We hope residents do not mistake the lack of buzz for the lack of importance.

The key decisions voters are being asked to make can have an impact on our entire region and are important even to those who do not have a voice in the election.

Niles Township voters will be asked to decide on a levy that would provide significant funding to fix roadways in this political subdivision.

Perhaps more importantly, this approach could provide a blueprint for other townships and communities to follow when it comes to finding a solution to fix infrastructure.

The days of being able to rely on the state or the county to provide the infrastructure needed for communities to be successful is long passed. Citizens will get what they are willing to pay for.

Individuals who live in the Buchanan area will be asked to vote on millage to support the community library. Perhaps as much as any other public institution, libraries are vital hubs for young and old.

The Buchanan library has continued to use its resources as efficiently as possible to serve more than 40,000 people who visited in 2014. Approving this millage would go a long way toward helping the library become an even more valuable asset. The fact that the millage essentially replaces what was citizens were already paying the last decade makes it an easy choice.

Citizens in the Cassopolis School District are being asked to invest in the future — for themselves, for their children and, ultimately, their children’s children. The levy would allow the district to focus on bringing the schools up to date, improving their infrastructure and providing a better learning environment.

Our fear is that district leaders and levy supporters haven’t done enough to educate citizens and that too many people will be tempted to just vote no because don’t fully understand the need. Hopefully the taxpayers in the school district will see that this minimal commitment now will make a huge difference for years to come.

Even those who do not live in any of these three communities can have an impact on the election by learning as much as they can and urging friends and relatives who do live in the districts to allow their voices to be heard.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.