Not Every City Can Afford Public Conveniences

July 22, 2024

Editor, The News-Gazette: In his July 17 letter to editor, Russ Orrison wrote that while he thinks it’s fine for Buena Vista to maintain its public swimming pool, the residents themselves should pay for it.

Mr. Orrison was responding to the news that Buena Vista will use $650,000 from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (opposed by Congressman Ben Cline and other Republicans) to repair the pool. Without the repairs, the Health Department would be forced to close the pool.

Due to its limited tax base and perennially tight budgets, Buena Vista already struggles to maintain essential services for its residents. While some may not consider a public swimming pool essential, it’s certainly an important public good - especially in these blistering hot summer days.

In an ideal world, every community would be able to afford basic public conveniences. Unfortunately we don’t live in such a world. But we as a nation can help even things out a bit so that kids in places like Buena Vista can continue to have some summer fun and beat the heat. GENE ZITVER Lexington