The benefits outweigh the cost.
During this painful economic crunch we may be tempted to shout out a blanket “No,” to any entity attempting to take yet more of our sparse dollars and cents.
The services, research and knowledge housed in a tiny building on Esplanade in Lakeport are threatened.
A mid-May ballot was mailed to property owners in Lake County proposing a mosquito, vector and disease control measure. The Vector Control District is such a valuable pool of resources on so many levels.
Without the funding, stinging consequences will inevitably bite all residents of the county.
A team of brilliant biologists who know the lake and all of its critters are irreplaceable.
“The state is looking seriously at taking local property tax money to balance its own budget,” Jamesina Scott, district manager and research director of the Lake County Vector Control District said.
She explained that the benefit assessment funds cannot be taken by the state nor used for anything other than vector control.
There was an urgent need for Vector Control in 1948 when it was created. The Clear Lake gnats nearly ended tourism in the county. The gnats were so thick at the time that people were literally breathing the bugs into their mouths and up their nostrils.
Lake County is a vacation destination. Without tourism, jobs will disappear. The real estate market will suffer. A domino-effect will ensue.
Another important function of Vector Control is disease control. Research and education provided by this entity means less chronic illnesses like Lyme disease. The quality of life in the county is directly related to the services offered at Vector Control.
Enhanced, year-round testing and surveillance lends greatly to prevention of disease outbreaks including: West Nile Virus, Encephalitis, canine heartworm, Lyme disease, plague, Hantavirus and Malaria.
For those of us, like me, who appreciate environmentally safe services, Vector Control sets the stage for responsible and ethical actions. Mosquitoes are controlled with mosquito fish, free to Lake County residents, the fish provide a natural way to get rid of many kinds of aquatic sources of mosquito larvae.
Right now Vector Control is able to respond to requests for service by county residents and property owners. The response time is jeopardized without adequate funding.
The benefit assessment is beneficial to everyone who lives in, loves or visits Lake County.
Instead of losing services, technicians would expand testing areas. Additional funding would make it possible for the district to more actively test for and respond to, new diseases.
“This is local money. It comes from Lake County, stays in Lake County and protects Lake County,” Scott said.
Lake County Vector Control is working the bugs out. To stifle this organization, is to open the floodgates to disaster.
Check this organization out for yourself at 410 Esplanade in Lakeport or call 263-4770.
Mandy Feder is the News Editor for the Lake County Record-Bee. She can be reached at mandyfeder@yahoo.com or 263-5636 ext. 32.
