$71 million for a new courthouse
Saturday morning in the Santa Rosa Press Democrat”s Empire Section there was an article stating that Lake County is planning to move the courthouse at a cost of $71 million. This planning started last summer. This was the first I have heard of this. Over the weekend I spoke with several people in the county and they, like me, were shocked.
There is 17-percent unemployment in Lake County. Property values are dropping. Where is the $71 million coming from? Will our taxes go up to pay for this new monument to justice? Will this new construction help Lake County? The bid will go out statewide and possibly nationwide. The result will be very few of those dollars ending up back in Lake County, a tax increase, and inaccessibility by many due to a location outside city limits. Then there are the cost overruns that could reach 100 percent, meaning a cost of up to $142 million.
In these times of high unemployment and county budget shortages, I feel this is fiscal irresponsibility at its highest.
Skip Hulet
Kelseyville
Editor”s note: We do not wish to downplay Mr. Hulet”s comments, only to remind readers that the Record-Bee reported on the courthouse situation in the issues of May 27, 2008, Nov. 13, 2008 and March 11, 2009.
