Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Rethink the rebuff

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    The city of Bellevue last week politely rebuffed Hailey’s quest to be included in discussions of the annexation of 227 acres of open land that lies between the two.
    City leaders should rethink the rebuff, reverse course and invite Hailey in, at least in an advisory capacity.
    The land is the eastern portion of the Flying Hat Ranch on state Highway 75 north of Bellevue. With its tall grass and black angus cattle grazing, the view of the ranch has been a bucolic and beautiful buffer between the two cities for as long as most people can remember. The land currently lies in the county and is zoned primarily for low-density residential use.
    Bellevue has many things to consider as it entertains whether or not to annex the property.
    While some city leaders may want to jump at the chance to grow larger, they must seriously analyze the costs and benefits. Bellevue is the single most cash-strapped city in Blaine County. Providing basic services stretches the city’s budget to the breaking point every year and in some areas the city simply does without. There’s no wiggle room.
    While every mayor and council have wanted to do more in the way of infrastructure and services, they have been financially handcuffed.
    Today’s mayor and council should insist that any annexation be on terms that will not burden existing taxpayers and city budgets more than they are already. They should look for real long-term benefits and refuse to get carried away by anyone’s wildest dreams for the property because political beliefs don’t pay bills, people do.
    Bellevue should be sensitive to the views of its larger, northern neighbor and its leaders’ different views of what the highway corridor might become.
    The city could give our politically riven nation a homegrown lesson in resolving differences and creating better places to live by pursuing a common cause and setting artificial boundaries and bickering aside.

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