To the editor:
Residents of Leelanau County will be facing serious challenges to support both essential and impactful services in the next few years based upon radical cutbacks from the federal government. These drastic changes will present local leaders with many decisions to make as federal funds are withdrawn. Debates will occur as to what to support and how to fund the services. Those affected will be all local governments — townships, villages and county, — the road commission, schools, libraries, senior agencies, veterans support, childcare providers, the NPS, and most importantly, the Health Department.
It will be important that all citizens get involved by contacting their elected representatives, attending meetings, writing to this newspaper and others, to express their opinions on priorities. There should be no doubt that the funding gap, if possible, will be closed at the local level until 2028. Unfortunately, progress that has been made on so many fronts is being reversed and in the long run will cost us so much more. Now is the time to speak up and be heard.
Mary Tonneberger Omena
