To the editor:

It is a surprise that residents of Chisago City continue to allow their city council to mislead and make false claims in regard to the attempted hostile annexation of Wyoming Township (most of it). At Chisago Cityís annexation meeting on March 8, 2004, the Chisago City Council tired to mislead the public, only to have it backfire.
Mayor Dubois claims that Chisago City needs business growth, yet Chisago City has an industrial park area on CR 80 and Liberty Lane that is still empty after seven years. Also, along Hwy 8 and North Ave. there is all that empty space. And, the area between Stinson Ave. and Railroad Ave. in the downtown area is zoned commercial.
In the past few months, Chisago City has lost three more businesses. Chisago Cityís debt is over one million dollars and undoubtedly growing. Funding for this annexation attempt is coming from the business park fundñall of it. To put it in milder terms, Chisago City cannot afford this.

For those residents of Chisago City who oppose this annexation, please unite and join Wyoming Township residents. Put up more ìNo Hostile Annexationî signs on residential and business properties, as is being done in a similar situation in Monticello and Monticello Township. Go to the meetings in Wyoming Township, because the supervisors there have meetings that are informative, unlike the Chisago City Council meetings.

Also, please, residents of Chisago County and the surrounding areas call Senator Linda Higgins, DFL, (651) 296-9246 and tell her that you are in favor of the temporary moratorium on annexation and insist a bill go to the House of Representatives and Senate to be voted on. Many officials who are on her committee are in favor of this bill, yet no hearing or vote has been made. Our actions do make a difference.
Remember also, all Chisago County residents are affected by this would-be annexation to one degree or another. To take a simple example, the joint Lindstrom/Chisago City police force would have to be expanded, costing Lindstrom residents more tax money. There are many such effects that are not immediately obvious throughout the county.

Donald Kurth
Lindstrom

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