Letter: Ask the farmers in Afton

Once again, it’s that time for Afton to hold an election. And, once again, the farmers (who are actually responsible for the ‘rural’ atmosphere in Afton) are not represented. All those good-meaning folks running for office want to keep Afton “as it was.”

Well, if that’s the case, then let’s go back to the way it was when my grandparents bought their property in Afton in 1942. Land was zoned one house per acre.

Many folks are now experiencing a severe shrinkage in their 401K accounts, thanks to sub-prime lending, Wall Street, oil prices, etc.

Do you folks holding office in Afton (or hoping to hold office) realize that you have caused that same shrinkage in farmers’ 401Ks (their land)?

Because of the restrictive zoning (three homes on 40 acres for agricultural land), the resistance to any re-zoning, and the huge push to deny anyone the ability to develop, the farmer has lost much value of his/her 401K.

It’s sad, but it seems that the majority of folks in Afton are neither interested in understanding the concerns of the farmer nor in listening to what the farmer would like to see happen to his/her land. Without the farmers, you would have no “rural” atmosphere.

Jan Meier

Afton

Tags: opinion, meier, afton, farmers, rural