A vote for open space and clean water

I grew up swimming and fishing in the Fox River and Blackberry Creek while in grade school, at least until the polio scare came around. And later, as a teen, when boating and skiing, we had to deal with pollution. Fortunately, the Fox River is much cleaner now.

Few resources are as primary to our survival as clean water. Protecting watershed lands now is much cheaper than cleaning up polluted water later.

On April 4, the Forest Preserve District of Kane County is asking voters to support a $50 million bond referendum to be paid off in 20 years. About 80 percent of the bond will be spent on acquiring more forest preserve land and 20 percent on new trails, providing more public access, and restoration of wildlife habitat.

Our homes, driveways, roads and parking lots, have created more impervious surfaces. Preserving open space for the future allows the stormwater to soak into the ground and be cleansed as nature intended.

We need to remember that forest preserves not only provide recreational opportunities, they also help ensure a clean water supply and control the effects of stormwater runoff.

This referendum comes at a time when homeowners will already see their taxes go down from paying off previous bonds and refinancing - a total tax reduction of $102 per year.

Supporting this referendum will cost less than $1.83 a month for a home valued at $250,000. That means if this new open space referendum passes, everyone still will see their taxes go down, while also preserving an additional 2,000 acres of protected open space and watersheds for families and future generations.

Please join me April 4 and vote "yes" to help our Forest Preserve District acquire more critical open space in Kane County and help keep our water clean.

Nancy Hopp

Aurora