Our View: Street, sidewalks repairs badly needed in Havre

Hats off to Havre City Councilwomen Pam Hillery and Terry Lilletvedt for taking up what might be the politically unpopular issue of raising taxes.

The two lawmakers want the city to undertake a massive effort to improve the city’s deteriorating infrastructure. That will go over well with the voters.

And they are putting out options on how to best pay for that undertaking. That will not be popular.

But the need for improvement to streets, sidewalks, sewers and water systems is pretty clear to anyone who travels around the city.

Streets are in disrepair and the city doesn’t have funds to repair them. Sidewalks are a danger to people who walk on them, and they are only going to get worse. Underground, many water and sewer lines are reaching their maximum age of usefulness..

Few people pay much attention to underground sewers — that is until they back up in your cellar.

For the sake of the public’s safety, the appearance of the city and the ability to impress prospective employers looking at expanding into the Havre area, something has got to be done before the city infrastructure situation gets worse. Great Western Engineering has proposed a plan for rehabilitation, but the city is having a hard enough time keeping its head above water.

Finding funds to pay for the potentially dangerous problems with Bullhook drainage has proven very difficult.

The final decision on what projects come first can only be made after serious consideration and the debate about that will be touchy.

Havre is a regional hub, and streets are used by more than city residents. There certainly ought to be state or federal funds available to pay for renovations, but don’t count on that happening soon. Gov. Steve Bullock has proposed a relatively modest infrastructure repair program for next year, and it is already undergoing scrutiny.

So the city and its residents have to decide how best to pay for these needed repairs.

There are lots of questions. Bonding or pay-as-you-go? Higher property taxes or assessments based on street frontage? How long should the special program last?

Every decision will be tough on public officials, but the two councilwomen have challenged the city to start the ball rolling.

Council members will certainly hear from people against moving forward. People in favor of planning for the future ought to speak up, too.