Big Brother has no business ensuring our entertainment

CLOVIS — Just last month, Clovis city commissioners voted to increase the gross receipts tax. You will start to notice on July 1 when it kicks in.

That’s going to generate about $860,000 annually, meaning things we buy will cost about $860,000 more annually.

Commissioners assured us they practically had no choice; unless, you know, they wanted to cut back on city services or employees. They didn’t.

Since then, some of our well-meaning community leaders have come up with other ideas for spending money the city doesn’t have.

Members of Clovis’ Parks, Recreation and Beautification committee have voted to convert the Colonial Park Golf Course swimming pool into an entertainment area.

For just $89,141, golf course visitors could have a nice place to listen to music, have a picnic or dance. The committee, of course, is asking commissioners approve the money for its plan.

Don’t forget the city is also being asked to help fund an 82-acre shooting range at Ned Houk Park.

And Clovis’ High Plains Motor Speedway would like the city to pay for new lights.

And Lisa Pellegrino-Spear, executive director of Clovis’ MainStreet, thinks it might be a good idea to build a “pocket park” downtown.

That cost would be about $56,000. Main Street shoppers and workers could have a shady place for lunch or even “bring their laptops and work outdoors,” she said.

Or, Pellegrino-Spear said, a private investor could purchase the space where Levine’s department store was once a downtown anchor.

Yeah, we vote for the private-investor option.

We can all get behind the idea of having more fun stuff to do, or converting eyesores into cool places to hang out, but at what cost?

Where exactly in the city charter, or U.S. Constitution, does it say government is supposed to take our money and provide entertainment and relaxation?

No more tax hikes, please.

And if the city already has enough of our money to fund these proposed projects, then commissioners have some explaining to do.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Clovis Media Inc.’s editorial board, which consists of Publisher Rob Langrell and Editor David Stevens