Today's vote is a duty as well as opportunity

Election day was a week later than indicated on many calendars, but today's McCook city sales tax vote may still take many local voters by surprise.

We hope not. This page has carried many opinions, pro and con, which we hope will help eligible voters make up their minds.

This newspaper has endorsed all three McCook city sales tax issues, and hope voters follow our advice. We urged voters to vote for the measure to continue the city's one-cent sales tax for another 10 years, plus an additional half-cent tax split between the city and the economic development effort, and the measure which enables the additional tax to be levied.

We feel it is a wise way to collect the revenue needed to support the city and prepare it for the future, as well as ease the local property tax burden.

Voters aren't often given the chance to vote against a tax, and we hope they resist the temptation this time. Turning down the current sales tax will likely increase the city's portion of local property taxes, as well as reduce important city services. Failing to pass the additional city sales tax will cripple efforts to improve our community's standard of living as well as reduce long-term debt.

But it's your call, if you're an eligible voter, and we hope you make it. Even if you forgot about the election until reading this with your evening meal, there may still be time. You have until 8 p.m. to reach the polls.

Traditionally, only 30 to 40 percent of eligible voters turn out for special elections, and we hope that improves today.

In the case of a close election, that could mean that only 15 to 20 percent of the voters could make a decision for the other 80-85 percent of us.

That isn't fair. If you don't vote, however, you share the blame.

And, if you do vote against any or all of the sales tax issues and the goals they are designed to reach, we hope you are ready to contribute your own ideas and effort toward those same ends.

Whatever your opinion, you owe it to yourself and your community to cast your vote today.