Suspiciously silent
Dear Editor,
I have been following with interest the reports of the water cheaters caught in the upper Republican NRD.
I am in agreement with the outrage expressed by the Lower Republican NRD over this intentional theft of resources shared by all of us, and appreciated them putting their constituents on notice that any similar incidents of thievery in the Lower NRD would be diligentlypursued.
The Upper NRD board did impose sanctions on these cheaters. In addition to the sanctions imposed, I would like to see the Upper NRD board have the cheaters pay restitution to those harmed by their illegal activity, including the surface water irrigation districts, the taxpayers of Southwest Nebraska (who were assessed a property tax and an occupation tax to purchase and replace the water stolen) and the State of Nebraska. I can't help by wonder why we haven't heard anything from our own Middle Republican NRD. I guess it's possible that people who operate land in both the Middle and Upper NRD would only be stealing water on the land in the upper. But what are the odds?
A prosecutor friend once explained that his first priority in a property case was to make his victims whole. I always respected that statement.
In this case, the victims were all of us, farmers, ranchers, white collar, andblue collar, landlord or tenant. One way or the other, this money is coming out of your pocket just as surely as if they were shoplifting from your store, breaking into your car, or stealing equipment from your field.
The NRD boards are tasked with looking out for your water interests. We know what the Upper did, and we know what the lower will do.Why haven't we heard anything from the middle?
Thank you,
Bill Hoyt,
McCook