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Regional snares
IT IS WITH SOME misgiving that we venture upon the subject of this week’s editorial; previous comments about the dangers of “regionalism” in government inspired some rather sharp replies from Rappahannock officials involved. But the continuing trend toward imposing regional solutions on localities, whether they like it or not, commands our attention.
The dangers to a locality of regional water and sewer programs and regional highway plans are becoming increasingly apparent, and we would once again advise Rappahannock to ponder long and hard before entering into too many such arrangements, no matter how innocently they are purported to be. Most of us have read about the trials and tribulations of Northern Virginia’s experiences with regional sewer arrangements, and of Maryland jurisdictions in the Washington metropoli- - tan region. Up there, you can’t even keep tons of sewage “sludge” from being dumped on you, if you’ve signed one of those regional agreements.
Admittedly, a lot of those problems are of a degree and nature unknown to rural Rappahannock. But where regional arrangements are concerned, events have a way of escalating beyond local control in a hurry.
IT’S MUCH LIKE the situation Rappahannock and some neighboring counties find themselves in right now regarding kindergarten programs in the public school system. From what we’ve heard, enthusiasm for this step is by no means universal.
Yet, the state has decreed that this is what must be done, and so be it. Where’s the local control over education, long cherished by local citizens—who are also, be it noted, local parents, too!
Many things are obviously better done on a regional, state or national basis. Each county, each town can’t maintain a prison system, sus-^ tain a vast highway department or pay for an Army, Navy and Air Force. But up until now it has been important that individuals living in distinct localities also have a say-so over their destinies. Let’s not lose sight of that heritage in the rush for an elusive economic efficiency masquerading in the name of “regionalism.”D
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