To the editor:

I just finished reading an article in the March 8 edition of the New York Times about our decaying infrastructure, namely city streets.

Over decades of not investing in local infrastructure, along with increased costs to repair streets, cities are breaking up pothole-infested paved streets back into gravel. One woman in Omaha was quoted as saying, “It’s like living in the country in the city.”

The context of the quote was not happiness. Think the first day of chip sealing 24-7-365.

I’ve lived on Bainbridge for 30 years. I’ve watched the population triple. This has had a negative effect on two important things; our water resources and our roads, both of which have been subjected to “ostrich politics.” Stick your head in the sand (or somewhere else) and make it go away.

Maybe instead of spending $100,000 to find out having our own power company is a really bad, irresponsible idea for anyone paying taxes, our feckless leaders could find a way to do something tangible. Like fix some of our cheese-grater roads!

Warning: If you see a back hoe on your street busting up the pavement, it’s because the city needs to cover the millions it will take to replace PSE’s investment.

RICK STANTON

Bainbridge Island