The Village of Coal Grove is facing the same challenge as many other small communities across Ohio and even the entire nation: How to pay for vital public services.

The village’s police chief and fire chief recently spoke to the elected leaders about concerns for aging equipment and ever-rising operating expenses. As federal and state funding and grant dollars have continued to dry up in recent years this is a challenge that is plaguing many small communities.

Although no one likes to hear about it, for many small cities and villages it maybe impossible to maintain services without increasing fees and.

Citizens have to take a long, hard look at the services they are provided and ask themselves how much they are willing to pay for them.

Do you want police protection? Is an adequately equipped fire department important? Are streets, lights and other public works something that would be considered vital?

Elected officials can do their part by focusing on openness about where taxpayers’ money goes and how it would be spent. The key will be education so that citizens can either make a decision or at least understand it if it’s something that does not require a vote by the people.

The cry of “we do not want to pay more” simply will not hold up.

Citizens cannot expect to continue to receive services yet be unwilling to pay a proportionate amount. There is no magic, one-size-fits-all answer.

This will be a debate for months and years to come in communities all across our state, our nation and even our world.