It’s no big secret. Things cost more today than they did in years past.

Prices of everything from electricity, natural gas, water, food and entertainment have steadily crept up.

In some cases, so have the costs to produce those items and pay the people who make and supply them.

Such is the case when it comes to Ironton’s nearly 74-year-old floodwall.

That’s why Ironton City Council wants residents to vote for a 1 mill increase in the tax levy on the November ballot.

Although council has not yet adopted such an ordinance, the finance committee favorably recommended the 2 mill replacement levy, rather than to renew the 1 mill levy.

The current levy has generated an average of $120,437 annually for the city’s flood protection and $74,020 to date for the 2013-2014 tax year.

With a 2 mill levy in place more than $280,000 a year would be available for the maintenance of the floodwall, pump stations and all the lines.

Living in a flood plain, these are maintenance measures Ironton citizens simply cannot afford to be without.

And if the floodwall is decertified by the Army Corps of Engineers, residents will be forced to pay the high costs of flood insurance.

Taking that into consideration an extra 10 cents per $100 property value doesn’t seem like that much.