Ironton voters understood the need to continue to provide flood protection for the city but, on the other hand, county-wide voters didn’t think it was worth investing a few dollars a year in providing the facilities needed to train our youth and adults for the workplace.

This strange dichotomy is illustrative of the problems with tax levies. They often are approved when they impact a relatively small group of people but the ones that require approval by a more broad and diverse base get voted down.

Something gets lost in translation when the levy is put to all the voters, rather than those in just a single community.

Another example would be the Windsor and Washington township fire levies. Both passed with a fairly healthy margin, likely in part because the voters are very in tune with the needs in their communities and can see a tangible impact on what they are spending their money on.

Decatur Township’s fire levy was an exception to the rule but we suspect that it getting voted down has as much to do with some personality conflicts in the township and some recent negative publicity about the fire department.

So what can be learned? First and foremost that, despite concerns with the economy and a general sentiment of “no new taxes,” voters will open their pocketbooks if they see the value in what they are getting.

Collins Career Center levy organizers need to learn from this setback and develop a clear plan to get this levy approved next year.

Having a strong vocational school is vital to our region. Now the goal is to explain that to a wide array of voters.