For more than two years, the two largest communities in Delaware County have been embroiled in a raging war for more taxable property. Muncie has been - and will always be - the central town of Delaware County and east central Indiana.
However, Yorktown has challenged Muncie's claim to a large sum of land north of Jackson Street and west of County Road 400-W.
The total amount of land is approximately 300 acres. Those 300 acres include some of the fastest growing residential property in the county. With new houses and the growth of subdivisions comes taxable revenue and property that could boost service quality for Muncie or Yorktown - or both.
However, the Yorktown Town Council and Muncie Mayor Dan Canan are feuding all the way to court for the rights to annex this property.
Canan is quoted as having said that "Yorktown wants to do their own thing, build their own empire and go their own way."
For all the years I have lived in Yorktown and considered Muncie my home, I have never once thought Yorktown was trying to become an "empire."
A town of less than 5,000 residents - no matter how rich or powerful - has the right to be a small town. Yorktown does not have nearly the sources of revenue or the services that Muncie has, but Yorktown does offer a little bit of an escape from city living.
However, in this battle, the people living on the land in question are the victims. Their opinions are being overlooked by both local governments. Some wish to have Yorktown's sewers, water and services; some would rather be part of Muncie's continuously growing community. And many wish to be left alone by both groups.
An outsider's perspective would be interesting in this legal battle for land between a growing town and a growing city.
The heart of the matter is just two greedy groups of individuals - from both camps - fighting over tax possibilities. Rich and powerful people are the ones who control the land in dispute.
While the people living on the disputed land are the victims of the two feuding governments, the people of both towns are also victims as this legal battle is costing thousands of taxpayer dollars.
The amount of money and time being wasted and the frustration created by this continuing war is not worth the land's value in tax revenue.
Everyone throughout the communities should be outraged by this continuing misuse of local tax funds. The amount of money and man-hours spent on both sides of the feud certainly has not been worth the desired result. The longer this feud goes on, the less reward this land will bring to either party.
It is not too late to reverse the damage of the past two years. Legal experts and local representatives think the legal battle could take several years to conclude, but if this unhealthy feud between brother communities is not finished soon, both places will be wrecked by the inevitable negative outcome. Both governments will be hit hard, and all their growth will be forgotten.
Muncie's suit against Yorktown is scheduled to be heard by Judge Michael Peyton of Henry County Superior Court 1 - and the original bench trial date was Feb. 16 and 17.
So call Mayor Dan Canan's office and the Yorktown Town Council or Town Manager: Ask them to stop wasting taxpayer dollars. Tell them to represent the people instead of other interests.
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