Editorial – The Local Sewer Vote

This village of 3,000 people occupying three square miles of suburbia had never hooked up to the surrounding city sewer system. True, individ­ual septic systems can be inconvenient and many of us could not sell empty lots because they would not support a septic field. But we accepted the sacrifice for the sake of a countrified atmosphere in the midst of a major metropolitan area.

Then two things changed: pressure sewer systems were developed which supposedly could be installed with minimal damage to the environment and standards for pollution were tightened. The government mandated that something had to be changed to clean up the streams.

Several alternatives were available, ranging from pressure sewers for the whole village to selected homeowners making major upgrades to their private septic systems. Various financing arrangements were also available, varying from a tax on every property to individuals paying the whole amount for their specific situations.

The democratic way

In such circumstances, the democratic way is to lay out all the options and take a vote. Could we participate in the vote?

Here was the classic local issue. Nobody was being elected who might make decisions contrary to the commands of God. No armies would be put in the field; school officials were not being elected who might authorize inappropriate teaching programs. This must surely be the most benign issue and hardly an example of participating in worldly politics. In fact, it could be regarded as nothing more than a local survey with each of us indicating our preference.

Not quite so innocent

The vote was taken, the decision was reached and pressure sewers gradually were being installed. Rather than raising the village tax, the cost was to be paid directly by each property owner.

In our turn, each of us received the following notice: “Your property is scheduled to be connected. If voluntary compliance with the connection program is not realized within thirty (30) days of this notice, Ordinance 179 specifically sets forth enforcement remedies open to the Village. Should such steps be taken, costs and penalties, in addition to the basic cost of the system, would be involved.”

Since our lot was big enough to support a corrected septic system, what would happen if, hypothetically, we chose not to comply? Court proceedings would be initiated; judgments would be sought; court orders would be presented; a property lien would be imposed and ultimately the property could be seized and sold to pay penalties and costs. If all else failed, it was conceivable we faced eviction by force.

Now the matter did not look benign at all. The will of the majority would be imposed on the minority, by force if necessary.

Thankful we didn’t vote

Because of long years of abstaining from any form of political involvement, we declined to vote. Now we were very thankful for that decision. Voting on the sewer issue was tied in to the entire legal and political system; our vote would have been an endorsement of and participation in the entire system. It became perfectly clear that we cannot become involved in one aspect without being drawn into the whole.

And there was a second point about voting that came into focus. A vote on a seemingly simple issue could have made us hypocrites to those around us.

The basic theory of the democratic system is that the will of the majority rules and the minority is forced to comply. Our neighbor, who wanted sewers, and had lost an uncle in the war, knew our position with respect to not bearing arms to protect the democratic system. How would he feel if he knew we had voted? Especially if we had voted against what he wanted?

We had already told him we did not regard ourselves as being part of this present order, that we think of our­selves as strangers and pilgrims in this country. We had explained about the coming kingdom of God; we look forward to being full participants at that time when we will do what is necessary to establish and maintain that system of government.

To our neighbor, our voting on the sewer issue would have seemed like a hypocritical compromise, and he would have been right.

The only consistent thing for us to do is to stand clear of the political process, complying the best we can with the decisions of others, while thankfully accepting the opportunity to worship our Lord in peace.