Thirty years from now, will towns like Weissport, Parryville, East Side Borough and maybe even Summit Hill still exist?

This isn’t meant to imply a negative connotation. There are logical observations that cause us to raise the question.

In Ohio, there’s a legislative proposal to dissolve the smallest towns such as Clifton, with a population of 131, or even Millville, which has a population of 634.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Adam Mathews in Ohio calls for dissolution of such towns as a way to ensure that a municipality’s residents are getting service that are “commensurate” with the amount of tax the residents pay into that government.

While the broad aspect of the statement might be basis for debate, there could be some merits.

For example, after a major snowstorm, do the residents in small towns gain the same plowing benefits with part-time and, in some cases, volunteer workers, as a larger community with a full-time workforce does?

How about town leadership? Often small towns don’t even have enough candidates to fill the ballots. Even when there are enough candidates, elections often go uncontested. As a result, can you honestly say it’s a government with representation elected by the people?

How about street repairs? It’s crazy expensive for a complete street rebuild, with small towns often unable to even do basic maintenance.

In many small towns, police protection is virtually nonexistent except for when major crimes occur. Often the patrolling is left up to the state police, since these municipalities can’t afford to hire their own trained and certified police officers.

Weissport’s entire annual operating budget is about $300,000. That’s about what a town like Summit Hill pays just in health insurance for its employees for a year.

After paying insurance, general operating expenses like equipment repairs and park maintenance, labor for even part-time workers and general utilities, the budget of a small town doesn’t have much left for other important expenditures. Penny-pinching is a must for these communities. And costs like liability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, legal and engineering fees, etc., are standards that must be paid.

And, the residents deserve snowplowing, paved streets and enforcement of community regulations.

Even finding someone to accept the job of tax collector, zoning officer or zoning board member can be vexing and sometimes impossible in small towns.

Towns such as Weissport and Summit Hill have no major businesses or industries to enhance the tax base. In many of these municipalities, most houses are older and as a result don’t generate the millage that occurs in towns where newer homes exist.

For clarity, in meetings we covered, the people who do step up and serve on councils and in other posts in the small towns are dedicated individuals who love their respective community. This isn’t to imply they aren’t capable, because constantly they’re proving they do a lot with the little resources they have.

I grew up in Weissport. I enjoyed living in that small town. I now live in Summit Hill, a community I also very much appreciate.

There are many things that still give towns like Weissport and Summit Hill their identity.

In Weissport, there’s a core of people who plan unique festivals and heritage events, operate a historical museum and they unceasingly work to make their community better.

Summit Hill has its unique identity. It’s the location where anthracite coal was discovered in the United States. It’s Recreation Commission is one of the most dedicated in existence, constantly holding special events and working to keep play areas updated and safe. It’s workforce is small — two full-time members — but the work ethic is remarkable.

These small towns generally want to remain independent.

Unfortunately, they may be squeezed out of existence. That would be sad.

Being a small-town boy, I hope the measure as proposed in Ohio for towns like Clifton or Millville won’t take hold. On the other hand, economics might force them into extinction.

The same financial difficulties facing most lower income Americans are also suffocating small town budgets.

Time and the economy will certainly determine their futures.