I get tired of people complaining about too many taxes-but will vote for taxes when given the opportunity? I also get tired of people claiming they are willing to pay more taxes, but will not donate any funds themselves or exempt themselves- if all those who support the PFD would donate what they say they are willing to pay- is that the Warren Buffet syndrome? The original agreement stated Wenatchee would never ask for more funds from other jurisdictions and there would be a hold harmless agreement as per emails below. I do not believe the vote in April will be the end of this issue and this will be the last tax. Perhaps my vote will be cancelled out by the sheer number of voters in Wenatchee and the organized team of Mark Miller who are trying to educate the people to vote yes with fear tactics. Sure I know its only a "latte" price we are paying, but every tax we have is only a "latte"- and they are adding up and never stopping. The 1% property tax increase was only a latte; the 6% utility tax was only a few cents; the stormwater utility tax was only 5.00 more per year for 3 years in a row; (15% increase each year). Wenatchee may be paying .2% more in sales tax- all of those taxes you had no vote on- but you will have a vote on the .1% tax increase in April- how will you vote on it or will you even bother to vote- the last election had less than 50% voter turnout. Many of the ones pushing for the .1% tax increase were insistent that they needed a cost of living raise last year but fought the police union who still have not signed their contract from 2010. This is not the only option Wenatchee has available- some say they have spent 1.5 million in attorney fees fighting the promise they made in 2005 and asking for a judge to say they exceeded debt limit. I cannot recall any cuts they have made or concessions employees have made. How you vote is up to you- the spin show has already begun- just do not complain about too many taxes if you vote yes on your few opportunities on this subject. I find it ironic that taxes are always just a few cents, but when you cut a tax, it is millions of dollars lost? Don't feel sorry for me- I can afford the 12.00 more per month- I just had to cancel my subscription to the paper to pay for it. I just do not believe in spending more than you make, cuts do hurt are not just talk, and I cannot simply ask for more money when I am short of funds. Or maybe that is the problem- I have not learned to say the only option left is to give me more money?
Original Message-----
From: Allison Williams <AWilliams@cityofwenatchee.com>
To: dphendrick@aim.com
Sent: Tue, 9 May 2006 13:15:20 -0700
Subject: RE: PFD Interlocal Agreement
Thank you for the opportunity!
From: Allison Williams <AWilliams@cityofwenatchee.com>
To: dphendrick@aim.com
Sent: Tue, 9 May 2006 13:15:20 -0700
Subject: RE: PFD Interlocal Agreement
Thank you for the opportunity!
From: dphendrick@aim.com [mailto:dphendrick@aim.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 1:11 PM
To: Allison Williams
Subject: Re: PFD Interlocal Agreement
thanks- that was exactly what the hold harmless agreement would do. If you decide to take out insurance, that is up to you, as long as the hold harmless wording is in place to protect us- I will support agreement. I do not expect it to be a big issue as it is a private entity and we cannot be held responsible- its just a extra protection that will probably never be needed. If any, the wording will show even more your faith in the system. thanks for responding.
-----Original Message-----
From: Allison Williams <AWilliams@cityofwenatchee.com>
To: dphendrick@aim.com
Cc: Steve@lacykane.com; mhunt@co.douglas.wa.us; Steve Smith <steves@jgdwlaw.com>; Dennis Johnson <DJohnson@cityofwenatchee.com>
Sent: Tue, 9 May 2006 11:35:42 -0700
Subject: PFD Interlocal Agreement
-----Original Message-----
From: Allison Williams <AWilliams@cityofwenatchee.com>
To: dphendrick@aim.com
Cc: Steve@lacykane.com; mhunt@co.douglas.wa.us; Steve Smith <steves@jgdwlaw.com>; Dennis Johnson <DJohnson@cityofwenatchee.com>
Sent: Tue, 9 May 2006 11:35:42 -0700
Subject: PFD Interlocal Agreement
Good morning Dennis: I was in Waterville this morning and Mary Hunt passed along your email to me and asked that I respond. We want to assure you that the city of Wenatchee is doing everything in our power to support the Public Facilities District and alleviate concerns of liability of other PFD members. After this issue came up, we spoke with our representative at the Association of Washington Cities and Nancy Neraas, our advisor with Preston Gates and Ellis for the PFD formation. They assured us that the PFD, as an independent entity will have their own insurance that will hold all members harmless. As an assurance that the PFD would have that insurance, we have added language that the city of Wenatchee would pay for it if it was needed. We believe that this will protect all of us as members of the Public Facilities District.
It was also assuring for me to speak with Randy Lumsden at AWC and be assured that we are not recreating the wheel, but instead following where groundwork has already been laid.
Thank you, and please don't hesitate to let me know if you have other concerns.
Thank you!!
Allison Williams
Executive Services Director
City of Wenatchee
P.O. Box 519
Wenatchee WA 98807-519
(509)664-3316
(509)664-3335 (fax)
awilliams@cityofwenatchee.com
Update: Although it has been six years since these letters and 2 years since this blog- I leave them posted so things do not repeat themselves as we forget history and what really happened. I also miss the days of investigative reporters-sadly it seems I get more of my news on facebook than I get from hired writers. I also miss the days of accountability and service meant something. I occasionally would watch Jericho TV series from netflex with Jan- and wonder if our country is not headed that way? I often wish I would have voted no in looking back, but wonder if it would have made any difference? I also leave it on as there is talk of another tax increase to bail them out again.
Update: Although it has been six years since these letters and 2 years since this blog- I leave them posted so things do not repeat themselves as we forget history and what really happened. I also miss the days of investigative reporters-sadly it seems I get more of my news on facebook than I get from hired writers. I also miss the days of accountability and service meant something. I occasionally would watch Jericho TV series from netflex with Jan- and wonder if our country is not headed that way? I often wish I would have voted no in looking back, but wonder if it would have made any difference? I also leave it on as there is talk of another tax increase to bail them out again.
Cool cap letter correlation, indeed. The TTC debacle has been an outrageiously unrealistic, absurd notion from the outset. First, Wenatchee meets the flim-flam man, apparently eats the magic mushroom or drinks the magic koolaid, and believes a 4,300 seat ice hockey arena is just what the area needs to be complete.
ReplyDeleteAfter much better informed, formulated, numbers crunched advice, City Council tied. Ignoring the protestations of those citizens who objected on perfectly justifiable grounds, like "we can't afford this", "we can't afford to run this", the mayor broke the tie.
Then, they suckered in eight other "jurisdictions", promising that they would have no financial responsibility, they just wanted the TTC to involve the region. The process was rushed, certainly the other 8 jurisdictions were not given a chance to comment, nor did many think they needed to since it was one more Wenatchee folly.
They sobered up when the dismal management of Global Enterprises first signaled clearly they were in financial trouble. They then stuck their own citizens with a .02% sales tax with no voice, with the assistance of the legislature. Now they are trying to convince the other jurisdictions that they should kick in, too. For an arena that is of no value to them, that actually competes with other area events for money. Douglas County will not benefit in any way from any "tourism" from the arena. We don't have the tourism infrastructure in place with which to benefit.
And the "only a dime on $100" falls apart on major purchases, like combines, tractors, automobiles, manufactured housing, durable goods, etc. This is coming on top of tax increases to agriculture, a drop in sales tax revenue in Wenatchee, none of which bodes well for the survival of the arena, to say nothing of the slow impact of the so called recovery on the majority of the population's disposable income.
All the terror results enumerated by a potential TTC failure is designed to frighten the public into voting yes. If the TTC goes bankrupt, it will be moved into receivership and resold, with bondholders being paid off at whatever % on the dollar the sale works out to. The sky will not fall, te world will not come to an end, there will still be a tomorrow.
Perhaps a sadder but wiser tomorrow. But a tomorrow, nonetheless, that will include the existence of the City of Wenatchee and all that entails, including city services. Don't let the elites of Wenatchee con you into bailing out their bad idea and saving their financial balance sheets with your tax dollars - for the next thirty years, which means that in addition to all the other shortsightedness, the arena will be due for major maintenance, refurbishing, re-equipping before the bonds are even paid off.
Vote No. on Proposition 1. Save Wenatchee from itself and don't penalize the other jurisdicitions for Wenatchee's errors.