Pasayten's Methow Valley Bulletin Board

Not only have my wife and I started making more online purchases but we make those purchases from businesses that don't charge sales tax for WA. , and believe me there are plenty to choose from. WA and Inslease can KMA

pasayten wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 3:29 pm MVN also had one "pro" Proposition 1 letter to the editor and no "against"... hmmm...

Folks are still confused about Proposition 1... It's not about for/against a reasonable process to replace the Wagner Pool... It's about the dang creation of a unnecessary powerful permanent taxing authority (metropolitan park district) with an unelected governing Board!!! Lets defeat Proposition 1 and move on to a correct process to replace the Wagner Pool that won't be so harmful to tax payers and fit in with our other Methow Valley infrastructure priorities. That is something that I will support.

Here is a thought... Build a reasonable pool with a process like the new Winthrop Library or Ice Rink. Everybody in the Proposition 1 "district" area buys most of their groceries, goods, and other items in either Twisp or Winthrop... Why not just add a reasonable sales tax add on to Twisp and Winthrop to maintain a replacement pool? It doesn't need to be a county wide tax add on. Doesn't need to extend outside the towns as there are few businesses there to buy items. Anyway, lots of ways to accomplish the goal without adding to our property taxes.

A couple of letters now from folks who don't seem to understand the tax burden that a 25 million dollar mega spa with a one million dollar per year maintenance fee will place on seniors on limited and or low incomes. That maintenance fee includes salaries, building maintenance, pension plans, a private police force, energy and service on bond debt of up to 62 million that the MPD board is allowed to incur on our behalf without a further vote of the people, and we pay, and pay and pay.

That's a high price tag for what parents value as good place to drop children off to play unsupervised by their own parents. Now they want that service year round including after school?

And still no guarantee that the Mega spa facility will be built in Twisp or even be built at all. The FOP is now backing off that idea when they stated in their own letter to the editor that a yes vote on prop 1 won't guarantee that the mega spa will be built.

Proposition 1 isn't about building a pool. Its about establishing a powerful new taxing district with zero voter accountability. Recreational projects will be decided entirely by a non elected and highly paid Metropolitan Park District Board of Commissioners.

I just read about a indoor pool near the San Francisco area that was built in the 1920s that recently received a major overhaul

That is still an option for the historic Wagner pool without a huge tax burden placed on seniors facing the last chapter of their lives. That Wagner pool recycle option still accomplishs the goals of teaching children to swim and play during the summer time.

Pools can be recycled without adding to the huge carbon footprint and climate change probems that a new Mega Spa will incur. What is more important to the future of your children, a year round luxury indoor playground or a healthy planet to live and thrive?

When I was a child, just give me a pond of water or a stick and my imagination did the rest. Kids are amazing that way, creating their own worlds of play.

The Valley has so many more recreational year-round options, but yes, children need adult and parental supervision for many of those options. That can easily be organized with other parents or mentors sharing the load, again without placing a tax burden on seniors. We just don't have the large population in rural areas to spread out the cost of these types of mega projects and money will be needed for essential services. Luxury services are secondary to that need.

I this mega spa project for the children, or for the convenience of the adults?

The only way to guarantee continued swimming pool access in Twisp is to vote no on Prop 1.

SOulman wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 2:23 pm
How did we get to this point as a community?

That's a great question. I see a change in values. There seems to be a greater sense of entitlement these days and what's best for 'me' has become a priority. Note how easily members our community have accepted that this increase in property tax won't hurt low income seniors. They are blind to the fact the three tiered low income senior property tax exemption only reduces property taxes and doesn't completely eliminate them.

The FOP promises transparency and accountability, but they're not doing that now so why would anyone expect them to do that after they gain enormous power sitting on a MPD board? They won't even disclose what they will be paying themselves.

But the values our generation thinks are important won't matter to supportors as they will blind themselves to facts and to all the contradictory statements that the FOP board is making. They want what they want and will choose whatever narrative suits their desire.


*"According to a study from the University of Hampshire, millennials born between 1988 and 1994 scored 25 percent higher in entitlement-related issues than their 40-60 year old counterparts, and 50 percent higher than those over 60.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton ... -the-ugly/

pasayten wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2023 3:29 pm
Everybody in the Proposition 1 "district" area buys most of their groceries, goods, and other items in either Twisp or Winthrop... Why not just add a reasonable sales tax add on to Twisp and Winthrop to maintain a replacement pool? .

If this proposition passes, I wonder how many people will switch from buying local products to buying online to save money in order to pay the MPD taxes?

Ray, perhaps we need to get the pool built ourselves. Start a GoFundMe, set up a build the pool website and give the voters an alternative to the MPD.

Ray, I could get behind that sales tax idea. Property owners shouldn't bear the burden and why should we. If the pool is for everyone then everyone should pay. Everyone!

MVN also had one "pro" Proposition 1 letter to the editor and no "against"... hmmm...

Folks are still confused about Proposition 1... It's not about for/against a reasonable process to replace the Wagner Pool... It's about the dang creation of a unnecessary powerful permanent taxing authority (metropolitan park district) with an unelected governing Board!!! Lets defeat Proposition 1 and move on to a correct process to replace the Wagner Pool that won't be so harmful to tax payers and fit in with our other Methow Valley infrastructure priorities. That is something that I will support.

Here is a thought... Build a reasonable pool with a process like the new Winthrop Library or Ice Rink. Everybody in the Proposition 1 "district" area buys most of their groceries, goods, and other items in either Twisp or Winthrop... Why not just add a reasonable sales tax add on to Twisp and Winthrop to maintain a replacement pool? It doesn't need to be a county wide tax add on. Doesn't need to extend outside the towns as there are few businesses there to buy items. Anyway, lots of ways to accomplish the goal without adding to our property taxes.

One aspect of the Proposition 1 debate is whether an expensive indoor aquatic center is a priority for the community given other important needs.

I see that according to this week's MVNews, the Twisp Town Council has put a microscope to an affordable housing action plan that they previously touted as an important step forward. They didn't have much good to say about it even though the plan asks very little of local governments and does not promote a significant public subsidy to address affordable housing.

I trust that they would apply the same level of scrutiny to the "plan" advanced by proponents of Proposition 1 to build an indoor aquatic center.

If action on affordable housing in Twisp is not ready for prime time, how can anyone dream of sinking $25 million into an indoor aquatic center?

How did we get to this point as a community?