Reply to Betsy Cushman's Letter to MVN

[Jingles]

With the way FOP is changing their public viewable info and supposed intent I say declare FOP similar to a political party and their members candidates, Time for the public to learn just who these candidates are and expose the names for informational purposes of those that might not know who it is that is trying to saddle them with a forever tax.
Vern aka Jingles

[PAL]

No don't have a laptop. I am a luddite.
I will try with my camera and see what the quality is.

[pasayten]

Pearl, do you have a laptop? You can do a "Prt Scn" and save a screen shot.

[PAL]

In a reply on FB, they say those facts are still on their pages, but their "land page" has changed. Does taking a screen shot mean taking a photo of it? I am ignorant about how to do it. I have a digital camera, not a phone.
They are making an attempt, a feeble attempt, to say see, those against are spreading misinformation.
We have to know that the truth will prevail. We still have to inform people what they are really voting on. If it passes, then they can do anything they want with the money. They can "change their mind" once more, back to the mega center, if they want.

[Fun CH]

You do know they have totally changed their website and FB page? A friend pointed this out to me and I said yes, they did. So now we are not supposed to believe what they said before, I guess. So just forget about all those other pages. But now, unbeknownest to me anyway, that we get to participate in the kind of pool we want to be built? Won't happen because this thing will not pass.
Betsy needs to know the facts. I guess she was being told the "alternative facts". Who told her that there are elected and appointed members?
"Perpetual line item in our property taxes". That means it's for friggin' ever! Hello people, think!
Which brings up the issue of trust. I guess we are being "paranoid" once again. But to change, reverse course, all well and good, but how can we trust them if they keep changing things? As Ray said, "nailing jello to a wall".

Their Latest political action committee video completely obfuscates the facts. They went from honesty about building a 20 million dollar mega pool to some story about building a simple outdoor pool. But they say that their plans are "scalable to meet the needs of our community". Yep, scalable to a 20 million luxury pool.

The MAC plans that were presented to country and was in place on the FOP website when ballot petitions were signed is the 20 million Mega MAC that runs a $500,000 deficit every year according to their own feasibility study.

No getting around those facts. Now they are saying those facts are a myth.

The facts of this regressive tax that the FOP just trying to impose, is that it hurts low income families. This fact has been acknowledged by Washington State.

From the Washington State Department of Revenue.

"Washington's tax structure is regressive. The lowest income households pay 15.7 percent of income for total excise and property taxes, while the highest income households pay 4.4 percent of income for the same taxes"

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... jJtc73WDNC

So the FOP wants to impose a luxury pool tax on people who struggled whether or not they had enough money to afford an essential service?

[PAL]

You do know they have totally changed their website and FB page? A friend pointed this out to me and I said yes, they did. So now we are not supposed to believe what they said before, I guess. So just forget about all those other pages. But now, unbeknownest to me anyway, that we get to participate in the kind of pool we want to be built? Won't happen because this thing will not pass.
Betsy needs to know the facts. I guess she was being told the "alternative facts". Who told her that there are elected and appointed members?
"Perpetual line item in our property taxes". That means it's for friggin' ever! Hello people, think!
Which brings up the issue of trust. I guess we are being "paranoid" once again. But to change, reverse course, all well and good, but how can we trust them if they keep changing things? As Ray said, "nailing jello to a wall".

[Fun CH]

I would not call it unloadinging on Betsy as from what I read it is simply pointing out the facts that she either can't or doesn't want to understand and admit being wrong.

yes. I surely wasn't trying to unload on Betsy and trying present facts such as the forever MPD taxes are regressive taxes and part of the causes for rural gentrification. Two sides to this issue.

One based on facts such as the plans presented to the county for the MAD Mega MAC is for that 20 million dollar + indoor tourist facility. Right now its a beyond expensive pool. For future park commissioners it may be another recreational facility that is just as expensive.

The chosen structure for this MPD recreational district has no voter control other than to raise an excess levy tax beyond the 75 cents per thousand regular Levy rate.

A regressive tax bill many just can't afford for a luxury facility that runs at a $500,000 deficit every year. It's just not fiscally responsible how ever the good intentions of those involved.

We as a community need to save our money for essential and critical needs, such as our current housing crisis and future needs like funds to help make our community fire safe.

I think MM on the Methownet bulletin board said it very well. Let's not turn a housing crisis into a homeless crisis.

Rural gentrification is real and we can stop one cause of it by voting no on Proposition 1.

[Jingles]

I would not call it unloadinging on Betsy as from what I read it is simply pointing out the facts that she either can't or doesn't want to understand and admit being wrong.

[SOulman]

It's not necessary to unload on Betsy. Maybe she got bad information. I like Betsy having worked with her for many years while a board member of Methow Recycles. I can disagree with her on this issue.

My response to these arguments is threefold --

1. The tax district is permanent. Plenty of other tax districts have to demonstrate their performance by showing up regularly to voters.

2. The proposed board is unelected. Say what you want, but there is NO interlocal agreement on membership and won't be unless the measure passes and all local governments agree on the language. Imagine the lobbying that will take place. . . .

3. The proposal is not about a benign future planning process. The community will argue about this for years. “We know we’re asking the voters a lot in approving this district, but it’s what’s required to replace the Wagner Pool with a year-round indoor facility,” [Justin] Porter said." Methow Valley News, August 3, 2023.

[Fun CH]

Betsy, All you have to do is read the prop 1 information that was summited to Okanagan county. They are available at link below, obtained through a county public document request that I did.

https://pasayten.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f ... d006d7ef75

You will clearly see that the plan as was submitted to the county calls for that Indoor 2 heated pool/hot tube with added amenities such as a climbing wall. Sarah Schrock was very open with the public as to what the Methow Aquatics Center was going to be when she was FOP board president. She posted that same language on the FOP website as was submitted to the County. That transparent language has now disappeared from the FOP website replaced by a different political narrative.

I received no Communications in my public document request that would suggest the FOP goal of a 20 million Aquatic Center has changed. Sarah is no longer is in charge of the FOP and the political FOP messaging has changed to what you were told.


If the public document requested interlocal agreement draft stands, it may be true that up to 5 elected officials will serve on the MPD MAD board. However those people are elected as Town Council and county commissioners, not directly elected by the voters as Metropolitan Park District board commissioners. Two of the 5 can be appointed as at large board members which could be town council members, hence 4 MPD board Commissioners could be all Town Council Members

Electing Metropolitan Park District Commissioners is one MPD structure allowable by law that the FOP did not choose as the MPD governing structure. They chose five appointed board members.

Up to 2 each Winthrop and Twisp Town Council Members can serve as MPD board commissioners, however those positions are appointed by the Town councils themselves. The fifth position is our district county commissioner who at the moment is Andy Hoover.

As you can see, the towns of Twisp and Winthrop have the most votes with 4 board members and only four votes are needed to make MPD MAD decisions. 70% of the population in our school district lies outside of those two townships. Any representation that Andy Hoover might have on behalf of non Town members is diluted. He also represents the citizens of those two towns.

As far as alternatives to Levy rate, yes the other two recreational Districts options provide for more voter control with 6-year voting on Levy rates. That has the effect of holding board members accountable to voters. The FOP did not choose those two voter accountable Recreation District types.

The FOP chose the Metropolitan Park District structure which is a permanent Levy, with no voter control on that permanent regular Levy .As it stands now based on almost 3 billion dollars of our school district assessed value, at the maximum Levy rate imposed of 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, that levy amounts to almost 2 million per year. They can also issue General obligation non voter bond debt in the amount of almost 7 million. They can also borrow money other ways.

They really don't need outside funding as they will have enough money available to start building the $20 million Mega Aquatic Center. By their own study it runs at a $500,000 deficit per year that the taxpayers will pay.

At Metropolitan Park District can also come back to the voters to ask to raise an excess levy rate on top of the regular levy. That money can be leveraged to borrow more money and used to pay off and service the interest of other voter approved bond debt up to 55 million dollars again based upon our school District assessed values.

And we all give what we can to this community whether volunteering time and money to a pool, or a recycle center, or an ice rink or public land advocacy etc. Giving what you can is the spirit of the Methow.

Imposing a regressive tax on others who can't afford it constitutes "taking", an ethic I hope never takes hold in this Valley.

This is a forever tax that our children's Children will be burdened with.

As always, best to look at both sides of an issue and read the facts.


Betsy's letter

"A first step

Dear Editor:

I’ve been supporting the pool proposal quietly. Supporting because a public pool is invaluable to every community. I know the volunteers working diligently on the pool, and I trust them. I’ve been quiet because I haven’t had command of important facts about Proposition 1. I recently sat down with a board member to understand their proposal. This is what I learned.

It starts with the Wagner Memorial Pool. Currently, the annual operation and frequent repair of the Wagner Pool is paid by property taxpayers in the Town of Twisp and donors to Friends of the Pool. If the Methow Aquatic District passes, everyone in the school district will share in the upkeep of the Wagner Pool. I think this is more fair. A board of elected and appointed members will be responsible for establishing the level of funding needed from us. Our voices will be heard if they get it wrong."

Absolutely no design is being proposed at this time. All of us will get the opportunity to participate in the decision about what pool to build.

Organizers propose a perpetual line item in our property taxes out of a desire for secure, sustainable funding. An alternative is a levy request every six years.

Creation of the district opens doors for significant public and private funding relieving a lot of my property tax concerns. Valid questions exist about whether the nuts and bolts of the proposal are right for all of us and whether this is the right time. As with most good things accomplished here, a small group of dedicated, good-hearted rookies have rolled up their sleeves to solve a difficult problem. We do it all the time. My hope is that creation of the district can be the baby step that keeps the Wagner Pool open and sets the stage for all of us to figure out what happens in the years to come. Whether Proposition 1 passes this time or not, what happens next is up to us. Please stay involved."

Betsy Cushman
Winthrop"