Pasayten's Methow Valley Bulletin Board

Posted below my reply is Robin's letter to MVN concerning the incident in my above post.

Robin, peaceful protest which includes chanting slogans like "dollars for millionaires" has been a fundamental right in this country since tea was thrown into the Boston harbor to protest excessive taxation without representation. In your letter you left out the part where I was peacefully protesting when you called 911 to report an old man carrying a protest sign.

I was peacefully speaking out against the regressive tax burden that proposition 1, which if passed, would place on low income families in this Valley who really can't afford to fund a 20 Million dollar+ Mega Methow Aquatic Center that is projected to run at a $500,000 deficit per year. A burden that is placed on our children and our children's children.Forever.

I see the Mega MAC Proposition 1 as a way to take much needed money from low-income families and funnel it to the mega luxury desires to those who can afford it. Many can't.

We want a pool, just not one that taxes long time residents out of the valley or never allows families with children to move here because of the High Cost of Living.

This Valley has a long history of keeping out special interest money that will change this Valley from what it is to what fulfills luxury desires.

This country has a long history of peaceful protest that is our right and most likely why the police didn't show up to answer your call. I'm sorry if my peaceful protest ruined your bright sun shiny day.

Or you could join us and fight for a sensibly funded pool. A plan just like how every other public benefit recreational project was funded here, by giving what you can and not taking from those who can't afford it.

This Valley isn't Sun Valley, Portland, or Bend, Oregon. Don't "Bend" the Methow. Vote no on prop 1.

Robin MVN Letter to the editor, Oct 4, 2024

"Be part of the solution

Dear Editor:

I was in Twisp last weekend to see friends and attend festivities at the farmers market and Twisp Art Walk. As a longstanding homeowner, I was saddened by the division I saw in the community around Proposition 1 and I want to share why.

Most rational people see the value of a (year-round) pool in a community with six months of winter and increasingly smoky summers as a valuable form of recreation and exercise. How do we care for and communicate with each other when we struggle with our differences? Vitriol and divisiveness have no place in this community which prides itself on working together to solve problems, supporting one another when times are hard and lifting up the most vulnerable among us. If Proposition 1 is not for you, at least show some respect and appreciation for the members of this community who worked hard for years to come up with a plan to provide a pool for our children, families and seniors.
What I saw was grown adults acting like mad children in a playground. When did we lose trust in good people to do hard things? Fear of not having enough money will drive people to a frenzy. If you are afraid, come to meetings and respectfully ask questions like an adult. Be a part of the solution not the problem.

The community will benefit as a whole with all of our constructive input. We will rip apart with infighting, divisiveness and not in my backyard (NIMBY) thinking. Come to meetings to discuss the facts instead of camping out on corners and disseminating lies that strengthen our fears. Let’s work together to create a sound plan with straightforward tasks so that those of us who want to leave a lasting legacy for our community are trusted to exercise accountability, transparency and responsibility. By being part of the solution, you ensure planning and accountability is in place for the next round of decision making. Let’s trust good people to do hard things.

Robin Kamerling

Portland, Oregon/Twisp"

I was at the Farmers market today again and Ray was set up across the street. As I was making my rounds I was approached by Emily Post and an elder lady who expained that the farmers market had rules against political protest and things such as religious folks prostatizing. So why can Friends of the Pool set up a stand like they did last week? I was told nonprofits can set up at the Farmers Market.

So folks, if you want to deliver a political message at the farmers market be sure you are a non-profit with that message.

As I was listening to them Emily mumbled that I was a "Dick". I said "what?" And she didn't respond, but I had heard her. I told them that because of that language I was going to stay. They threatened to call the police. "What?" I say, "you're going to call the police on someone exercising their free speech rights?, go ahead and call".

A little later the Board head of the farmers market approached and explained the rules again. I was welcome to use the public side walk so I moved between the Hwy 20 sidewalk and the Library sidewalk.

That Library location happened to be behind Emily's Pottery stand. There were some more words exchanged. Emily the lady that had just called me a dick wanted to know why I wasn't more positive and why can't I smile and be happy?" "I am" and I added "I can't understand why liberals don't support free speech". Heck I'm a liberal and have spoken many times to support people's rights even if I don't agree with what they're saying.

Emily said she didn't like me yelling something in front of the the two performing guitar players, Paul Butler and Steve Hirsch.

Yea, guilty. I did yell "dollars for millionaires" as they had one guitar case open collecting dollars. It's what buskers do, like the teen with her Cello set up out of the way and close to the Senior Center trying to raise money for a school trip. No main stage for her, the millionaires had that occupied.

I did exchange a few more pleasantries with Paul Butler during his break but I noticed they had closed their "dollars for millionaires" guitar case for their second set even though Paul told me it was "for the children". I laughed, its "always for the children right".

But is taxing low income parents so the wealthy elite like Paul can get their hands on our tax dollars really "for the children" when that family struggles to afford basic necessities, "for their children"?.

Heck, Paul's wife Bo Thrasher is co-chair of the FOP pushing for control of our tax dollars. I have to wonder which commercial recreational businesses will line up for our tax dollars if prop 1 passes. Will Paul's helicopter ski business somehow benefit?

So the highlight of the day was Emily's friend Robin calling 911 to report the old man with the sign. I overheard her saying "well this isnt an a emergency but.... "

Of course, the police never showed. They have actual emergencies to deal with, and are not there to serve the whims of the entitled.

One senior lady supporting my 'no luxury pool tax' message, who first found the Methow Valley in 1975 and served this Community well, said it best..

"More people moving here with Urban values want more high tech recreation."

But why do some millionaires want to force people, who have way less resources than they have, to pay for that high tech recreation such as a luxury Mega Pool? And why are millionaires busking for dollars? Oh yea, its for the children.

One more wave of my sign as the farmers market let out. This time at Steve and Paul driving away in a new Tesla, heads turned away from that crazy old guy with a sign hoping he has enough money so either he or his wife can afford decent nursing care when that time comes.

Exactly.

What is interesting about this report and the current debate is how little attention is paid to the feasibility study commissioned by Proposition 1 proponents.

Tens of thousands of dollars of grant money was spent for a consultant to tell the client that an expensive indoor aquatic center was only supportable with a large public subsidy requiring an inappropriate metropolitan park district and a pernicious property tax.

As I have repeatedly said, how did we get to this point as a community? It did not have to be this way, but here we are.

The ever-shifting proposals and justifications do not warrant support for Proposition 1. This one is beyond salvage.

The sooner this one is behind us, the sooner the community can move forward.

Steve Oulman

I got there around 10AM and did a circle around the market with my sign until I settled for a while right near the HWY. Great spot for visibility Plus it was right next to the Yes on Pools Yes on Propostion 1 table.
Blue Bradley came over and immediately wanted to have a conversation. She wanted to know my concerns and I discussed the many of the issues that have been brought up on this forum.

I tried to pin her down on exact location for the Mega Pool, but that's up to any future Metropolitan Park District commissioners not them. Really? They're already checking out two sights in Twisp and another site that she couldn't disclose.

Blue spoke of a State recreational Grant that they would probably be eligible for. "Oh yeah" I said "do you have a commitment letter". NO.

"The pools leaking 10,000 gallon a day, I was told and we couldn't build another pool at the Wagner site because its in the flood
zone". So I say "that water is just returned to the aquifer.." A smile appeared. Did she understand that it's really not a bad idea for a pool to have a fresh supply of water every day.

"But we have to pump it" she says.

After that I walked around some more and spoke with several voters. One 69 year old lady was concerned that she was going to be taxed out of her home and have to move. She's been here almost 40 years.

This of course is the heart of the issue, regressive taxes that especially hurt low income people, seniors and folks trying to establish a foothold in the valley. How many local people would this Tax displace?

I met a young couple who moved here two years ago and they thanked me for my efforts today. They really can't afford this tax after having to pay a high purchase price for a home here.They know assessed values will keep going up.

Is a year round luxury indoor pool that's being billed "as for the children", really "for the children" if families with children can't afford to establish a foothold here? Or if a low income family with children is forced to move out of this Valley?

After another stroll around the farmers market I returned to the hwy entrance spot. I was approached by Justin Porter for a conversation.

First thing he wanted to know was how was my talk with Blue. Just fine and I asked him if he read the book that Steve had given him, 'Divided Paradise'. He said he did and totally agrees that regressive taxes hurt low income people. We discussed how maybe an endowment could be set up to rebate property taxes paid by low income people. Of course that solution is not on the ballot.

The reoccurring theme that I discussed with both Blue and Justin is the ever changing message that the FOP is putting out. Blue says that's a response to them learning what the voter concerns are.

I said that perhaps a plan should have been presented to the voters before this ballot measure.That could have been developed with feedback from the voters via a scoping letter. Too late now of course.

If this ballot measure fails and Justin thinks it will, they will regroup and try again, perhaps with a lesser expensive option and more inclusive of voter concerns.

Lets Vote NO and see if the FOP can produce a more comprehensive plan