June 19, 2009
Friday

Damage control? Obfuscation and angry mud slinging instead of apologizing for poor ethics when you discussed hiding the truth about how the pool bond would be paid, you actually considered telling the residents, it will be covered by a 1/2 cent recreational sales tax. Want the borough attorney to run for Mayor! Okay, how much, and for how long... no more dodging the truth, provide detailed numbers to the voters on this capital issue.

Question: Does Prince of Wales have a swimming pool? How many more people drown there per capita than here? Real numbers are good. Per the 2007 KGB Community Profile we have 13,166 residents; of that total, roughly 6000 are between 20 and 55+ years -- could be the bread winners for their families. $23.5 million/6000... is this right? $3,916.00 per adult... and that's just 23.5 million, not including interest on a thirty year bond... double that? But it's only our homes you will be putting up as collateral.

And you think transparency is not going to help you get this bond vote passed? I'd be willing to support, if you are honest. But a car salesman would present this contract to folks signing it better... insulting! How much is this going to cost? Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have pushed our 50 states into a spiraling out of control recession... in exactly this same muddy headed way. That serious history concerns folks trying to keep from drowning in debt... you want uninformed voters to give you the okay to sign their names to more than $fifty million dollars, so you can feel loved?

I don't think I'm an expert on the "general welfare" of this community; that should be your job. I would love to hear from you when you have answers, and not just more home-spun history from your youth. We all have lessons learned but we must grow up and read most carefully before signing the bottom line on a contract with the devil.

Consider opening an account at a bank here in town, maybe all of them... the "Ketchikan Pool Fund"; everyone voluntarily writes a check for and collects what they can afford, and then takes it in each month. Your job, Mayor, and Assembly-Persons, should be to divert spending borough funds on low value requests, sending them checks instead, to the fund; the arts center can do fund drives, sell Ward Cove, send the proceeds to that interest bearing account, keeping greedy hands off the "Ketchikan Pool Fund". A responsible adult would tackle this without closing their eyes, throwing the dice, and hoping for a happy ending... think our citizens would support a fund, especially if they got feedback, like the town's rain gage...

We get half of twenty three million collected, then you ask politely, with honest, humble transparency [currently lacking], for a vote on a ten year bond. My opinion? You've taken the low road, because you think you can; figure the ends justify the means, don't trust the citizens with the truth... and for that you should not get belligerent, you should be ashamed!

Ken Bylund
North Point Higgins
Ketchikan, AK

Received June 19, 2008 - Published June 19, 2009

Related Viewpoint:

Re: Ketchikan Pool Bond Vote By Dave Kiffer

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