October 04, 2004
Monday

I have grown up here in this town, I have seen it go through its changes. It is just too sad how our two Governments can not even try to get along. There seem to be two different long term plans. This town has a problem - like one group is a Democrat and the other a Republican. No mater if it is a good idea they will not accept it because it was brought up by the other. If Ketchikan wants to get things going here, every one needs to work together. But the only thing they both agree on is that they can just keep taking from the locals.

I was born in a small town in the hills of northern California. I go back down every few years to visit family. It is really amazing how their fire department is still driving 1950 style trucks and they're using them all the time fighting forest fires and such. But here in Ketchikan we only have the top of the line fire trucks and the most they are used for is to haul water to Mountain Point water system. How did we need a new ambulance to make one call a week to the south end of town? How about the new pickups they keep buying and saying we're broke?
 
We're going to be voting Tuesday on more monies for school bonds. But I can not understand why we are to pay for somebody's mistakes. We did not engineer the school. Seems to me if the engineering was wrong it's the engineers' fault and they should be responsible. If I came to build you a rock wall and it fell down and smashed your house, I would have to rebuild and repair your house.

As for the land trade, we are going broke. We can not be giving things away. Cash it out, get the money. Sure the Arts Center would be nice and if things were going good we could give. But for now I don't see anything wrong with using the schools for the shows. The schools need the money. Sell the property. It would make the best boat harbor - the pilings and parking lots are already there. Let's see, spend some money on a new dock for more cruise ships so the people who don't live here can take the monies and run. I think that our town is already over loaded when there are two ships in. To me we need to make it so we can handle what we've got before we push more tourists out on Tongass Ave. I saw 4 or 5 old people fall over sidewalks this summer. And I just go through town a few times a day. I almost hit more going across the street. Put in a overpass and close the street or something. I had a few ideas but that's for some other time.

We've got to quit waiting to sell the veneer plant. It's not going to happen. Let it go, get the monies, sell the machinery. I can not see a big business coming to town for the simple reason you'll treat them like you treat the small businesses - they are killing me. Personal property tax makes me a criminal. Well it is too early to go on, so that's all I will say today.

Robert McRoberts
Ketchikan, AK - USA  

 

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