I note that the new county budget proposes to:
Affording preschool for their children is becoming increasingly more difficult for families on Orcas Island. Preschool provides an environment where children have many opportunities to be part of a community of peers, learn social skills, and experience many enriching learning opportunities. Research continues to show that children who attend preschool are more likely to graduate from high school, stay out of jail and off drugs. Here at Orcas Montessori, with the help of a grant from United Way, we were able to help a family this past year make tuition affordable. The benefits to our children and families are far reaching. The growth and development made by the children within our community of peers and dedicated teachers over the course of a year is rewarding to observe.
On behalf of the Library Board of Trustees, I would like to thank everyone who participated in the 2008 Library survey. We received 228 responses, including 202 full time residents. For the Board members, who collected 72 of the responses between raindrops at the Library Fair, it was a valuable opportunity to talk directly to community members about how they feel about Library services and the possibility of expanding the facility.
As a community member and small business owner, I would like to present both my own views and those of my peers regarding the proposed moratorium on street vending in Eastsound, and offer what we feel is a more copacetic solution.
What are some of the options for addressing the proposed elimination from the county’s 2009 budget of Orcas Island Recreation program funding (amounting to about $12,500) and a juvenile probation officer with the county Sheriff department (costing about $56,000)?
While most of us are experiencing some sort of budget shortfall, the good news is there is no budget problem at the Orcas Fire Department.
In these tough times giving is even more important. United Way of San Juan County funds over 30 organizations. This year as our country experiences major financial collapse local communities are seeing the effects. As families struggle trying to figure out how to make ends meet the agencies that serve these families are being stretched. As energy, food and gas prices are increasing so are the needs of families and community members.
I recently read in the Sounder that the Orcas Island skate park could possibly be closed and was very upset to learn of this. If some foolish individuals have been making inappropriate choices at the park, and it has reached the level of public concern, there must be some other solution than closing the park. This seems to be a drastic response. Was the skate park not initially conceived as a place for the youth of Orcas Island to gather and enjoy the sport of skateboarding? Where are we supposed to go? The skate park is a place to chill, relax with friends and experience the insane thrill of riding a park such as this one. I have skated here since the beginning and never witnessed any inappropriate behavior. It is a knee-jerk reaction to consider closing the park – the local skaters need this park, plus it draws tourists who desire to be challenged by its vertical drops. I am disappointed that the community that worked so hard to make this skate park a reality cannot come up with a better solution. I think that this decision needs to be weighed very carefully, and its impact on the youth of Orcas taken into account.
Dear friends and community members,
The Orcas island community is amazing. After weeks of enormous economic uncertainty, and a day after the DOW went down 500 points, OPAL Community Land Trust had its most successful fund-raiser ever on October 11. We want to say Thank You to everyone whose generosity made such an evening possible.
I hope that the tremendous turnout for the assessors briefing on Thursday was proof enough that population growth in the county is very expensive for taxpayers. As our population increases their demands on infrastructure provided by the county and state increase. The tax assessor simply sees that property owners share equitably in the cost that the County and State will have in supporting the increased demands for that infrastructure. We are somewhat fortunate as many people own vacation homes and do not greatly impact our infrastructure. However, on the mainland, it has been calculated that, on average, every new home costs that community in excess of $30,000. So it takes a good many years to recover that amount in taxes unless you have $30,000 in impact fees.
You face very difficult decisions in the current budget crisis. I am writing to urge you to maintain funding for the Orcas Recreation program.
San Juan County has just begun its annual budget process and the outlook for all County services is grim. The County has felt the pressure of the weakened economy and needs to make adjustments to its spending. Many of us are already cutting back on discretionary spending like travel and entertainment, economizing on necessary expenses such as transportation, shopping more diligently for bargains and, for some, reducing spending on essential requirements like food, heat and medication. For many people, reduction in spending on essentials is the only recourse available. These are the same people who must also depend on the County to make their lives bearable. These people are the most vulnerable in our community, generally elderly, often not in good health, in need of medications, lacking transportation, occasionally requiring assistance for daily tasks and frequently unable to make ends meet. These are the people who will be severely affected by the proposed 23.1 percent reduction in Health and Community Services. The County has proposed to reduce the few services it now provides to these members of our communities. For example: elimination of transportation for seniors; reduction of congregate senior meals; reduction of nursing staff/clinic hours: elimination of immunizations/vaccinations; reduced nurse home visits and travel assistance to Medicaid clients; and finally, reduced staffing at our Senior Centers. Each of the items I mention is a line item for reduction in the County Administrators 2009 Budget Proposal.