Letter sent - Siuslaw News chose not to print
03 November 2005
Letters to the Editor (Opinion)
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Siuslaw County Rebuttal
        This is in response to last Saturday’s letter. There is always resistance to change, there are always dooms-day sayers, and the sky is always falling. Bloated and inefficient governments always bemoan the lack of money and claim the only solution is higher taxes. Lane is adding both sales and gross receipts taxes while denying us the right to vote on them for three years. With those in the new county area representing only 5% of the voters, we have no say anyways! So what’s new?

        Siuslaw County! It will be a new County for a bright future - today, tomorrow, and beyond. It means initially no new taxes as it will inherit the exiting tax base of Lane County. It will give the coast a voice locally and statewide - your voice. And, it will permanently end the century-long Eugene/Springfield dominance over our way of life.

        Voters are receiving an information sheet and petition via mail for signature. Those who feel we should discover the real facts are encouraged to sign. If your desire is to halt this idea, what better way than having it exposed to the “facts” possible only by signing. A petition is our society’s way of asking the question; “Do you want us to investigate this opportunity?”

        And is it that only the proponents of change are required to answer questions; and the opponents can skate on their facts? To every question of “what makes you think we can ...” is the counter question of “what makes you think we can’t....”. There is a logical case for a new county based on the revenues we provide (plenty), the services we need (some), and the services we currently receive (few). There are burdens of proof on both sides of the debate. But it’s a debate we need to have and will only get to if people sign the approved petition in sufficient numbers.

Keith Stanton, Chief Petitioner