LETTER TO THE EDITOR: South Whidbey is not a cash cow

To the editor:

Do the port commissioners really believe that the marina will produce all these jobs and income for South Whidbey? It may benefit the town of Langley and the yacht owners but not the majority of residents on South Whidbey.

If their projections of job creation and income don’t materialize, will the port commissioners be held accountable?

I don’t think so. I will vote no.

Do the “People For Yes on Whidbey PUD” really think it is in the best interest of island residents to pay for this hair-brained idea? Does this idea stem from certain comments made during the power outage a couple years ago? (We didn’t have this problem in California.)

Will Mr. Jenkins and the rest of his supporters also be held accountable after cost overruns and any other increases that will be put on the shoulders of Island County taxpayers? I don’t think so. I will vote no.

Do the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District officials believe that we need to spend millions for this project as our enrollment in the schools is on the decline? Maybe the reason enrollment in our schools is dropping could be that young families cannot afford to live here anymore and are leaving the island. The shift from poor and middle class to rich is changing the island, just as it has in many tourists towns in our country. I will vote no.

Now I am asking myself, are we really in a recession, are prices really rising, are people really losing their homes? Because it seems the supporters of these tax increases don’t think so. The politicians should be looking out for the taxpayers during these hard times and not looking for ways to put more of a burden on their shoulders.

Matt Shorey

Clinton

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