No on Measures 9-94 and 9-96

Published 11:16 am Friday, November 15, 2013

Voters, think about this: Why would or should the majority of these new hotel taxes go to the expo center and fairgrounds in Redmond?

The fairgrounds and expo center should be self-supporting with all the money it makes at the fair and all the events that are held out there.

Note that we are all already paying to support the fairgrounds through a bond measure (check your property tax statement) and every time we attend an event at the expo center. This room tax should not go to support this.

The other portion of the new hotel taxes would go to “arts and tourism.” That is not a “need,” it’s a “want.” Let’s focus on the “needs” of this area, like repairing all the awful roads we have in this city and county. Tourists will want to come back if we have nice roads to drive on. That’s where these new hotel taxes should be spent.

And as far as the small percentage that would go to “public safety,” there are already seven bond measures for that on our taxes.

Vote no on both 9-94 and 9-96.

Jan Johnston

Bend

Marketplace