You Invited Them, so Clean up After Them

1. Just what is it we wish government to do for us? On the face of it this is a large question so I will break it down to something smaller. What triggers this is a note that the Chamber of Commerce in Friday Harbor Washington wants the town to make the town more like “Disneyland”. Their reasoning is that the businessmen feel that the town collects “enough” property tax money and sales tax money so the town can keep the town cleaner.
   
   Just how much is enough? Friday Harbor, like a lot of smaller community’s has a “you use it you pay for it” policy. So the businesses do not subsidies water, sewer, solid waste or storm water for residences and vice a versa. Property tax collected for the town is only a third or less of the tax bill, other things like schools and state and county roads are on the bill but not paid to the town.
   
   Friday Harbor http://www.fridayharbor.org/ does have the town budget available to view. It shoes income and expenses. Income is an educated guess built on a mopny model and the treasure can explain that to others. What is not said by the business men is if they have asked the correct questions.
   

1. Where does all the money go?

2.What service or group of services dos the business community wish the town to NOT do? That is what service does the town drop, fire, police?

3. Did anyone at the chamber actually read the budget? Not just the income part but the expense part?

4. Why would a retired person on a fixed income. About 3 percent of the 2000 population has an interest in providing a “Disneyland” atmosphere?

5. When did business in Friday Harbor become “too good” to pick up the trash of the tourists that they invite to the Town?

It seems to me that the Chamber did none of these things, at least none of them well. And gosh, ya know, if you invite the world then pick up the junk YOUR customers throw around and quit whining all the way to the bank.

That is how I see it from here.