Letters, letters, letters

To the Editor:

I am deeply concerned by Ed Beacham's Letter to the Editor last week. So concerned in fact, that I feel compelled to respond.

First, Mr. Beacham's assertion that the city council plans to "cram a sales tax down our backs" to fund a proposed sewer system is far from the truth.

Yes, a municipal sales tax has been proposed as an option to help reduce the financial burden on the residents if they vote to proceed with a sewer system. But the residents would also vote on whether they would use a sales tax to help offset part of the cost. The city council would never implement such a measure without a vote of the residents.

Secondly, I would encourage Mr. Beacham, or anyone else for that matter, to come up with an alternative funding option to a sales tax if the residents do vote to proceed with a sewer system. I was raised not to gripe about other people's ideas unless I was prepared to voice my own suggestion. I would ask the same of Mr. Beacham.

Of course, that might mean he would have to attend any or all of the numerous meetings and workshops that the city councilors attend as they try to balance the needs of all the residents and weigh the cost of all the options.

Lastly, and maybe more importantly, I am concerned with Mr. Beacham's opinion, that after weighing the factors involved, I am "pitifully mindless" to even suggest a municipal sales tax.

What could I have been thinking to even suggest that the friendly tourists who visit our town might be willing to help pay for such a large expense to be borne on the shoulders of so few.

As I have stated many times, only by working together to develop positive solutions can we overcome the challenges facing our community.

Respectfully,

Steve Wilson

Mayor of Sisters

To the Editor:

To this wonderful community that Toby loved so much, our heartfelt gratitude for all of the love, kindness and support you have given to us.

Your shared memories have been added to ours and we thank you for them.

We shall miss him greatly.

The Poole Family

To the Editor:

To the community, a heartfelt thank you for all the kindness, thoughts, sympathies and prayers on behalf of our mother Nancy Bafford whom we recently lost.

Thanks again,

Scott, Malia and the rest of the Bafford Family