News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
SOAR has a broad base of support in Sisters, but not everyone supports the organization’s bid for a local option tax of 35 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Among the opponents of the measure is board member and SOAR treasurer Ben Ehrenstrom.
“I’m philosophically opposed to it,” Ehrenstrom said.
Ehrenstrom said he believes SOAR (Sisters Organization for Activities and Recreation) is currently a highly successful program and that its programs should be sustained by the community voluntarily — not through taxes.
“I’d prefer to see it done through charitable contributions,” he said. “I don’t think I should be able, through my vote, to make others support what I support.”
The election is set for May 17. Ballots go out at the end of this month.
Ehrenstrom has staked out a position on one side of a philosophical divide that stretches right across the nation. On one side are those demanding smaller government and a lower tax burden; on the other are those arguing the need to provide services that benefit the whole community.
Ehrenstrom said he is “not trying to shoot this (initiative) down” and he said, “I’m not saying good things won’t come from it.”
Its simply that, to him the question is “does government have to continue to grow or should it reach a point where enough is enough. And when do you reach that point? I don’t know the answer to that.”
SOAR’s director Tom Coffield, who will leave the job in June, does not believe that SOAR is anywhere close to the “enough is enough” point.
“I think we’re right on the verge of SOAR being ready to grow and expand and (become) the full recreation district that we could be,” he said.
Coffield does not see Ehrenstrom’s philosophy of individual, charitable contribution as a viable future for SOAR, even to maintain its programs.
“In order for us to survive as Ben wants us to, we would have to do a ton of fund-raising,” Coffield said. “We would have to be fund-raising continuously — or we would have to charge more for each of the programs we offer.”
That’s a bind for SOAR, according to Coffield.
“The philosophy of SOAR has been, since it started 10 years ago, we don’t turn any kids away,” Coffield said. “The problem with Ben’s philosophy is, do we charge those who can afford to pay double to cover those who can’t afford it?”
Ehrenstrom is inclined to think the organization should cut programs that are not self-sustaining. He cites the Teen Center as an example. The program, which offers after-school and weekend activities for middle and high school age children, costs SOAR $27,000 to operate and generates no revenue because its a free program.
Both men agree that the program won’t work if there’s a charge for it.
“To me the only benefit to the community is if high school-age kids are using (the Teen Center) on a regular basis,” Ehrenstrom said.
Coffield said 20 to 25 high schoolers come there for lunch from school and “every time we do a Friday evening thing (participation) varies between 50 and 150” high schoolers.
Coffield acknowledges that the bulk of after-school participation is from middle schoolers. But, in his view, it’s just as important to offer that age group something to do after school and in the evening as it is for older peers.
He notes that studies indicate that teens start drinking as early as 13 and young teens are as apt to commit vandalism or mischief as older, more mobile youths.
Rather than cutting back, Coffield thinks the free Teen Center programs should be expanded to provide opportunities for kids in the afterschool hours and on weekends when boredom — and trouble — beckon.
He believes SOAR’s programs provide a community-wide benefit and deserve the broad support of an increased tax base.
“The whole community is healthier if we are taking care of the children in the community,” Coffield said. “Whether you are benefiting directly from the programs or not, you are benefiting from the programs.”
Ehrenstrom sticks to his guns. While he believes in SOAR and thinks the program is well-run and fiscally responsible, he believes it should be self-sustaining and its support should be voluntary.
“The people who believe that SOAR is a benefit to the community should support it,” he said. “And a lot do already.”
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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