I read with interest your story on prospects for the construction industry in the valley. Basically there are none, and yet Hailey has come up with a way to help Johnny Bolton and his laid-off workers lose their houses even faster.
Yes, in these times of massive economic disruption, you, too, can help every laid-off or underemployed Hailey homeowner and senior citizen on fixed income lose their house faster by voting for the playground bond for the rodeo. This is the wrong time. Haven't Hailey city government and other proponents noticed the growing foreclosure notices in the paper and the lack of jobs or heard about our old folks currently choosing between paying for medicine or food or paying their increasing property taxes on their fixed incomes? People are hurting.
A "yes" vote pounds another nail in their coffins, Hailey. A bond for a playground in the face of these increasingly hard economic times? No! Not when homeowners are hurting so bad and you may be the next one to lose your job. I want it now, now, now is what put us in this economic mess. Enough already. Learn from the past. Proponents should fundraise for a few years and when the money is raised, then build it.
Proponents will say jobs will be created, but what they don't say is once it's built, a maintenance obligation into perpetuity will also be created for every Hailey homeowner whether they use the facility or not, and which will grow greater as the facility ages. Will revenue from ice skating or a once-a-year rodeo pay for it? Let's see the business plan before voting for a bond that will create a maintenance obligation to Hailey property owners for 50 years.
Vote "no" on the rodeo playground bond.
Mark Cook
Hailey
