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Discussion: Fractured Relationship/Fragile Trust of City/County GovernmentReported This is a featured thread

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Posted Anonymously
Fractured Relationship/Fragile Trust of City/County Government
Oct 1 2007, 3:34 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 1 2007, 3:34 AM EDT
The relationship that a People has with it's Governance is based upon Trust. When then Trust is bent (or broken) then the Citizenry has little willpower to follow the leading of Government. My general opinion of our City Council & WW Port Authority is that they are not thinking about the here and now of it's citizens. Government is conscribed to do that which the people cannot do for themselves. Individuals can't put in roads, or build schools, or keep the water supply clean. That's Government's job. But our City Council is worried about all kinds of issues unrelated to the basics of government. Here's a list (in no particular order):

1. We're arguing about raising taxes $0.10 per $1000 assessed value. Nobody seems to notice that MY TAXES DOUBLED in one year. Why is there no build in limit of 10% per year maximum. Are they trying to bankrupt local families? What are their intentions for the nearly DOUBLE revenue they expect to collect?

2. I heard a Walla Walla official say (paraphrase) that for each Winery there are roughly 100 jobs created (transportation, hotels, restaurants). With over 100 wineries in the area, do you really think that there are 10,000 jobs related to the wine industry? Yet we persist in trying to turn Walla Walla into the Bend of Washington state.

3. The Water Politics are dirty. Triple Creek (and others) do massive earth moving with impunity - local homeowners can't even cut the weeds near their creeks (You got money? You get water.)

4. We were sold Bike Trails with the Myra Bypass. We supported the plan... now they take away our bike trails. Huh?

5. Every study of Social Scientists shows that schools over 1,400 students have more drugs, crime, teen pregnancy. We NEED a 2nd High School. WA-HI is BAD for our kids. Spend the $32M on a SECOND SCHOOL.

6. City Permits are too danged expensive. 23  out of 23 found this valuable. Do you?    
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Posted Anonymously
1. RE: Fractured Relationship/Fragile Trust of City/County Government
Oct 1 2007, 6:44 PM EDT | Post edited: Oct 1 2007, 6:44 PM EDT
i don't like the favoritism. 14  out of 15 found this valuable. Do you?    

Posted Anonymously
2. RE: Fractured Relationship/Fragile Trust of City/County Government
Oct 11 2007, 3:51 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 11 2007, 3:51 AM EDT
I agree about #5. It's more cost effective to have one megaschool, but it's not good for our kids. So what we lose the AAAA Football rating, we'll make two AAA Football schools. For heaven's sake, it's our kids were talking about!!! College Place has 400 students at WA-HI, and they pay about $1,000 each (about $400,000 per year). That's a bargain!!! Try building and running a high school for only $400,000 a year, it's way under priced. Instead, we need to build a second high school in College place, and then send 600 kids from WA-HI plus the 400 from College place, and make WAHI 1,200 students and College Place 1,000. Then Walla Walla could send College Place $600,000 a year to educate those kids. It's not right what we're doing to them!!! I want a school where my kids have the opportunity to participate and be part of something that can make them into better people and citizens. With 2,000+ students, how many get to act in school plays? Or play on the varsity sports team? Or get to be known on a first-name basis by the Principal? NO MORE McHIGHSCHOOLS! There should be a law that no school be bigger than 1,500 ever! Why do you think the quality drops off from Grade School to Middle School to High School. Each gets bigger and bigger and more and more impersonal. I expect no teacher to learn more than 1,000 student names, and at WA-HI, you wouldn't come close to learning even half the student names. Am I the only rat in this maze who sees how unhealthy this is for our kids? 5  out of 5 found this valuable. Do you?    

Posted Anonymously
3. RE: Fractured Relationship/Fragile Trust of City/County Government
Oct 11 2007, 11:59 AM EDT | Post edited: Oct 11 2007, 11:59 AM EDT
"5. Every study of Social Scientists shows that schools over 1,400 students have more drugs, crime, teen pregnancy. We NEED a 2nd High School. WA-HI is BAD for our kids. Spend the $32M on a SECOND SCHOOL."
In spite of everything we know and feel about the need for a second high school the school board and the district administration are not willing to act on behalf of our kids and the community. They are in complete denial about the on campus problems the high school is having with drugs, crime, and bullying. I will not be voting for any school funding measures or bonds as long as Rich Carter, Bill Jordan and Linda Boggs are employed by the school district. They have agendas that are designed to serve thier cronies, non of which are students. By retaining them the school board is sending a message that is loud and clear, their alegiance is not twith the kids or our community. They are pigs at the trough and they need to find another place to slop. 4  out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?