What have you done "its for the children"?

[Fun CH]

Another way to rephrase the question is to ask, What will you be doing for the children when you impose a forever property tax that they will have to pay, if they can even afford property, on them.
They don't have a good arguement regarding an MPD. Some people don't have the time to physically volunteer to help children but can donate to organizations like Classroom in Bloom, Room One, etc. And as you say build housing for their parents. But again, no need to justify anything to this type of person. They called you "sick". Then I am too!

The Methow Valley ethic has always been give what you can, but don't take from others.

People give in different ways and not any one why of giving is better than any other. Giving is part of the spirit we all possess.

Taking at the expense of others is something to be avoided.

To extend that ladies argument further. Could you image her telling a group of pediatricians that they are not helping children because the work they do is for them and not volunteer work?

She probably thinks that a checker at Hanks is not helping children, but they certainly are. Every job that benefits this community benefits the children of this community. And that's all of us.

[PAL]

Another way to rephrase the question is to ask, What will you be doing for the children when you impose a forever property tax that they will have to pay, if they can even afford property, on them.
They don't have a good arguement regarding an MPD. Some people don't have the time to physically volunteer to help children but can donate to organizations like Classroom in Bloom, Room One, etc. And as you say build housing for their parents. But again, no need to justify anything to this type of person. They called you "sick". Then I am too!

[Fun CH]

I wondered how it went today. The children, they use the children. This is passive aggressive behavior in my book. The question is really irrelivant. But you can't argue or try to tell someone like this what you did or have done. And why should you have to? Ask her, miss mighty smug sounding what she has done. Well, ya can't now, because you may or may not see her again. If others ask these kinds of questions, throw it back at them with a question.

The social Elite structure in the Methow Valley likes to say "its for the children" to hide the fact that its really about themselves, their wants and desires. It also allows them to blind themselves to the fact that regressive taxes do harm to fixed and low income families and young couples trying to establish a foot hold in a community with high housing prices.*

Projects like the Big MAC gives them status within their own social hierarchy. When I saw that lady was done with her conversation, as she walked by I said " ma'am, ma'am". All I got was an intentional "you do not exist" straight ahead stare. She was there just to tell me that we non supporters of their luxury project for the children are "sick".

You are right Pearl, why should I have to prove that I'm worthy. To her and the guy that sent me a recent PM, I never will be. To them I'm just a sickness that the sooner they can tax us out of the Valley, the better. They need their servants to comply.**

Having talked with Justin Porter I know his heart is in the right place. I fear he's being used as a tool. I'm not talking about him.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.thegua ... super-rich

"The common assumption that philanthropy automatically results in a redistribution of money is wrong. A lot of elite philanthropy is about elite causes. Rather than making the world a better place, it largely reinforces the world as it is. Philanthropy very often favours the rich – and no one holds philanthropists to account for it."

*low income people pay 15.7% of their income to regressive taxes based on a Washington State gov study. Where as the highest income earners pay just 4.4% of their income to regressive taxes.

**"Sorry for drip, but drip is what I do". Reading Dr. Sherman's book 'Divided Paradise' has me fired up.

[PAL]

I wondered how it went today. The children, they use the children. This is passive aggressive behavior in my book. The question is really irrelivant. But you can't argue or try to tell someone like this what you did or have done. And why should you have to? Ask her, miss mighty smug sounding what she has done. Well, ya can't now, because you may or may not see her again. If others ask these kinds of questions, throw it back at them with a question.

[pasayten]

https://friendsofeagleschool.com

Proposition 1 would increase my taxes... I would rather spend my money educating and feeding kids in Haiti...

[Fun CH]

Today at the Farmers Market while carrying a no to prop 1 sign, I spoke with a lady who asked what I've done for the children of this valley?. She repeated the FOP scare tactic line that if you don't vote to raise your taxes, forever, the children will have no place to swim. "What about the Wagner Pool?" I said. If all the people that support the failed Big Mac plan donated the money that they would have had to paid in MPD taxes, the Wagner pool can stay operational just on that money alone.

She really wanted to know what I've done for the children? Well I built homes in the Methow so families would have a place to live. "That was for you" she said," what volunteer work have you done?"

Well I free guided in the mountains for many years. Perhaps keeping mothers and fathers from dying in an Avalanche would count? Nope.

How about volunteering to keep the FOP forever tax plan from hurting low income families. Nope.

She said she heard I was attacking the good people trying to set up the Big MAC, but she doesn't read online forums. So again, I'm confronted by an angry lady who bases her anger on what people have told her. Hearsay just doesn't cut it. She broke off our conversation when another person walked by that she wanted to talk to.

I didn't get the chance to tell her that I have also rented a few of my homes to new families trying to establish a foothold in the Methow at below market rates. That I had saved one family with three children $10,800 over three years with that ethic.

I didn't get the chance to tell her that I worked with at-risk children when I got out of school. I understand what poverty does to families. I still remember one child in my care who had been chained to his porch by his parents and found relief by sniffing gasoline. Really breaks your heart kind of poverty.

Plus , we all pay taxes to support children's learning, health care and low income relief. Most of us also support a pool for the children, just not a one supported by forever taxes. Forever taxes that may not allow some families with children to live here or are forced out of this Valley due to higher costs of living. Taxing people living at or below the poverty line just doesn't cut it with me. I'm just to Liberal I guess and like I said I've experienced firsthand what poverty does to families.

So is the Big MAC really for the children? Do we want to teach children entitled Behavior that seems so common with the pool supporters that I've spoken with, some even resorting to public and personal message attacks.

Or do we want to teach children that hard work allows you give what you can and not take from those who can't afford what you're taking just to satisfy your luxury pleasures?

That lady today told me I was "sick" at the same time she was accusing me of attacking others. Kind of ironic.

When I told that story to Ray Peterson who is spearheading a different approach to funding a pool, he told me that he supports the education of 269 children in Haiti. Way to go Ray. Now that's really "for the children."

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