Let's Talk Money - Becky Wood Hardesty

Dear Senator Walker,
[sent to all State Senators:]

I too am writing to express my shock and dismay at your dilution of SB30. Frankly, your constituents expect more fortitude and strength from their elected representatives. It is no secret of course that the amended version of SB30 under cuts the entire essence of the amendment and really does no good. Excuse my boldness and frankness but it is very much like cutting off someone's two legs and one arm and parading the last arm left as some great compromise of which one can be proud. This is no accomplishment whatsoever. Going from high density resort to very slightly less high density resort is laughable at best. While I am a huge supporter and proponent of conservation easements and have spoken on the subject at seminars and classes and have even granted a few of my own, they frankly are inconsequential in this case when we are talking about such a pristine wilderness area.

Now, Senator Walker, since a sincere motivation to protect the priceless value of nature seems to be lacking in this amended version of SB30 why let's talk about what you do seem concerned about and that is money $$$$$. Yes, let's talk money. Obviously the only reason to put a resort in this area is money. No one is pretending to promote any other value of course. Commissioners want money. Developers want money. I'm not sure why you support their quest for money but apparently you have some reason to promote this. So let's take a hard look at money. Do you know how much MONEY it costs to fight forest fires, wildfires, in that area? Have you considered the dramatically increased risk of forest fire that would accompany the construction and use of 3,500 (or 2,500) homes? Have you personally researched this as a responsible Senator who cares about taxpayer dollars? From my initial research, one source indicated that that the B and B fire in 2003 which blasted that whole area cost a staggering multi multi million dollar figure to control. The same source indicated an even more staggering cost to fight the 500,000 acre Biscuit Fire in Southern Oregon - well over 3 times the cost of the B and B fire. Please note I am refraining from citing specific numbers because I want to provide solid facts and intend to do so in the near future but have only skimmed the surface on my research. And, frankly it is your job not mine to undertake an economic analysis of the very certain risk of fire occurring in the area and its impact on taxpayer dollars and government spending to control such fires. I urge you to do this immediately.

And, by the way, have you researched where the money to fight the B and B fire came from? Where do those funds come from? I as a taxpayer do not want to subsidize commissioners and developers profits. Who pays for the cost of controlling these wildfires? Not the developers. Not the commissioners. The taxpayers do! Of course, it's an easy out isn't it for these developers and commissioners to not have to concern themselves with the high cost of fighting wildfires which their development very well could ignite. These profit driven parties walk away from economic devastation without bearing the cost of wildfires. Your taxpayer constituents end up shouldering the bill of wildfire destruction thereby subsidizing private development enterprises.

So let's talk tax dollars. Is it your position that if the tax dollars that are used to fight wildfires don't come from Oregon's state budget then you don't care? Well, guess what, your taxpayer constituents care because WE pay federal AND state taxes.

In sum, I shouldn't have to restate the obvious reason for protecting this scenic area - nature is priceless. It really is. And anyone who is compromising this pristine nature for the sake of money should frankly be ashamed. It is flat out shameful. Try explaining it to your grandchildren some day and see how much respect they have for your decision if you allow a resort to be built in this area.

That being said, if you are only willing to look at money as the one and only value which should be driving this thing, then look at money. Look at the hard core facts.

Rebecca Biddle Wood Hardesty