Letters To The Editor

Sat., Aug. 5, 2000

Let’s try to work out agreement on beach

We seem hopelessly beached on Sanders.

The people of Coeur d’Alene and the lakeshore property owners are locked in a battle that no one really wants to fight. There can be peace and a working relationship. For the long term future of this most important heritage, we must try again.

My approach would be to first appoint several well-respected citizens outside city government to meet with all parties involved in the dispute. They must be prepared to make a long-term commitment as an acceptable solution could be years away. The Sanders property owners must feel comfortable that their grievances are heard and addressed.

We have much to offer the Sanders property owners in return for a reasonable use of the beachfront. We can give them a safe beach, free of debris and litter and ensure that sanitary standards are enforced. We can limit the public use of the beach for their own quiet and solace near their homes. It also could be possible to find an avenue for a “public scenic easement” tax relief for their contribution to this public beach use.

I would propose that we work toward a one- or two-year lease agreement, with the city of Coeur d’Alene providing services important to the property owners, closely monitored by the citizens group with changes made as the circumstances warrant.

We must begin again to build trust. A reasonable public use of Sanders Beach is much too important to simply slip away. Steve Badraun Coeur d’Alene

Promise by leaders seems to be forgotten

My two points of opposition to the Kootenai County sales tax hike measure were: 1) The jail could and can be efficiently run in its present state. 2) Property taxes still would increase but now we would just have more sales tax to pay for pet political projects.

Now, shortly after approval of the sales tax hike, we are being told property taxes must increase. Let’s remind our leadership that they promised us that property taxes would not have to be raised if the sales tax measure passed. They seemed to have forgotten that! Ted Pulver Post Falls

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