The ad hoc committee for giving our tax dollars to the West End - also known as the self proclaimed Cook County Economic Analysis Council - has thrown out a lot of statistics to bolster their argument for taking money from the hospital and giving it to the poverty stricken folks who own Lutsen area resorts. What is lost in this discussion is the fact that their statistics are irrelevant to the argument.
The real question to be considered is, is it appropriate to take the sales tax away from the hospital, where it serves the general best interest of all of Cook County, or should it be given over bolster the economic well being of a few narrow, but loud interests in the resort and tourist business?
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The Cook County Economic Analysis Council (CCEAC) includes Gunflint Trail, Grand Mariais, as well as Lutsen and Tofte folk. CCEAC is a grassroots group and we collectively choose our name. We are:
Bill Hansen, Sawbill Outfitters
Bruce Kerfoot, Gunflint Lodge
Charles Skinner, Lutsen Mountains Ski Area
Jan Sivertson, Sivertson Gallery
Scott Harrison, Lutsen Resort
Teresa Sterns, East Bay Suites
Tim Kennedy, Gunflint Realty and Grand Marais City Council
The quest of CCEAC is to:
Understand Cook County's Economy: Primary and Support
Build on strengths and core values of community
Utilize EXISTING community resources and infrastructure (AUTHENTIC)
Improve economy and quality of life of residents
CCEAC is supporting the Hospital in legislation that will ensure their long term financial health. The existing 1% sales tax can not stay with the hospital as it is only authorized for the building of the building.
CCEAC is not advocating for its use of the 1% sales tax, but supports the County in seeking authorization to reuse that tax for community infrastructure that benefits residents and guests. (E.G. recreation and swimming pool improvements, library improvements, transporation improvements). Such reauthorizaton will be subject to referendum.
CCEAC is advocating for an investment in the stabilization of the Cook County economy because too many people here struggle to make ends meet due in large part to the seasonality of the economy.
CCEAC has met with over 100 Cook County residents to date. We are happy to meet with any group or individual who would like to meet with us to discuss issues about our economy, or to provide copies of our research and plan.
Thank you for commenting on behalf of CCEAC. We at True had an opportunity to read and discuss the paper you put out outlining your plan for the county and the application of the sales tax revenue.
A few of points stood out
The sales tax has served all the people of Cook County for years by supporting the hospital. Why if, as you contend the hospital cannot continue benefiting from it, should it not sunset? Why should it continue to the benefit of private interests? Why should we and the county’s guests’ tax dollars go into your pockets?
If the tax were to continue and be devoted to the projects your initial paper recommended, why should it be managed by a narrowly configured board comprised, not of representatives of the citizens of Cook County, but of the few, privileged beneficiaries?
We take it by your contention that CCEAC is supporting the hospital thorough legislation that you are already lobbying the legislature to advance your scheme. How is it that you have the chutzpah to do that without first bringing this idea before the voters of Cook County in the form of a referendum? Why lobby first and then belatedly say you are proposing a referendum?
How is it that you can say on the one hand you are not advocating to use the sales tax, and yet in the very same paragraph you say you want to reuse it for infrastructure, and in your representations that infrastructure support is all related to your own narrow tourism interests and investments? How is that not outright duplicitous and self serving?
How does investment in tourism infrastructure that is controlled by your group, with its notoriously low wages and imported labor in any way help to stabilize the local economy? How is it not simply giving tax dollars to your group? And how is your group and your interests more deserving than other groups, or more deserving of the general welfare of the county as a whole in the the form of supporting schools, hospitals, roads, etc.?
How is it that you can say your scheme will in any way address the fact that "too many people here struggle to make ends meet" when it is a fact you do your best to keep wages down by importing foreign workers for the seasonal employment you seem to decry but in fact thrive on?
And, finally, for this exchange at least, what legislators have you met with and what have you told them about support within Cook County for your scheme? And why would you go there first, rather than come to the people of Cook County first?
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