The Sky Is Falling!

The following was posted on the Ruston Truth blog over the weekend by Jim Wingard. It's a bit stronger than we usually have on this page, but its too good not to share. Our political leaders need a little ribbing now and then...

Now playing in Ruston, WA featuring Dan Albertson as Chicken Little, co-starring Michael Transue as Henny Penny and in a supporting role Huitt-Zollars as Foxy Loxy. And on stage in person, the Town council performing "THE RUSTON TWO STEP". An epic not soon to be forgotten featuring a cast of about ten insignificant doomsayers. Most notable prop: a barrel of red herrings available to be thrown at whim in front of any impending progress.

Notable red herrings headlined, the notorious MDP, obsolete before it was written, ignored by Tacoma and not valid as it was not signed by all parties to the agreement. Now flummoxed as the first commandment of obstructionism. And a relative newcomer, the LID, now being flim flammed as world ending, the Apocalypse, coming to Ruston.

This engaging theatrical plays out weekly in Ruston Council meetings and study sessions where the entire act consists of one step forward, one step backward, the Ruston Two Step. In solemn proceedings much pontificating goes on around a round table and everyone leaves wondering why they came in the first place. In defense of the anointed ones, lawyers in the 19th century were paid by the written word but this led to de-forestation of entire continents so in our modern world they are paid hourly and great oratorical skills are required to skate and dance around each and every issue: strong case go on the facts, weak case pound on the table. This pompous verbosity is becoming to be understood as a leading cause of global warming.

Lets do something exciting and have a community weenie roast at which we toss the iniquitous MDP into the flames and extinguish the smokescreen, clouding our salvation. The LID, the notorious Hydra, single headedly saving the Town from becoming an historical quote, and at the same dragging it under, using the wrong head, dooming it as an historical quote. This, the current Ruston Town Council would have you believe, is our ultimate fate; to be foregone, forgotten, either way we turn.

So if you live in the tiny enclave of Ruston the sky will soon be falling. Wear an open umbrella when outside at all times or show up at the Town Council meetings and insist they get off the snide. I think we, the public citizens, have a strong case. Ignore the inflammatory doggerel being peddled door to door and let's discuss the LID facts:

An LID, Local Improvement District, only affects adjoining property owners whose property is to be improved.

Unless a person dies intestate no person of sane mind would allow a property to be foreclosed for less than 15 percent of it's value.

These contracts if defaulted, I believe, can be sold, to willing investors making them viable and contributing.

Let's summarize. At the last council meeting Point Ruston was critical to the Town's survival. Whoa, the Council's solution is to torpedo the LID project and make Point Ruston in Ruston disappear. The logic here is way beyond my mental capacity.

The town needs the revenue from Point Ruston to survive, a hotel and retail complex, property and B&O taxes both. Available in 2016 ending a two year budget shortfall. Council's solution delay another year or two and maybe it will go away completely and, oh by the way, Ruston disappears too. Incredible thought processes beyond most of us.

And finally, the reality of an LID default is so remote Armageddon will likely precede it. Or, the 500 year flood, which the present Mayor and Huitt-Zollars provided for in another subdivision, will appear and wipe out the whole town.

Someone forgive them they know not what they do.