Something Very Wrong With This Picture: Juniper Ridge plan doesn’t pass smell test

Posted inOpinion

Something Very Wrong With This Picture: Juniper Ridge plan doesn’t pass smell test

Intern

While our fine City continues to paste yellow "smiley faces" over a myriad of problems at Juniper Ridge, The Bulletin provides front page coverage for a miniscule 10 employee (no new job) candidate for property there. Taxpayers should start asking penetrating questions regarding how much this will cost after the shellacking we took from Les Schwab along with the following:

1. State of the Union at JR

Preface: Last December Jim Clinton said, and I quote, that "as time goes on, all of these forces have come to bear which will likely lead to a dumbed-down mediocre project. I keep wondering if the mess we're in now was foreseeable, and I guess for me it wasn't." Moreover, developers across CO are scrambling for sidelines, mothballing projects, reneging on deals, and filing for bankruptcy in this ugly market.

Question: Given the sincerity of Jim's assessment, the myriad of problems that JR has encountered, and a bleak economic outlook, why are we pouring millions into this black hole?

Posted inOpinion

The Council’s Builder Bailout

The Source Staff

Privatize the profits and socialize the costs - it's The American Way. We saw it in action on a large scale earlier this summer with the federal bailout of Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And last week we saw it on a smaller scale in Bend, when the city council voted to bail out our beleaguered local builders.

The council unanimously okayed a proposal to give anybody who builds in Bend a nine-month deferral on having to pay SDCs - Systems Development Charges, meant to help pay for upgrades to roads, sewer systems and other stuff made necessary by growth. The only security the city will have is a lien on the property.

The bailout was pushed by the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA), backed by the Central Oregon Realtors Association (CORA). Their reasoning (using the term loosely) is that deferring SDCs will help the local building industry get through a rocky patch caused by the popping of the real estate bubble. SDCs typically run about $14,000 per house. Because builders won't have to pay them up front, the argument goes, they won't need to borrow as much and it will be easier for them to get loans and build. And then - presto! - the good times will roll again.

Posted inOpinion

Tough On Taxes: County plays hardball with gallery, Edwards’ love child, more

Intern

It's been a rough year locally for non-profits. The Redmond Humane Society is on the verge of financial collapse, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Oregon are closing several locations because of a cash shortage and the Cascade Festival of Music packed it in, owing to a lack of sponsors.

As if the tough economic times, which have sent donors and sponsors heading for the sidelines, weren't enough, the taxman is getting in on the act. Not the IRS mind you. No, it's the county tax collectors who are putting the pinch on one local non-profit, Arts Central, the regional arts council, that provides art opportunities for kids as well as support for public art displays, like Bend's roundabouts.

Executive Director Cate O'Hagan said that Arts Central recently got word from the Deschutes County Assessor's Office that it is revoking the organization's tax-exempt status for the Mirror Pond gallery in downtown. The gallery, which sits adjacent to Drake Park in the historic Rademacher house, is an exhibition outlet for local artists and one of the few sources of non-donor/grant revenue for the local arts group.

Posted inOpinion

Love Thy Biker

Intern

So far in my experience, I have concluded that the Universe runs on Love. Who knows how many people would say that they have had that same experience? However, I feel that many people would say that the thought of the Universe running on Love makes them feel good.

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