This was my comment to an editorial asking why we’re paying for the airline terminal for Bandon Dunes Lear Jet “guests” doubt if it ever sees the light of day.

Shortly after moving here five years ago, I personally phoned Gary LeTellier and asked him why this airport was asking the taxpayers to pay for such expansion when there was only one airline, flying to one town, Portland. There is never, ever more than 40 or 50 people in that terminal at any one time. He told me “not one cent of tax money will be used, we have the entire project already paid for with grants and donations”. Now I find that, indeed, they are using the publics’ money. I feel I was duped, and even worse, I can’t help but feel the working, tax paying public is being duped over and over again by the same group of people I see and hear at almost every public meeting on public tv. The pipeline, the airport, the LNG, and now the rail line. The fact the NW Natural company was just relieved of their obligation to the county tax coffers disturbs me greatly.How many of you caught that one? I urge the taxpayers of this county to please start paying attention to what’s going on. What good does it do us, who pay for it, to bring “business” in and then relieve them from paying taxes, and in some cases, their mortgages, and most of us never use the services? No one stepped forward to do so for me! I think we’re being snookered here.Oh, and as for Bandon Dunes? I urge you all to read Free Lunch, by David Cay Johnston, it’s new, and has two chapters on Bandon Dunes and the airport. I think you would be interested in how it’s really being run, and you can read how many more tax dollars (thats YOUR money folks) Mike Keiser receives verses his entire payroll every year. Please read it. This is a national issue, and it’s going on all around. I would like to hear of ONE business in North Bend or Coos Bay who do business with the golfers who fly in then get into their Chauffered Limosines and go directly to Bandon. Do they buy bread, milk, a burger, a pair of shoes? No they do not.

But you’re paying for their new terminal…. they expect nothing less !

themguys