The Oregon legislature will soon pass HB3276 which forgives the Port of Coos Bay an existing $185K tax bill for property along the Coos Bay Rail Line and extends the exemption for at least ten years. The bill is co-sponsored by former educator, Senator Arnie Roblan and former school board member, Rep Caddy McKeown. According to the Coos County Assessor’s office, Coos Bay Rail Road Operating Company, LLC, the private rail management arm of the Port of Coos Bay $62,324.76 is owed to taxing districts within Coos County for July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013 including $28,775.44 to the school districts. The Register Guard reports that the annual education tax bill for the rail line in Lane County is $32,500. The bill is set to sunset in ten years meaning that without including the Reedsport School District for which I don’t have any figures and factoring in a minor expected increase the schools will lose $750K in revenue.
David Koch, CEO of the Port of Coos Bay explains that this is a small price to pay for the rail line which “benefits everyone”. The video is worth transcribing and I may add that later as I will be using this clip along with clips from my discussion with John Sweet this week.
Koch is just another parasite feeding on the remains of a formerly productive county. They won’t stop until they suck every damned penny Salem throws this way. When anyone asks WHY? Tell them.
Roblan, The Education Czar of Coos County? Hah, hand carries any and every bill to cut tax funds from going anyplace else in this county. Schools Arnie? Hah, he laughs at you. How many schools have closed in Coos County under Arnie Roblan’s “leadership”? Half a dozen? Good job Arnie and Caddy, raised at the knee of the Port of Coos Bay, and they refuse to do anything else to move the county forward. Corporate welfare will destroy this nation.
Insanity – but what should I expect from Robelan and Catty who ask how high when the LNG man says jump. When the LNG OK arrives and the little choo choo that could not becomes the choo choo that possibly can, transporting materials to and crap (byproducts of the manufacture of LNG) from North Bend, all within five years, and traveling through Lakeside, Reedsport, Mapleton and Eugene, shouldn’t the choo choo man be paying tax?
The rail line “benefits everyone”, according to Koch? I’m sure it benefits GP and Roseburg Timber and American Bridge and the folks who run the little choo-choo. But how does it benefit the truckers who hauled GP’s and Roseburg’s products for over five years, and are now out of a job? How does it benefit people who would like to re-develop the Coos Bay waterfront? They are blocked by the Port’s railroad. How does it benefit businesses who depend on tourists, when that rundown, derelict Coos Bay waterfront encourages tourists to hurry on to the next town?