Tim Semones

Going to try this out.  I have a few things related to local Ketchum politics and the election to say, but this might be a fun place to do some of my random musing as well.  

Posthaven.com is the blogging service I'm going to use.   Used Posterous.com on another project, but the company was acquired by Twitter and closed down the blog site.   Two of the founders are resurrecting the service with a new $5/month model and I think they are going to find they are on to something for folks who don't want to be finding new homes for these things every year or two.  

A NO vote against the currently proposed Ketchum LOT tax increase is not a vote against air service to the Sun Valley area.

I don't think anyone is against good air service. I came home to Ketchum late the other night from the Bay Area on the prop plane from Salt Lake and can't wait for a regional jet non-stop.  I'm willing to support it with my spending but not with local residents' tax $s.

• Many citizens are against the LOT tax as currently structured and presented for voter approval on November 5th.   
• The current LOT tax proposal is burdened 70% on local residents.   Any increase in the LOT needs to be solely based on a lodging/bed tax increase and burdened upon visitors.
• The real estate and business communities need to step up and put more in to MRGs (minimum revenue guarantees) and marketing. 
• Make the City of Ketchum and City of Sun Valley accountable for their failures to work together on their current LOT-funded project the Sun Valley Marketing Alliance (SVMA).  Leaders and both councils are arguing like a couple of toddlers about their fire truck.  Vote out the incumbents and let's get someone in office who can get things done in a collaborative and accountable fashion.

We all want great air service but we need to be responsible in holding the city governments and business to task in the way it gets managed and paid for.

I'm going to try to get a little air on this issue in the weeks to come.