DSBA volunteers working hard to benefit downtown

I am responding to the Bee's View, written by Bill Litsinger on Thursday, July 14, regarding the Downtown Sandpoint Business Association.

I have lived in several cities with similar civic organizations with BID assessment power, and, in general, they have worked very well. Therefore, I believe that the statement by Mr. Litsinger and his "anonymous city official" that the only reason we have the DSBA handling the BID funds is because it was instituted by a liberal elected body is biased, uninformed and incorrect. Additionally, to quote the mayor as likening the current board's ethics and efficiency to those of Ken Lay of Enron was small-minded as name-calling and innuendoes always are.

I pay my BID assessments under protest because of the waste of taxpayer money by past boards and their directors, because of inequitable assessments and their failure to improve the city for all citizens, such as repairing sidewalks, providing handicapped parking and downtown access. You choose to quote people who have never been to a meeting and never given input into the budget and have no idea what is going on behind the scenes.

I have been attending a number of their weekly committee meetings since November 2004 (always as a protester), and have found them to be hard-working, ethical and efficient. These volunteers labor under the disadvantage of the bad reputation of previous directors and boards; yet they are the only group working to improve parking and traffic in Sandpoint, utilizing some of the points in a very professional and expert Tom Hudson Report (which Mr. Litsinger also discounts).

I have not missed a traffic and parking committee meeting in several months, and I can assure you that they have worked extremely hard, with great efficiency, to provide a proposed resolution for the city council and mayor to consider.

As for the accusation that the DSBA's funds are misspent, consider the budget of the city under the current administration.

Bill Litsinger, you are very intelligent and have good powers of observation. You could have talked to someone who really knows what is going on and done better. Shame on you! And shame on the Daily Bee for asking someone who doesn't attend important meetings and observe the hard work being done to write their opinions for them.

MARIAN BRECKENRIDGE

Sandpoint

Editor's note: Mr. Litsinger writes his own opinions and is not paid by the Bee. The Bee welcomes all opinions on subjects of local importance. The views expressed by letter writers or opinion pieces may not be the same ones held by this newspaper. — David Keyes, publisher.