[RTC List] Off-topic: Brew at the Zoo is coming soon - your Zooneeds you!

[William Van Hefner]

All,

First of all, I have nothing against the zoo. I also have a three year old
soon-to-be-stepson and a 7 yo daughter, so I am well aware of this area's
lack of activities for small children. I make often use of The Duck Pond
at Sequoia Park, though it was obviously a lot nicer when there were
actually ducks there.

I am not saying that the zoo should receive NO funding of our tax dollars.
What bothers me more than anything at the moment is that not only do I (as
a Eureka taxpayer) have to shoulder nearly the entire burden of paying for
the zoo, but now I am being asked to pay admission, to see a zoo that owes
it's very survival to my city tax dollars. Why should I have to pay as
much as someone from Arcata, when NONE of their tax dollars are supporting
it? It's the double taxation that really bothers me. What's next? Charging
me to walk on the city sidewalk, taking my kids to play in the city's
parks, a toll-road to Woodley Island, going to the beach?

As long as everyone has to pay the same, I would rather just give the zoo
to the city of Arcata, cut my tax bill by 10% and spend the extra $1 each
trip on gas to drive there. It would save me enough money on taxes to take
my kids to the movies a few times each year.

I used to go to the zoo all the time. I haven't been there since they
started charging admission though. For the same amount of money, I can
take my kids to the bounce-o-rama, which they seem to enjoy more, and
ironically GENERATES tax revenue for the city, not the other way around. I
fully support the current fundraising efforts for the zoo. I wish them the
best of luck with the upcoming event.


-- 
William Van Hefner - President
Vantek Communications, Inc.
e-mail: editor at humboldtonline.com
http://www,humboldtonline.com


On Thu, May 14, 2009 5:08 pm, Patrick Moon wrote:
> Wow...where to begin...
> First, if you can ignore all the blatant examples of "human dominion
> over animals" that are in our everyday lives,  then it's a very wise
> decision to not go to this one. Does my comment or yours really add
> anything to the discussion of a local fund raising event?
>
> Second, I think the same goes for grumping over the cost to Eureka.  You
> don't think anyone knows about the zoo, I have the opposite view.  Do you
> think it could be your circle of people are not interested in low cost
> engaging activities for kids?  On that note though, if my circle of people
> come from other cities (and some of them do) could that be bringing
> dollars into Eureka?  You mention that it used to be a much larger portion
> of the cities resources (money) and is now much less. Good bit of
> knowledge there but then you say that it is stupid that you have to pay to
> get into the zoo when "...1/10th of my tax money going to pay for
> something..." how do you not see causality in that?
>
> Personally I can totally see a case being made for Eureka to no longer
> shoulder all of the burden.
>
> Patrick Moon
>
>
> P.S. I guess I am shooting my argument in the foot...but those 2 emails
> increase my desire to go to the event and support the zoo... so there's
> that.
>
>
> M Welch wrote:
>
>> I've been to the Eureka zoo three times in my 37 years in Humboldt
>> County, the last time about 4 years ago (I guess I forget, or I hope
>> things have changed). To me, the animals seem miserable.
>>
>> As much as I love both good, local beer and Kulica, I'd be hard-pressed
>> to support such an ugly display of human dominion over animals.
>>
> William wrote:
>
>