2A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2015 Seaside businesses object to proposed sales tax By NANCY MCCARTHY The Daily Astorian 6($6,'( ² /RFDO EXVLQHVV operators said during a meeting 7KXUVGD\ WKH\ PD\ QRW EH DEOH WR keep their doors open if a sales tax is adopted to help fund a $31 million expansion of the Seaside Civic and Convention Center and construction of a parking structure. “I’ve gone door-to-door in the *LOEHUW 'LVWULFW DQG SHUFHQW RI the businesses are against it,” lo- cal graphic artist Kathleen Peterson VDLG³7KH\GRQ¶WZDQWWREHWD[HG´ In addition, Peterson said, the FRQVWUXFWLRQ SURMHFW ZKLFK ZRXOG double the size of the conven- WLRQ FHQWHU DQG DGG D PXOWLVWRU\ VSDFH SDUNLQJ VWUXFWXUH ZRXOG IXUWKHU LPSDFW WKH FRPPXQLW\¶V HFRQRP\ZKLFKLVMXVWQRZUHFRY- ering from a long recession. ³7KH\¶UH KDQJLQJ RQ KRSLQJ WR UHFRYHUDQGWKH\IHHOLWZLOOEHDQ- RWKHUEORZWRWKHP´3HWHUVRQVDLG Peterson’s comments came GXULQJ WKH 6HDVLGH 'RZQWRZQ 'H- velopment Association’s regular 7KXUVGD\ PRUQLQJ EUHDNIDVW PHHW- LQJ 7KH URRP ZDV SDFNHG ZLWK EXVLQHVV RZQHUV ² PDQ\ ZKR GR QRWXVXDOO\DWWHQGWKHZHHNO\EUHDN- IDVWV²ZKRZDQWHGWRKHDUDSUH- VHQWDWLRQ E\ 5XVV 9DQGHQEHUJ WKH convention center’s general manag- er. Although the construction proj- HFW DQG ¿QDQFLQJ SURSRVDO DUH VWLOO in the development stage, the issue LVH[SHFWHGWRFRPHEHIRUHWKH&LW\ &RXQFLOWKLV\HDU,WZLOOQRWEHVXE- ject to a public vote. 7KLV ZDV 9DQGHQEHUJ¶V VHFRQG presentation; he spoke to the Sea- side Chamber of Commerce Jan. 30. Since then, opposition to a proposed sales tax and a bump in lodging tax- es has gained momentum. 9DQGHQEHUJ VDLG WKH FRQYHQWLRQ center faced the loss of groups that had rented the center for confer- HQFHV IRU \HDUV EXW KDG JURZQ WRR ODUJHIRUWKHFHQWHUZKLFKFDQKDQ- GOH RQO\ SHRSOH WR DFFRPPR- date. The groups consisted of school administrators, student councils, ham radio operators, bridge and FKHVVSOD\HUV(YHQWVVXFKDV,URQ &KHI*RHV&RDVWDODOVRZHUH¿QG- ing larger venues and moving out of WKHFHQWHU9DQGHQEHUJVDLG In addition to more break- out and meeting room space, the 40,000-square-foot expansion ZRXOG H[SDQG WKH FHQWHU¶V FXU- rent 4,000-square-foot ballroom to RU VTXDUH IHHW 7KLV ZRXOGHQDEOHWKHFHQWHUWREULQJLQ groups of 500 to 600 more people and to provide dining space for ev- HU\RQH$V LW VWDQGV QRZ GLQLQJ LV OLPLWHG WR SHRSOH 9DQGHQEHUJ said. The expansion’s cost is esti- PDWHGDWPLOOLRQ ([SDQVLRQ ZRXOG RFFXU RQ WKH FHQWHU¶V ZHVW VLGH DQG ZRXOG UH- move at least 40 parking spaces. To make up for that loss, and to provide PRUH QHHGHG SDUNLQJ LQ WKH FLW\ D $6 million parking structure, possi- EO\IRXUVWRULHVKLJKDQGFRQWDLQLQJ 500 spaces, is being considered. 7RSD\IRUWKHPLOOLRQSURM- HFWZKLFKZRXOGUHTXLUHSD\PHQWV RI D PRQWK WKH ODWHVW RI VHYHUDO VWXGLHV FRPPLVVLRQHG E\ 9DQGHQEHUJVXJJHVWVWKUHHRSWLRQV $ MRLQW DJUHHPHQW EHWZHHQ 6HD- side, Cannon Beach and Astoria to UDLVH ORGJLQJ WD[HV E\ SHUFHQW ZLWKWKHSURFHHGVWRJRWRWKHFRQ- vention center; a 6 percent increase LQ ORGJLQJ WD[HV ZKLFK ZRXOG bring Seaside’s total lodging taxes to 15 percent; or a combination of D SHUFHQW ³EXVLQHVV LPSURYH- ment district” tax on restaurants, retail sales, gas and groceries — ³HYHU\WKLQJWKDW¶VVROGLQ6HDVLGH´ 9DQGHQEHUJVLDG²DORQJZLWKD or 3 percent bump in lodging taxes. ³7KHVH ZHUH RSWLRQV SUHVHQWHG WR XV´ 9DQGHQEHUJ WROG WKH EXVL- ness operators. “Nothing has been decided.” 7KH EXVLQHVV RZQHUV KRZHY- HUDVNHG9DQGHQEHUJZKRLVVXJ- JHVWLQJWKHH[SDQVLRQDQGKRZLW ZRXOG EHQHILW 6HDVLGH 9DQGHQ- berg replied that most business operators believe the current center has had a positive impact RQ WKH FLW\¶V HFRQRP\ ,I WKH H[- SDQVLRQ ZHUH WR RFFXU LW ZRXOG LQ \HDUV EULQJ PRUH SHRSOH D \HDU WR WRZQ DQG DGG PLOOLRQPRUHWRWKHHFRQRP\ 9DQGHQEHUJKRZHYHUGLGQRWVD\ OBITUARIES ACCUWEATHER ® FORECAST FOR ASTORIA Astoria 5-Day Forecast Tonight Oregon Weather Shown is tomorrow’s weather. Temperatures are tonight’s lows and tomorrow’s highs Partly cloudy 41° Tuesday Portland 40/59 Corvallis 37/58 Eugene 35/59 Barbara (Albert) Gustafson Pendleton 29/50 Salem 35/60 Albany 34/61 Ontario 26/56 Bend 21/53 Wednesday Burns 23/53 Medford 33/66 Mostly sunny and beautiful Seaside Feb. 8, 1930 — Feb. 7, 2015 The Dalles 32/55 Astoria 41/62 Klamath Falls 23/59 Mostly cloudy with a shower in places Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2015 62° 43° 55° Thursday Friday Variable cloudiness with a brief shower 54° 43° Intervals of clouds and sunshine 41° 55° 38° Almanac Sun and Moon Astoria through Sunday. Temperatures High ........................................... 62° Low ............................................ 36° Normal high ............................... 52° Normal low ................................. 37° Precipitation Yesterday ................................ 0.00" Month to date .......................... 5.41" Normal month to date ............. 3.97" Year to date ........................... 14.60" Normal year to date .............. 14.17" Sunset tonight .................. Sunrise Tuesday .............. Moonrise today ................ Moonset today ................. Regional Cities City Baker City Bend Brookings Eugene Ilwaco Klamath Falls Medford Newport North Bend Today Hi Lo W 50 20 pc 48 21 pc 65 46 pc 58 35 pc 60 42 pc 58 23 pc 65 33 pc 62 44 pc 66 43 pc National Cities Today City Hi Lo W Atlanta 50 31 r Boston 17 7 s Chicago 17 6 pc Denver 35 17 sn Des Moines 31 11 pc Detroit 11 1 pc El Paso 69 43 pc Fairbanks 29 15 c Honolulu 82 69 pc Indianapolis 19 7 sn Kansas City 29 18 c Las Vegas 75 46 s Los Angeles 73 56 s Memphis 33 18 i Miami 75 66 s Nashville 32 12 sn New Orleans 75 38 t New York 19 15 s Oklahoma City 38 22 c Philadelphia 21 16 pc St. Louis 28 12 sn Salt Lake City 49 26 pc San Francisco 69 50 s Seattle 57 39 pc Washington, DC 23 20 sn 5:42 p.m. 7:16 a.m. 5:21 a.m. 3:24 p.m. New First Full Last Feb 18 Feb 25 Mar 5 Mar 13 City Olympia Pendleton Portland Roseburg Salem Seaside Spokane Vancouver Yakima Today Hi Lo W 57 33 pc 48 29 pc 59 40 pc 61 40 pc 62 35 pc 61 41 pc 47 29 pc 58 37 pc 55 28 pc Tues. Hi Lo W 58 35 pc 50 28 pc 59 38 pc 66 44 s 60 39 pc 62 43 s 46 29 s 59 36 pc 55 28 s Disorderly conduct Tonight's Sky: Source: Jim Todd, OMSI Tomorrow’s Tides Astoria / Port Docks Time High 12:09 a.m. 8.0 ft. 11:37 a.m. 9.7 ft. Time 5:44 a.m. 6:33 p.m. Low 2.4 ft. -0.8 ft. Tomorrow’s National Weather Tues. Hi Lo W 44 26 c 22 13 sn 17 1 c 39 18 pc 20 0 pc 21 7 sf 61 37 s 29 3 pc 83 69 s 25 6 c 27 5 c 68 46 s 72 55 s 35 19 c 82 66 pc 32 15 c 51 35 c 25 14 sn 51 26 c 30 14 sn 27 6 c 51 32 pc 63 49 s 58 40 s 34 17 sn %DUEDUDORYHGSHRSOH:KHWKHUVKHVKDUHG $UWKXU 5HLQKROG *XVWDIVRQ RQ 0DUFK D FXS RI FRIIHH ZLWK WKHP DW +ROODGD\ 'UXJ 6KHHQMR\HGEHLQJDKRPHPDNHUDQGPRWKHU/DW- 6WRUHWDXJKWWKHLUDQG\HDUROG HUVKHHQMR\HGEHLQJDJUDQGPRWKHUDQG children and grandchildren in Sun- VSHQGLQJWLPHZLWKKHUJUDQGNLGV GD\6FKRRODW6HDVLGH%DSWLVW&KXUFK 6KHZDVSUHFHGHGLQGHDWKE\ERWK QRZ NQRZQ DV 1RUWK &RDVW )DPLO\ her parents, her husband Art, her brother )HOORZVKLS RU VKDUHG WKHLU ORYH RI 5REHUW$OEHUWKHULQIDQWVRQ*DU\*XV- the Portland Trail Blazers, she en- WDIVRQKHUGDXJKWHU*HRUJLD*DH6KHH- MR\HG KHDULQJ DERXW WKHLU OLYHV DQG KDQDQGKHUJUDQGVRQ0LFKDHO6SLYH\ SUD\LQJIRUWKHP %DUEDUDLVVXUYLYHGE\KHUGDXJKWHU %DUEDUD ZDV D PHPEHU RI 1RUWK Pam Johnson of Astoria; her sons David &RDVW)DPLO\)HOORZVKLSIRU\HDUV DQGGDXJKWHULQODZ/LQGD*XVWDIVRQRI 6HDVLGHDQG5REHUW*LOOHWWHRI:DUUHQ- DQG HQMR\HG JRLQJ WR FKXUFK HYHU\ Barbara ton; grandchildren Renee Case, Bran- 6XQGD\6KHZDVEOHVVHGWRKDYHPDQ\ Gustafson GRQ*LOOHWWH(OL]DEHWKDQG&RUH\-RKQ- IULHQGVIURPWKHFKXUFKZKRZRXOGSLFN VRQ 6KLORDK 1DWKDQ +RSNLQV DQG KHUXSDQGWDNHKHUHYHU\6XQGD\DQG -RVKXD*XVWDIVRQDQGJUHDWJUDQGFKLOGUHQ.LHUD DOVRWDNHKHUWRZKHUHYHUVKHQHHGHGWRJR Born on Feb. 8, 1930, in Medford, Ore., to Er- &LDQR7LIIDQ\6SLYH\DQGDJUHDWJUDQGGDXJKWHU QHVW/HUR\$OEHUWDQG(GQD9LROHW-DFNV$OEHUW due in April. $&HOHEUDWLRQRI/LIHVHUYLFHZLOOEH7KXUVGD\ VKHEHJDQKHUOLIH¶VMRXUQH\LQ%XWWH)DOOV2UH ZKHUHKHUIDWKHUZDVDORJJHUDQGDFDUSHQWHUODW- )HEDWSPDW1RUWK&RDVW)DPLO\)HO- HUPRYLQJWR6HDVLGH2UHZKHUHVKHJUDGXDWHG ORZVKLSFKXUFKORFDWHGDW1:DKDQQD5RDG IURP6HDVLGH+LJK6FKRROLQ6KHPDUULHG in Seaside, Ore. On the record Under the Sky Tues. Hi Lo W 52 21 s 53 25 pc 61 45 s 59 43 pc 60 45 s 59 27 s 66 36 s 61 45 s 62 46 s KRZWKHHVWLPDWHVZHUHGHULYHG But those attending asked about KRZ WKH DGGLWLRQDO FDUV ZRXOG DI- IHFWWUDIILFIORZZKHWKHUWKHUHZHUH HQRXJK KRWHO URRPV DQG ZKHWKHU WKHSRSXODULW\RIFRQYHQWLRQVRYHU- DOOZDVGHFUHDVLQJ,I6HDVLGHKDGD population of 300,000, the impact FRXOGEHVSUHDGRXWWKH\VDLGEXW Seaside is too small to absorb it. *UHJJ%RDWRZQHURI'HO6ROLQ GRZQWRZQ 6HDVLGH VDLG KH ZRXOG have to eliminate at least one job, just to cover the proposed sales tax. 9DO3HUU\RI7UHQGZHVW5HVRUWV ZRUULHG WKDW WKH SURMHFW DQG WKH SURSRVHGILQDQFLDOVFKHPHGZRXOG ³GUDVWLFDOO\ FKDQJH´ WKH FKDUDFWHU RIWKHFRPPXQLW\ZKHUHEXVLQHVV- HV DQG UHVLGHQWV ZKR ZRXOG DOVR EH VXEMHFW WR WKH VDOHV WD[ ZRXOG KDYH WR ³SD\ IRU WKH ULJKW WR OLYH DQGZRUNLQWKLVWRZQ´ ³:K\ ZRXOG SHRSOH FRPH WR 6HDVLGH ZKHQ WKH\ KDYH WR SD\ 6 percent more for lodging and PRUH IRU VDOHV WD["´ 3HUU\ DVNHG ³