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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2017)
June 16, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 5A OPINION OBITUARIES Airbnb generates meaningful income for local families E very year, thousands of people vacation on the Oregon coast, taking in the scenic beauty and visiting local businesses. Responsible Airbnb hosts help communities accommodate these visitors, while earning extra money to help make ends meet. Recently, two misleading reports, paid for by the hotel industry and cited by local opponents of short-term rentals, attempted to cast these Airbnb hosts and the revenue their guests generate for communities in a negative light. The truth is that the vast majority of hosts on the Oregon coast are middle class residents who occasionally share their own homes to save for retirement, make a mortgage payment, pay down student debt, and make ends meet when unemployment or illness hits. Indeed, far from taking housing off the market, home sharing is helping long-time residents stay in the homes and communities they love. • In Seaside, our 140 active hosts wel- comed 14,000 guests over the past year, with the typical host renting their home for just two nights a month. 64 percent of GUEST COLUMN LAURA SPANJIAN guests are women and 52 percent are over the age of 50, highlighting how home sharing is being used as a way to age in place for many long-time residents. • In Cannon Beach, our 30 active hosts welcomed 6,000 guests over the past year, with the typical host renting their home for fewer than 30 nights a year. • And in Astoria, our 50 active hosts welcomed 6,000 guests over the past year, with 80 percent of hosts renting their home for fewer than 90 nights a year. Contrary to what the hotel industry wants you to think, Airbnb is eager to pay lodging taxes on behalf of our community. That’s why we have reached agreements with over 275 jurisdictions globally, including the State of Ore- gon and 14 cities and counties in the state, that extend existing taxes to short term rentals on our platform. These agreements — which no longer include confidentiality requirements -- have already generated more than $175 million to support core public services, including over $13 million to local and state coffers here in Oregon. Beyond taxes, we have developed best-in-class tools to build trust and safety on our platform, from a $1 million insur- ance policy that protects hosts, guests, and neighbors and background checks on hosts and guests to a 24/7 global cus- tomer support team and a mutual review system that weeds out poorly performing hosts and guests. In addition, we have worked with scores of cities to develop regulations that work for their communities — protecting public safety and permanent housing, while ensuring that residents and local businesses can continue to benefit from the economic opportunities home sharing provides. We’re proud of the community we’ve built in Oregon and honored to be part of the long tradition of home sharing on the coast. — Laura Spanjian is the Airbnb Pub- lic Policy Director for the Northwest. LETTERS Ignoring South County In February 2016, the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners dissolved the southwest coastal region’s long-standing Citizens Ad- visory Committee. This was done without notice to affect- ed citizens, or an opportuni- ty to be heard. That decision was appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals which found errors in the county’s process. In September 2016, after hundreds of area residents and property owners voiced their support for the continu- ing the committee in some form, the Board of Commis- sioners again voted for dis- solution. Again the decision was appealed, and again er- rors were found in the coun- ty’s process. Now for a third time, the board has refused to meet and negotiate with its southwest coastal citizens, and again has dissolved the commit- tee (“County dissolves Arch Cape design panel,” The Dai- ly Astorian, May 25). So far, the county has spent many thousands of dollars defend- ing appeals — which they lost — from county residents who simply want to be heard. This is neither prudent fiscal management, nor good gov- ernance. The board could easily start negotiations with south- west coastal citizens about the role of the committee, and listen to residents’ con- cerns about having a means of participating in decisions affecting their region. But the county continues to refuse all overtures. Southwest coastal resi- dents want to know what is happening in their region, and they want their government in Astoria to hear what they have to say. Why is the county ig- noring their pleas? Richard and Catherine Donofrio Arch Cape Republicans need a rebel What the Republicans need today is a rebel Republican like ex-Senator Lowell Weick- er of Connecticut. During the Watergate Hearings Weicker explored President Nixon’s tax records from 1968-72, arguing that Nixon had illegally catego- rized his presidential papers as tax-deductible “gifts” to the Na- tional Archives. If there were an independent Republican in the Senate today, this same kind of investigation might prove that President Trump’s tax returns have not been released because they would reveal their own “il- legality.” When it comes to Trump’s never ending defense of his lies by condemning the free press as “fake news,” he should listen to Senator Weicker who said in 1975, “With minor excep- tions, research shows that every major scandal in public office over the past 20 years was un- covered by the press.” Trump will discover that not much has changed during the intervening years. Rex Amos Cannon Beach Marjorie Bayless Quarles Sandsted Oct. 17, 1932 — May 22, 2017 Marjorie Bayless Quarles Sandsted passed away Mon- day, May 22, at the age of 84 in Seaside, Oregon. She was born Oct. 17, 1932, in Mon- mouth, Oregon, to Walter and Agnes Bayless. Marge graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1950. She married Richard Quarles on May 5, 1951. They lived in Boise, Ida- ho, until 1965, when they bought Sea Breeze Court in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Marge operated the motel in the summers, and the fam- ily lived in Tigard the rest of the year. Marge worked at Tigard High School as a cook. Richard passed away in 1990. Marge married John Sandsted May 10, 1997. In 2004, the family rebuilt the Sea Breeze Court. Marge took great pride in her new motel. She loved and val- ued her loyal guests. Marge loved having company drop in, and she would always have her griddle ready for a batch of pancakes, or had a pot of her famous home- made clam chowder brew- ing on the stove. Marjorie Quarles Sandsted The Cannon Beach Bi- ble Conference Center and Ecola Hall Bible School were very special to Marge. She enjoyed listening to the guest speakers all summer, and she encouraged students to go to the Bible college. Surviving Marge is her husband, John Sandsted; son, Ken Quarles of Can- non Beach; daughters, Jan- ice Filley (Dave) of Albany, Beverly Buschert (Matt) of Tualatin, Oregon, and Nancy Pannel (George) of Henderson, Nevada; and a brother, Robert Bayless of Kansas City, Kansas. She has nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Obituary Policy Obituaries and notices may be submitted online at www.dailyastorian.com/ forms/obits, by email at ewilson@dailyastorian.com, placed via the funeral home or in person at The Daily Astorian office, 949 Exchange St. in Astoria. For more in- formation, cal 503-325-3211, ext. 257. Volunteer for Relay for Life The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is looking for volunteers. This year’s Relay For Life takes place Saturday, July 8, at Astoria High School. Volun- teers are needed to help set up canopies, stage, tables on Friday, July 7. Canopies are needed for donations to the relay. Bands are sought to volun- teer their time playing music as hundreds of people walk and raise money. Organizers are looking for someone to play taps at the closing cer- emony. Help community mem- bers who are fighting this battle. Contact Laura Parvi, event chairwoman at 503- 298-8943; lauraannparvi@ hotmail.com. ‘Walk the Land’ with North Coast Land Conservancy North Coast Land Con- servancy is marking Oregon Walk the Land Day on June 24 with a free guided walk start- ing at Circle Creek Conserva- tion Center at the south end of Seaside. Land trusts all over the state are hosting outings that day to celebrate their work to conserve land throughout Oregon for Oregonians. PUBLIC MEETINGS Tuesday, June 20 Executive Director Katie Voelke and naturalist Mike Patterson will guide partici- pants on a 2-hour walk on foot trails, mown paths, and raised boardwalks beginning at 11 a.m. The walk will provide a glimpse of the forests in the Necanicum River floodplain and lower reaches of Tilla- mook Head in their many stag- es: newly planted, dead and decaying, and everything in between. This roughly 3-mile hike will begin at Circle Creek, one of the conservancy’s larg- est habitat reserves and also one of its most dynamic. From there it will lead up Tillamook Head and into 340-acre Bone- yard Ridge. All are welcome on this outing, but advance powered by Cannon Beach Public Works Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. registration is required. Oregon Walk the Land Day is organized by the Coa- lition of Oregon Land Trusts, of which NCLC is a member. COLT is a statewide associa- tion dedicated to advancing land conservation in Oregon. Get information about related events throughout the state at oregonwalkthelandday.org. Cannon Beach’s Best Selection of Oregon and Washington Wine! UPCOMING TASTINGS Thursday, June 22 Cannon Beach Planning Com- mission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Shack Hours Daily 11am to 5:30pm Tasting Room Hours Saturdays • 1 to 5pm Monday, June 26 City Council Work Session, 8:30 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Friday, June 30 Cannon Beach Emergency Pre- paredness Committee, 10 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. music fi rst June 17 • Montinore Estate June 24 • Puffi n Wines July 1 • D’Anu Wines July 8 • Kramer Vineyards July 15 • Crowley Wines “Best Wine Shop” - 2016 Reader’s Choice Award 124 N. Hemlock, Cannon Beach - 503.436.1100 - www.thewineshack.wine Tuesday, July 11 Cannon Beach City Council, 7 p.m., meeting and work session, City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Tuesday, July 18 Cannon Beach Public Works Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Thursday, July 20 Cannon Beach Parks and Commu- nity Services Committee, 9 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. GIVE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE Our gift planning team can help you ou support the missions of OHSU or Doernbecher Children’s Hospital with many y kinds of gifts – wills, trusts, real estate, personal property, stocks or other assets. Our gift planners are ready to help you explore xplore the possibilities and make the most of your our philanthropy. CALL OR VISIT US ONLINE TO O LEARN MORE. Thursday, July 27 Cannon Beach Planning Com- mission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Friday, July 28 Cannon Beach Emergency Pre- paredness Committee, 10 a.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Tuesday, Aug. 1 Cannon Beach City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall, 163 E. Gower St. Office of Gift Planning | 503-228-1730 giftplanning.ohsufoundation.org | giftplanning.dchfoundation.org