To the editor:
We have a choice to be informed by verifiable facts, or succumb to fear mongering, misrepresentation and lies.
The phrase “Follow the Money” has never been more appropriate. Some $300,000 has been raised by two political action committees — $200,000 from Meredith Lodging — in an effort to blind you to the facts about Measure 21-203. They even succeeded in blinding some Lincoln County commissioners into thinking 21-203 will bankrupt the county due to “taking” lawsuits.
Cope v Cannon Beach was a short-term rental “taking” lawsuit that went to the Oregon Supreme Count. Cannon Beach prevailed, as have many other cities across the U.S. with similar “taking” lawsuits.
“Taking” lawsuits are very difficult to prove but threatening to file them is easy and effective fear mongering. That is VIA Oregon’s sole strategy.
The Oregon Supreme Court held the following in Cope v Cannon Beach: “The effect of laws reducing rental income has been held by the Supreme Court of the United States to be no taking, even when combined with other laws interfering with an owner’s unfettered use of property. Yee v. City of Escondido, CA.”
“We next consider whether Ordinance 92-1, by prohibiting transient occupancy, denies property owners economically viable use of their properties. See Agins v. Tiburon, supra, 447 U.S. at 260, 100 S. Ct. at 2141 (stating second part of test). We conclude that it does not.
Folks, the sky will not fall and Lincoln County will not go broke when Measure 21-203 is voted in. There simply is no data to back up those claims, but there is an insane amount of money being spent to make you believe them.
The same goes for claiming the lost transient room tax will break the county. No, it won’t. Tourists will still come, the county will adapt to new ways of accommodating them, just like all the other cities that have had the courage to deal with this situation.
Guess what, those tourist-driven cities are still thriving, and that is a fact.
— Elaine Starmer/Lincoln City
