Looking around Coeur d'Alene lately, I can't help but think of the quote "People fear what they don't understand and hate what they can't conquer." While I would like to think that the recall attempt should be about something more than a park, it seems as though McEuen has been the main tool RecallCDA is using for signatures.

I personally attended numerous public meetings, council meetings, and listened at the steering committee meetings. There has been plenty of opportunity for the public to be heard and the compromises that have been made only validate the fact that the Mayor and Council listened.

The park is a great thing for our community and yes, I am going to very much personally benefit from the upgrades to McEuen. I will get the personal benefit of having somewhere I can go and watching my children run around and play, enjoy the lake, enjoy a picnic, enjoy a game or catch, enjoy a concert, enjoy open green space, enjoy the beautiful scenery, enjoy our beautiful downtown - the heart of our city. If these four outstanding leaders are recalled, we might not see upgrades to McEuen. What's worse, we will lose all of the forward momentum we have going for our great city.

If you have signed the petition or are considering it, keep these facts in mind:

1. If they are recalled, you do not get to vote for who will take their seats. These positions will be appointed, so not only will the recall invalidate your previous vote if you voted for one of these four officials, but it also takes away your future vote.

2. Upgrades to McEuen park will not increase taxes. The money for the park is in hand and no taxes have been raised. Likewise, if the McEuen upgrade doesn't happen, your taxes will not go down.

3. Tubbs Hill is not included in the plan. No one is paving any paths or changing its natural greatness in any way.

4. The boat launch is staying.

5. The mayor and three council members have done nothing wrong. They have not broken the law or misused their office in any way for personal gain or to the detriment of the city. Each of these four people have fulfilled their positions to an incredibly high standard and should be applauded, not attacked.

In my opinion, it would be ridiculous not to take this opportunity to develop the park, but I understand that those who don't understand where the money is coming from might fear that they are paying the $14.2 million. Rest assured that the vast majority of citizens of Coeur d'Alene are not paying a single cent for the McEuen upgrade. There are no new public monies being used, no new bonds, no new taxes. Lake City Development Corporation will be funding a majority of this project. If you aren't familiar with urban renewal, I encourage you to check out the lcdc.org website. There is a great FAQ section and there is also the ability to view a map that highlights the districts showing who pays into the fund. It is a great source of accurate information.

LCDC has been around for 15 years and they have done great things for our community. Without LCDC, our beautiful Public Library, Riverstone, Prairie Trail, Chamber of Commerce building, Education Corridor, and Kroc Center might not exist. Their benefit to our community is astounding, and all without raising any taxes!

In fact, the State Tax Commission has declared Urban Renewal Districts such as LCDC as "tax neutral" meaning that no one is paying extra. In actuality, we are really getting more services for less tax money since their funds are drawn from less than 10 percent of property owners in the city. Also, taxes don't go up because of urban renewal. Taxing entities aren't allowed to increase their budgets to make up for money flowing to LCDC. That is a fact as determined by the utmost authority on taxation in the state, Alan Dorfest of the State Tax Commission.

For me, it's hard to ignore the facts. I know for some people it is easier. The people behind RecallCDA have a history of disagreeing with the four people they are targeting for recall and very likely have ulterior motives to this process. I hope that after reviewing all of the correct information, people will see that the recall is not warranted and is in fact a gross misuse of the process. In addition, if you have signed the petitions but would like to have your name removed, all you have to do is contact City Clerk Susan Weathers for instructions.

I want a positive future for my family and I hope that you, my neighbors, do as well. This recall is bad for everyone, not just the four being targeted. It's harmful to our entire community and the harm may just be beginning if we end up being represented by people we didn't vote for but were appointed for us.

Decline to Sign!

Benjamin Drake is a Coeur d'Alene resident.