By Roy L Hales

On October 26 Cortes Islanders will be having a referendum to decide two important tax issues. While there is little doubt that the proposal to fund first responders will pass, the debate about public funding of Cortes Island’s community halls has been going on for the past decade. For a house like mine, sitting on a one acre lot in Squirrel Cove, this will cost about $60 a year. Yet while a large number of Cortesians regard their halls as the heart of the community, where you go for public meetings, entertainment and a variety of ongoing services, another segment of the community does not believe they are worth the extra money. My guest this morning, Julian Ayres, President of the Southern Cortes Community Association (SCCA), explains why we should support Mansons Hall.