Don’t cut funding from the Youth Center

If you want the center to stay open, you’ve got to keep the money flowing.

Editor’s note: This letter is in reference to the article, “Enumclaw Council unhappy with Youth Center, cuts funding,” published Oct. 28, 2020.

Is the economy so bad that the city council has to make excuses to cut funding for the local Youth Center? It sounds like there’s a legitimate problem, with there being no school and everything else being locked down — no place for some kids to go or escape.

The reason for needing the youth center are as diverse as the problems we have in everyday life. The Youth Center should be open. It is just as essential as any health care institute.

This solution is bogus. It doesn’t make sense. If you want the Youth Center doors open why cut back on the thing that keeps the doors open? If you’re trying to get you child to eat all its food you wouldn’t deprive your child of food. A better metaphor would be you wouldn’t cut the hands off a roofer for not laying down enough shingles. It’s a little harsh of a metaphor but the same logic applies.

Bottom line is, if the Enumclaw Council truly wants to help keep the doors of the Youth Center open they should explore different, truly effective avenues to do so.

If cutting funding is the only leverage the City Council has maybe they should consider having the Youth Center 100 percent owned and operated by Enumclaw. If that isn’t a viable plan we can find an excuse to cut funding to the hospital for the lack of bed space. Not only does it hold the hospital accountable, we are saving money.

(For people that didn’t pick up on that, that was sarcasm.)

We are in trying times and this is not the time for cutting funds from an institution that provides for the community, especially one from what I’ve seen has had financial struggles in the past. Idon’tknow how much has changed since I last seen it 10 years ago, but back then the youth Center was struggling to stay open.

Anthony Byam

Ontario, OR