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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW UPDATE: Gov. Kate Brown says school districts must provide annual lead reports ... Planning for Rogue Basin drought resiliency ... Southern Oregon fire crews prepare for long, hot summer ... UPDATE: Gov. Kate Brown says school districts must provide annual lead reports ... Planning for Rogue Basin drought resiliency ... Southern Oregon fire crews prepare for long, hot summer ... OUR VIEW Our View: Keep new pool proposal reasonable Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jun. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Extending the life of the Medford Urban Renewal District might offer the best option for financing a second public swimming pool in the city. It's an intriguing idea, if city leaders keep the cost reasonable. The Urban Renewal District was scheduled to go out of existence in 2025 when the last of its already issued bonds were to be paid off. Now it appears MURA will pay off the last of the bonds in 2018 instead. Issuing more bonds through MURA could be done, but it would require a lengthy process. It could be worth doing if it could pay for a new pool without having to ask property owners to increase their property taxes. The last time that was attempted, voters rejected a proposal to build two standard pools for $14.5 million. That 2012 proposal would have replaced Jackson Pool, constructed in 1960, and Hawthorne Pool. Hawthorne was closed in 2011 after it was found be be leaking and could not be repaired. It was removed in 2013 during the renovation of Hawthorne Park. Jackson Pool is still operating, but it, too, is nearing the end of its life. When that time comes, Medford could be left without a public swimming pool. There really is no excuse for a city of 75,000 people to have only one pool, let alone none at all. Continuously asking voters for more property tax levies isn't popular, but the idea of a pool is. The key is to keep it affordable. The 2012 proposal would have built two pools for $14.5 million, one of them covered for year-round use. Now, leaders are talking about one Olympic-size pool for $25 million. It's not clear why a larger pool needs to be so much more expensive. If the size makes that much of a price difference, build a smaller one. Shower and locker rooms certainly should meet minimum standards, but needn't be elaborate. Residents will support a publicly funded swimming pool, but not if it appears the city is spending more money than it needs to. We don't need a Taj Mahal; we need a swimming pool. The MURA board, which consists of the City Council, plans a study session on seeking new bonds for a pool. We think it's a good idea, as long as they bring along plenty of sharp pencils. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jun. 21, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501