Letter to the Editor: Open Letter to Lake Forest Park Citizens and City Council

To the Editor:

Thousands of Lake Forest Park Voters voted No on LFP Proposition 1. A Successful Yes on LFP Proposition 1 would have raised our property taxes substantially. The proposition was defeated by a huge margin (78% No – 22% Yes). The Mayor and the Council should have gotten the message that a tax increase in these tough economic times was not acceptable. Fortunately, Mayor David Hutchinson listened to the voters, revised his budget proposal to the Council and is recommending no tax increases. Now the process of deciding rests with the Council. They are meeting in budget committee sessions as well as regular Council meetings to discuss the 2011 – 2012 budget. Unfortunately, several Councilmembers are still pushing for new taxes rather than having to make difficult budget cuts. At the October 11th budget meeting Deputy Mayor Dwight Thompson and Councilmember Don Fiene discussed a 1% property tax increase to provide additional revenue and thus avoid making challenging budget reductions. A doubling of both the Seattle City Light utility tax and the sewer tax is still being contemplated. Apparently, some of the Council still didn’t get the message that the majority of our citizens expect them to trim City expenses to match existing revenues: i.e; no new taxes. In addition, the Council must honor the priorities expressed by the Citizens in their 2009 poll: 1) Preventing Crime, 2) Maintaining Infrastructure, 3) Managing Development to prevent flooding, and 4) Parks and Recreation.

There isn’t much time. The final budget is scheduled to be passed on December 9th. The Council cannot simply ignore the majority of LFP citizens in developing the City budget. Citizens of Lake Forest Park can continue to make a difference by attending the budget committee and Council meetings. Please speak out by asking them to trim expenses just as all of us have had to do. By attending these meetings citizens will learn about the issues facing the City and get some sense of who on the Council cares about what YOU VOTED FOR.

Various budget meetings are scheduled as follows: Oct 14th and 28th; Nov 4th, 15th, and 16th; and Dec 2nd and 9th. A meeting schedule, with times, is available by contacting the City by phone or going to the City’s website and look for Budget 2011 – 2012 and then budget schedule.

Tony Holman

Lake Forest Park