Kirkland YES! Committee forms to support utility tax

Published 3:56 pm Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Stating that they will work to save Kirkland’s quality of life, the Kirkland YES! committee recently formed in support of the 1.5 percent utility tax increase that will appear on the November ballot as Proposition One. The committee represents a broad spectrum of Kirkland citizens including park board and planning commission members, as well as other volunteers from the senior and cultural council and the Juanita Bay Park Rangers. The committee is co-chaired by long time Kirkland community activists Nona Ganz and Andy Held.

“These are difficult times for everyone, but we must try and save those parks and programs that we spent decades building,” said Nona Ganz. “For just $6 a month, we can keep Kirkland intact as our state and nation work toward recovery.”

The 1.5 percent tax increase will only affect private utilities and will not restore the cuts already made by the city. Earlier this year the city used reserves, made staff reductions, and reduced the level of services. The Kirkland YES! committee believes that if the 1.5 percent utility tax doesn’t pass the cuts will diminish essential services and harm the quality of life we have come to love in Kirkland.

Should the tax fail, long time programs and levels of service will be vastly reduced or vanish. On the cutting board is maintenance of our parks, neighborhood services, the Juanita Bay Park Program, senior and youth services and cuts to public/pedestrian safety.

“With this minimal increase in the utility tax we can help our city with long term budgeting sustainability and save prized programs,” said co-chair and planning commissioner Andy Held.

For more information and to get involved visit www.KirklandYES.com.