The Kirkland City Council is performing a masterful sleight of hand trick this coming November election. The council is distracting Kirkland voters with “bling” in one hand, while they have their other hand deep inside the voter’s pocket. With the forecasted closure of the Juanita High School Pool and public concern about no longer having said pool, the council is offering the ARC in trade for authorization to increase Kirkland city property taxes by 50 percent.
The letter to the editor about Prop. 1 submitted on Oct. 7 and signed by Mayor Walen and Councilmember Nixon states: “A bond measure would require that the city own the property for the ARC…”
People often talk about giving back to the community where they live, but sometimes it’s hard to find just how to do that. Viva Volunteers! is a chance to find volunteer opportunities that are worthwhile and satisfying.
I have three grand kids that are being educated in Kirkland, elementary to secondary to high school. I know this is not a platform for vote-stumping, but I’m so fatigued by the “same ole, same ole.” That’s why I’m encouraging everyone in my circles to learn more about the newcomer, Rob Tepper.
Councilman [Dave] Asher recently wrote [a guest editorial] suggesting that anyone questioning the appropriateness of an Aquatic Regional Center was fearmongering. I would suggest that they were asking pertinent and relevant questions that all citizens and voters should be asking. Your thesis was, trust us and trust us with your tax dollars.
I certainly appreciate the focus placed on the school bond measures in this paper but we should not forget that providing a quality education for our community should be the first concern of every voter.
Thank you for your detailed article about the school board race and for interviewing all 4 candidates. It was very informative.
Many non-profit organizations operating locally rely on volunteers to help them accomplish their good work.
Next month’s school board election is critical for the future of quality education here. My vote in District 2 is Chris Carlson, who is the incumbent. Why? I’m voting for Chris Carlson, who is a cancer researcher and a dad of three, because has been persistent and committed to improving LWSD [Lake Washington School District] schools – from developing the STEM high school to overall improvements in math, science and tech instruction and more.
I will vote no on the ARC/MPD. I will do so for several reasons:
Too often in this country good ideas and projects are dismissed because some aspect of their implementation is not perfect. Irrespective of your political bent, I am sure you can think of examples: campaign financing, health care, social security reform… the list goes on. But nothing that results from a political system built upon compromise is likely to be perfect. The “perfection argument” is used both intentionally and inadvertently; but the results are the same – endlessly stalling progress on an issue or project.
As the November election for the Aquatic, Recreation and Community Center (ARC) approaches, some have asked why the Council chose to create a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) to build the ARC rather than a “traditional” bond. The answer is that the MPD is the most cost effective and flexible tool to deliver the ARC that the Kirkland community has requested from us.
Our guiding vision at Friends of Youth is that very youth should have every opportunity to succeed. Despite our daily efforts to achieve that vision, too many of our children still don’t get the opportunities they need to succeed in life. That’s why we are supporting the Best Starts for Kids Levy, King County Proposition 1.
As Kirkland residents for 10 years, we have met many people who care deeply about all this community offers. Shelley Kloba is one such person.
I was just notified by Tiberio and Londo Construction, landlords, on Sept. 21, of a $200 a month increase in my rent.
As we enter the Halloween season, I have come to the conclusion that Proposition 1 is full of tricks.
As a former member of Finn Hill Park and Recreation District Board of Commissioners and the King County Park Levy Taskforce, I have seen many different ways to fund our parks and I have concluded that Proposition 1 is the right thing to do for Kirkland.
This is an open letter concerning the Lake Washington School Board District 1 position, Jackie Pendergrass re-election, to the Seattle Times Editorial Board for their opinion piece published on Sept. 7.
When I read the letter to the editor about Mike Nykreim I was thrilled.
During a recent discussion with one of our city council members I was informed that language in Kirkland ordinance O-4485, which allows the Metropolitan Park District (MPD) to raise taxes for “other future parks and recreational facilities and programs,” was necessary because you cannot limit the scope of an MPD by law. And that they were advised by councsel that an MPD could not be limited to one project such as the ARC [Aquatics, Recreation and Community] Center.