Closing Fircrest hurts community

By George Daher

State Sen. Darlene Fairley is the author of Senate Bill 5971 that will close Fircrest to save money and send the most disabled in our community (along with 758 jobs) in a moving van to Buckley.

Senate bill 5971 may cleanse Shoreline of some the most wonderful people that this city possesses. I’m talking about the patients as well as the 758 selfless individuals who have devoted their careers to making the disabled citizens’ lives count for something.

Another aspect of this is Fircrest’s land. It has become too valuable to sit there not collecting a dime of property tax. The 87 acres of land is currently valued at $33 million. The only problem is it could cost as much as $35 million to move this institution which has been successful at servicing thousands of our neediest citizens for the last four decades.

Even if it was prudent and ethical to close down Fircrest (which it is not), leasing the land, instead of selling it, would give a continual and renewable source of income that would still be maintained as a community asset rather than a temporary windfall for some developing special interest. Thirty years from now, where are we going to find 84 acres of land when we need it to service the growing needs of all citizens? The 32nd District, which Senator Fairley represents, was the slowest growing district in Washington from the 1990 to the 2000 census. That’s because we are out of land.

Sen. Fairley said the proceeds of the sale will go to a trust fund that will help the other 9,000 disabled Washington residents who are not getting treatment and do not live in this area (and never will, now). If you do the math, there will be no fund. Just more property tax revenue from developed property that will go instead to city, county, and state treasury.

Please contact our elected to tell them that Fircrest, and the land it sits on, should stay, and not to exile the disabled to Buckley.

George Daher lives in Shoreline.