Letters

Levy

Schools picking pockets of taxpayers again

The Edmonds School District pulled off another robbery. The coalition between the District, Enterprise, Herald and bleeding heart zealots in the Citizens for Schools organization succeeded. They managed to pick the pockets of those who actually have to pay the $44 million for the non-necessities and luxuries that this levy provides. It isn’t surprising that they managed to gain just enough support to pass thanks to the biased coverage by the local print media. When it comes to school levies, the Enterprise and Herald newspapers are about as fair and balanced as Fox News!

Maybe whining about the “unfairness” of the super majority will cease for now. What is unfair is that people who don’t have to pay the taxes are allowed to vote on levies. Eighteen year olds, some who are still in school are allowed to vote when they don’t have to pay the bill. Apartment dwellers, which we have an abundance of, do not bear the tax burden that property owners do, yet they get to vote how our money is spent. It is easy to be generous with other peoples’ bank accounts. Now that is unfair!

We’ll see how improved test scores are now that the district students will have high speed internet access. The $3.5 million the district will spend on new school designs will be wasted because we won’t approve money to build them. The artists’ renderings will make expensive artwork for the administration building.

I predict these groups will slither back to us no later than next spring to squeeze us for new schools. Taxpayers as tired of being taken to the cleaners as I am had best prepare now for the fight. These groups should savor this victory because it will be a very long time before they see another dime.

DONALD KEVIN BAKER

Lynnwood

Tree cutting

Penalties for Triad not nearly strict enough

Triad Development clear cut assault on a healthy Edmonds forest risks tragic effects on the Edmonds Marsh, the bird-fish-wildlife, the wetlands, the steep bank stability, as well as the mature natural forest. Triad’s settlement proposal is woefully inadequate!

Like so many companies, Triad could go out of business or be sold, moved or merged. They must be required to post a $10 million performance bond. The restoration responsibility must be attached to covenants governing ownership of the property (condo owners included). Plans must be based on directions from qualified forest professionals (not just an arborist), geological engineers, hydrologists, wildlife biologists – people with solid experience with critical areas and habitat restoration! Restoration must be monitored for 20 years (not three) by environmental professionals.

These additional requirements for settlement would give long term guarantees that this environmental travesty would be truly rectified.

The Edmonds City Council public hearing about this clear cut is at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 1. I urge concerned citizens to attend and to express their feelings and demands. Tell Triad and the City Council that only a strong, guaranteed settlement including the above requirements will re-build the trust in our community.

ROWENA MILLER

Edmonds

Speeding

More enforcement is the only way to stop it

In your issue of last week (May 21) Edmonds Mayor Haakenson pleaded to drivers to have them slow down, as average speed in the city is just too fast. I commend him for doing this, but I’m not optimistic that much will change.

It is my view that noticeable progress will only be made when drivers become aware that, if they speed, there’s a good chance that it’s going to cost them money. Currently, in the city core, there’s virtually no chance of being penalized for traffic infractions – because there’s no enforcement!

Speeding is not the only traffic law being frequently disobeyed. Drivers routinely coast through stop signs, park too close to stop signs, park immediately adjacent to crosswalks and fire hydrants, etc.

The infractions I’m referring to are not frivolous. Is it not the city’s responsibility to ensure that these laws are enforced? I understand that this will take an increase in staff. Here’s a suggestion. Hire one new police officer to do nothing except traffic enforcement in the city core. Vary the officer’s work week so that drivers cannot predict when this enforcement will be done. Revenue from fines will cover the expense. When success is achieved and revenues don’t cover the expense, I’m confident that citizens will give a little more in taxes to maintain the enforcement.

And who really cares if the guilty recipients of tickets complain?

Perhaps there’s a better solution. The city doing nothing is no solution.

RON WAMBOLT

Edmonds

Mountlake Terrace

Churches bringing people together

This is in response to Julie Lockleer’s letter to The Enterprise. I am totally in agreement with her thoughts as far as citizens helping the city whenever and wherever we can. I think Pastor Small and the other pastors in the community are doing a great job in organizing ways people can help keep the city of Mountlake Terrace clean, safe and fun.

My family has lived in Mountlake Terrace for 27 years and we like living here. We participated in the city cleanup day this year. Even though we all pay taxes, we also need to give back to the community.

It was fun on the “city clean up day” working with other people side by side. I was helping clean up the library grounds. There was a little boy working by me, taking the brush we had cut back and putting it into a huge pile. He worked so hard. I told him he was doing an awesome job and since he got to borrow books from the library, it was really good he could help by cleaning up around the library. Just watching him work so hard made my day. His parents are certainly teaching him a lot. There were a lot of people cleaning up the library grounds as well as the trail at Terrace Creek Park.

Everyone got a lot done in three hours.

My husband helped with the Easter egg hunt this year but I could not, but I still remember all the great fun I had last year setting up and seeing the joy on the childrens’ faces!

MARGARET CODER

Mountlake Terrace