Sammamish Forum
December 9, 2008
By Administrator
Stop the parkway
Once again, I would like to add my voice to the chorus of unheard (un-listened to?) opposition to the “improved” East Lake Sammamish Parkway which is being foisted upon us. A city council type of government is not a democracy so why would we expect our opinions to count?
But, at the risk of simply wasting more of my time, I would like to state my concerns and reiterate points made by so many others.
On Nov. 4, Ben Yazici said that halting the project would simultaneously postpone fixing any safety or congestion issues on the parkway and could remove a funding source from the city.
Which funding source? The $750,000 federal grant money (a drop in the bucket vs. $13.5 million for the first phase only)? Or the $4.7 million from impact fees? Both?
Together they account for only 40 percent of the first phase alone.
Why not take that money, address the safety and congestion issues as priorities and pass on the man-made “beautification” (read median strips), which will pale in comparison to the lovely lakeshore and mountain views we have free of charge.
Or get rid of the sidewalk to nowhere, when we have a delightful, safe trail already there, where pedestrians and bicycle riders are safe.
We, the public, are not convinced of any safety or congestion issues actually being addressed by this project. I would urge the City Council to go back to the planning board: Figure out how to pare down that budget by half and get rid of the fluff.
How can we ignore the precipitous economic downturn we are riding, or predict how long this will last?
People are losing their jobs — where is the tax revenue supposed to come from for the frills? Infrastructure, yes, frosting on the cake, no.
Clare Little
Sammamish
Open your mind
In response to Michael J. O’Connell’s letter to the editor (Nov. 26) criticizing religions that were supportive of California’s Proposition 8, here’s where he and some others appear to be headed:
Racial Intolerance=Bad
Sexual/Gender Intolerance=Bad
Disability Intolerance=Bad
Religious Intolerance=Okay
The word “tolerance” implies a difference of opinion. Shouldn’t tolerance be extended to those of religious faith as well?
Kerri Nielsen
Sammamish
Delay the parkway
Look at the huge budget deficits and budget cuts facing the city of Seattle, state of Washington and other cities and states.
Looking ahead, closer to home, Sammamish will not have the benefit of a real estate bubble and the resulting large developer fees.
Sammamish cannot ignore the current economic reality and proceed with past budget projections.
As a 20-year resident of Sammamish I’m disturbed by the reported reluctance of the city manager and some members of the City Council to adjust to the current and projected economic conditions by making a sensible decision.
I understand the city manager and city council members feel they were employed/elected to “do something,” but they need to step up and show the courage and leadership to suspend the parkway improvements until there is a more economically realistic opportunity and plan.
Put the Sammamish Parkway, and other expensive city projects, on hold for at least five years. Although the city manager and council may view postponement or cancellation of city projects as a failure, they will in fact be showing wisdom and leadership in working to balance the city budget.
Or, let the citizens vote in referendums on whether to proceed with the parkway improvements and other expensive projects.
Jeffrey Weems
Sammamish
Thanks, everyone
Community contributes to success of Issaquah Schools Foundation Luncheon
On behalf of the Issaquah Schools Foundation Board of Directors, a heartfelt thank you to the 850 parents, educators, community members, and business and civic leaders who attended the foundation’s 11th annual Nourish Every Mind Benefit Luncheon.
Together, we raised more than $324,000 — a most impressive figure during this time of economic turbulence. All proceeds will be used to fund programs that address the foundation’s key focus areas of academic achievement, struggling students and professional development.
We were thrilled to see the number of new faces in our audience. Awareness of our state’s education funding system and a collaborative commitment to action will be the key to freeing our children from the effects of the district’s economic disadvantages.
In the days since the luncheon, we have already noticed a “buzz” about the opportunity each member of the community has to make a powerful and lasting impact on the quality of education provided to our students.
We are confident that one day soon, we will be able to annually gift our district with $1 million plus contributions for educational enhancements.
Numerous individuals, organizations and companies contributed to the success of Nourish Every Mind 2008.
Chief among them are our sponsors, especially Golden Apple Sponsor Overlake Medical Center Issaquah; Producer Level sponsors Microsoft, Port Blakely Communities, Swedish Issaquah and Virginia Mason Medical Center; and Leader Level sponsors The Boeing Co., Christine Kipp Quality Properties, Impact Studio Pro, Rowley Properties Inc. and Wells Fargo.
We would also like to recognize our entertaining emcee, Pat Cashman, and the Issaquah Community Center for hosting our event. And finally, warm words of appreciation to our incredible Luncheon Committee and to our table captains, who helped secure a capacity crowd.
Once again, our deepest gratitude to everyone involved for assisting the foundation in furthering its mission of helping all students achieve the promise of their academic potential.
If you were unable to attend Nourish Every Mind and want to learn more about the foundation or make a donation, check our Web site, www.issaquahschoolsfoundation.org.
Elizabeth Brown and
Leslie Patten
Nourish Every Mind co-chairs
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In response to Kerri Nielsen’s letter (Dec. 9) criticizing Michael J. O’Connell’s stance against religions that were supportive of California’s Proposition 8, here’s where she seems to be headed:
It would be perfectly reasonable to enact legislation banning the marriage of couples not affiliated with a specific, tolerated religion.
Intolerance is not simply rejecting out of hand another’s opinion; it is enacting laws that prevent others from enjoying the rights and privileges intended for all citizens simply because they are different.
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