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Proponents
By Joe Giberson
Library Services
The Fairwood Library is a focal point of the Fairwood community, a busy, vibrant place with appealing reading and audio visual materials and programs. The Fairwood Library is part of the King County Library System (KCLS), a network of 43 community libraries nationally known for its excellence, making its collection of 4 million materials available to patrons. KCLS is not part of King County government; it is a separate, special purpose taxing district. The libraries in the City of Renton are not included in this library district. If Proposition 1 is approved and the City of Fairwood is created, the city would annex into the KCLS and the Fairwood Library would remain part of the KCLS with no change in the taxing structure. The 5,000 square foot expansion (planned for 2012) would go forward, making our library even greater. Most cities within King County annex into the KCLS for library services.
If Proposition 1 fails, the Fairwood Library building could become an asset of Renton. It may or may not become part of the underfunded Renton Library system (not part of KCLS). Citizens of Renton will likely vote in February 2010 to decide whether to annex into KCLS. The Renton City Council was compelled to authorize the vote when they learned the cost of upgrading their libraries to modern standards, based on a study called Renton Public Library Master Plan 2008-2013. The plan states, “It is clear from the comparative statistics that there are substantial gaps in many areas between what Renton provides and what other libraries similarly situated provide.”
If Renton voters decide to join KCLS, Renton citizens will very likely have to pay more. According to the study, "Joining KCLS would shift the cost of providing library services from the general fund budget of the City of Renton to the individual property tax bills of Renton residents who would then be paying library support directly to KCLS." The KCLS tax rate is $0.40/$1000 of assessed value, but the City of Renton funds the library at a rate equivalent to $0.24/$1000, according to the study. In addition, Renton taxpayers may be taxed to upgrade or replace existing library facilities. If Fairwood is annexed into Renton, we may have to help Renton pay to upgrade its libraries! So if incorporation fails, we will either lose the Fairwood Library as we know it, or keep the library but experience additional taxes to upgrade Renton library facilities. If Proposition 1 succeeds, NOTHING changes and the library will be expanded. The choice is simple, vote for Fairwood.
Parks
As for parks, King County has 7 parks in the Fairwood area, consisting of over 800 acres, which the county plans to continue to operate into the future. In August 2009, the interim county executive proposed closing some smaller parks in King County, but the county plans to maintain its regional park and trail system, including such parks within incorporated urban areas. Petrovitsky Park will be maintained as a regional park, when Fairwood becomes a city.
The following parks are within or adjacent to the proposed City of Fairwood:
Lake Youngs Park
Lake Youngs Trail Head
Lake Yongs Trail Site
McGarvey Park Open Space
Soos Creek 140th Open Space
Soos Creek Park and Trail
Spring Lake / Lake Desire Park
Two nearby parks have been proposed by the interim King County executive for closure. Renton Park and Boulevard Lane Park are on the list for closure. Both are located within the city limits of Renton. The City of Renton has not yet stepped up to support these parks.
Parks and recreational facilities are discretional expenses, not core services required for the purposes of assessing a city’s financial feasibility. King County will continue to maintain all existing public parks if Fairwood becomes a city. The new City of Fairwood will write a comprehensive land use and public facilities plan within the first two years of operations, which would include a parks component. This plan would assess the adequacy of the current parks and recreation facilities within the city. The citizens will have an opportunity to advise the City Council if additional parks and/or recreation services are needed or desired. It is an open issue. However, in Renton's plans for annexing Fairwood (available on the City of Renton website), there are no new parks or recreational facilities planned. It is apparently a closed issue.
Writer's Bio:
Joe Giberson is currently a Software Architect for a large non-profit organization, where he has been employed for 11 years. The previous 18 years he worked for a large tax software and legal publishing company, where he rose to the VP level. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puget Sound Law School (now Seattle University Law School) and holds a BA Degree from the University of Washington. He was admitted to practice law in Washington (inactive status) and Massachusetts (retired status). Joe has been active in the local community. He is a past president and trustee of the Shady Lake Community Council. He led a successful drive to form a sewer Utility Local Improvement District for that community in 1998. In 2000, he participated on the citizen advisory panel for the Petrovitsky Corridor Governance Study. In 2002, he participated on another citizen advisory panel for the Capital Improvements Program for King County Roads Services Division. In 2005-2006 he volunteered for the Fairwood Task Force. From 2007-2009 he has served as the president of the Fairwood Municipal Initiative.
REBUTTAL
Library
Well, we finally agree that KCLS provides better library services, compared to Renton Public Library. Our opposition in 2006 could not see this reality.
However, Renton citizens might NOT vote to annex into KCLS. There are problems with the financing of the deal. Renton must give up more taxing authority to KCLS, than Renton spends on library services. That creates a larger hole in their General Fund; and then there is the problem of who will pay for replacing the inadequate library facilities?
Parks
According to County Executive Kurt Triplet's message of August 17th, King County will continue to operate and maintain 140 regional parks and facilities, rural parks and regional trails that are supported by a countywide levy. The regional parks which are being retained have already been funded by special voter approved property taxes. The funding for parks that are being mothballed was from the general fund.
The opposition has NO facts to support their contention that we should be fearful that funding for the regional parks and trails in or adjacent to Fairwood would evaporate.
The independent consultants that wrote the Fairwood Incorporation Study, did due diligence to determine county policy. They wrote in their Frequently Asked Questions publication, after the initial community meeting:
Several public comments indicate a general perception that the County’s parks would become the responsibility of the City of Fairwood. Contrary to that perception, King County has indicated in writing that it does not intend to transfer parks to the City.
If incorporated, the City of Fairwood will have the opportunity to assess park needs and determine if surplus discretionary funds would best be spent on such facilities.
If the annexed to the City of Renton, it is not likely that there would be any additional parks for the Fairwood area.
Fairwood Incorporation Position Statements
Week Four: Services - Library & Parks
NOTE: Rebuttals for each week's position statement will be posted the week following the original post. Find rebuttals following each corresponding position statement.
October 12, 2009
Opponents
By Bryce Nelson
Library & Parks
This week, we’re going to talk about the library and parks. When it comes to the library, there really isn’t much to talk about – it’s likely that nothing would change from how things operate now.
But with parks and recreation, incorporation proponents have made assumptions that make the city’s costs appear to be lower than they’ll be in reality. Their budget for parks and recreation in Fairwood is $0 – meaning we’ll have a lower level of service than any of our neighbors, while paying more in taxes.
Library
Incorporation proponents assume that Fairwood will annex into the King County Library System (KCLS). It might be the only time you see me agree with incorporation proponents, as it’s a completely logical assumption, since almost every city in the county has annexed into KCLS. Right now there’s four library systems in King County: KCLS, Seattle, Renton, and Enumclaw. In 2010, that number may only be three.
Next spring, Renton will vote on whether to join KCLS. So should we have the opportunity to vote on annexation into Renton, by the time that vote occurs, Renton probably will also be part of KCLS. That means that it’s likely that we’ll be a part of KCLS regardless of what governance option we choose, so the Fairwood Library won’t change.
If we vote to incorporate, for Fairwood to become a part of KCLS, we’d have to have a public vote here in Fairwood. The City of Fairwood would have to pay the costs of that vote – costs that aren’t budgeted for by incorporation proponents. It’s just another example of how incorporation proponents have purposely underestimated the costs of running a city by leaving out expenses that we know will come due.
Parks and Recreation
When it comes to the proposed City of Fairwood, there isn’t much to say about city parks. That’s because there wouldn’t be any – incorporation proponents assume that the city’s budget for parks and recreation would be $0. They assume that King County will continue to pay for parks in Fairwood – an assumption that simply doesn’t reflect reality.
King County’s budget is in severe trouble. King County has announced that it is shutting down parks throughout unincorporated areas due to its ongoing fiscal crisis. Over the past decade, King County has transferred dozens of parks to cities to reduce its ongoing costs. Petrovitsky Park would be no exception. Petrovitsky Park would be entirely within the boundaries of the City of Fairwood. Is it reasonable to expect King County to pay for a park outside of its jurisdiction? Of course not – King County would transfer responsibility of the park to Fairwood as soon as possible. It would quickly be a city park, and the city’s responsibility – a responsibility that isn’t in the budget put together by incorporation proponents.
Just look at what King County is doing with its parks that are now within the City of Renton. When Renton annexed the Benson Hill area, it took over several King County parks. King County agreed to continue funding two of them: Renton Park, and Boulevard Lane Park. Now, less than two years later, King County has reneged on its agreement with Renton, and is threatening to shut down these two parks. This is exactly what would occur in Fairwood – King County won’t continue to operate a park within a city, and Petrovitsky Park would be Fairwood’s responsibility.
Fairwood would be the only local city to spend $0 on parks and recreation. Other nearby cities have seven figure parks and recreation budgets. Maple Valley’s 2009 budget spends $1.1 million on parks and recreation. Covington’s 2009 budget spends $1.2 million on parks and recreation. Renton’s quarterly parks and recreation guide is 48 pages long, providing children and adults alike with a huge array of opportunities to be involved in their community. So why is Fairwood’s budget $0?
It’s simple – the only way for incorporation proponents to make it look like Fairwood would be financially feasible was to leave out the costs of parks and recreation services entirely. If parks and recreation were included in the proposed city’s budget, the city no longer has sufficient revenue to pay for services, and the feasibility study shows a city in the red from day one. So incorporation proponents left out services that they know their citizens will demand to make it look like Fairwood will be feasible.
Vote against a city without parks. Vote against higher taxes for lower levels of service. Vote against incorporation. www.govoteno.org
Writer's Bio:
Bryce Nelson has lived in the Seattle area since '89. He grew up in Redmond and attended Pacific Lutheran University for undergrad and Seattle University for law school. He's been a prosecutor with Pierce County for the last 6 1/2 years and is currently assigned to the Special Assault Unit prosecuting sex and domestic violence crimes. His wife is a teacher at Nelsen Middle School in Renton, and they live in Woodside with their 16 month-old daughter, who he says "keeps us busy and always makes sure the inside of our house looks like a toy store exploded!"
REBUTTAL
If we vote against incorporation, nothing changes with our library system. We would remain a part of the King County Library System. By the time annexation into the City of Renton was on the ballot, Renton would likely already be a part of the King County Library System – meaning nothing would change here in Fairwood. The City of Fairwood and the Fairwood library simply aren’t connected, despite what incorporation proponents would like you to believe.
It simply isn’t reasonable to assume that King County will operate parks within the City of Fairwood. Sure, there’s quite a few King County parks that would be nearby the city – but the key word is nearby, not within. Petrovitsky Park would be entirely within the boundaries of the City of Fairwood.
There are presently four King County parks that are designated regional “active” facilities: Big Finn Hill, Marymoor, Tolt River, and Petrovitsky. All are located entirely within unincorporated areas. Petrovitsky Park would be the only regional park operated by King County that is entirely within the boundaries of a city.
Back in the early 2000s, there were several other regional park facilities operated by King County: Luther Burbank Park (on Mercer Island), Fort Dent Park (in Tukwila), and the Enumclaw Fairgrounds (in Enumclaw). All of these parks are no longer operated by King County. Why? Because they are within the boundaries of cities – and King County has made a decision that it will no longer operate parks within the boundaries of a city.
Every other nearby city has a parks and recreation department. Fairwood would stand alone among our neighbors, and not have any city parks. While these services are technically discretionary, ask yourself, do you want to live in a community with no parks?
Vote to save our parks. Vote against incorporation