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Community Corner

Representing the Island or Seattle?

As we approach a new election season for city council, I am reminded of a story I heard while having the blessing of traveling to Kauai this year. With rising airfares between the islands, I was curious as to why some entrepreneur hadn’t started a ferry service. In fact, an Oahu businessman had hoped to do so, but the citizens of Kauai banded together and prevented it. Why? They thought it would too drastically change the character of their community. Hanalei is a vastly different place than Waikiki. I’m not sure which side of the issue I would have been on as a resident, but I do whole heartily support the principle that Kauai’s citizens should be making the decision, not central planners from Honolulu.

This is a lesson for us here on Mercer Island. If you’re like me you tend to think a city council in a small town like ours is concerned with getting the lawns mowed at the ball fields and the streets swept, keeping the machine well oiled so to speak. On the contrary, our council has been making, and continues to make decisions that will, to use the words of our president, fundamentally transform Mercer Island.

Now if our citizenry wants to become a densely packed community like, Ballard, Queen Anne or Magnolia, it should be OUR choice, not the dictates of regional planners (See Conor Dougherty June 3rd Wall Street Journal). Unfortunately, recent councils seem to be making decisions based on ideology, a sense of powerlessness in the face of political pressure or both.  Many council members vote as if Mercer Island is a Seattle borough, and not our own distinct community (could this have anything to do with our city being moved to a Seattle congressional district?).

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When our family moved here a quarter of a century ago, I-90 was still being built across the north end of the island. We are thankful that the councils that preceded our move here weren’t shrinking violets. Daily we reap the benefits of their steadfast representation on behalf of island citizens as the I-90 battles were fought.

Whose interests the are truly  being represented when councilman Grausz lobbies for tolling the East Channel bridge because he’s a big supporter of light rail (aren’t we a member of Kingco not Metro, aren’t most of our kids off island activities located on the Eastside, isn’t that where we do most of our shopping, isn’t that where our off- island workers live?), or when the council gives up our single occupant access to I-90 express lanes without a fight, or when town center parking becomes over crowded because apartment builders are allowed to build to the bare minimums of city codes and pay the lowest impact fees in the region? 

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Big issues are upon us. Expanding the business district north of I-90, rezoning lot sizes to cram in more housing on the southend, tolling I-90, changing height restrictions on town center buildings, are all being considered. Will we be allowed to vote on these issues? Will the council even try to truly discern our priorities? Will we be asked if we wish to remain a family oriented community with open space and large lots, or will we simply be told by Seattle, Olympia and our own city council to fall in line?

We, like the islanders of Kauai, need to stand up for the island we want,. We need to elect councilmen who spend less time worrying about taking away our guns and plastic bags, and more time preserving the character of the community we all chose to be our home.

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