You may have seen at the corner of 140th and Petrovitsky Road a large yellow and black billboard that says "Support your local IAFF firefighters -- vote against Fairwood Incorporation." That sign was paid for and put there by your local Fairwood firefighters. They belong to IAFF Local 864 (http://www.iaff864.org/), who oppose the proposed Fairwood incorporation.
So what has now appeared next to the firefighters' billboard? A sign from Vote Fairwood that claims that voting for incorporation will save firefighters' jobs. Voting against incorporation means that our fire services stay exactly as they are now -- and nobody's job is lost. Vote Fairwood knows this, and knows that the firefighters don't support incorporation, so they're trying to confuse the public by not telling you the truth.
And then the day this new sign appeared, I get the latest Vote Fairwood flyer in my mailbox. It actually cracked me up. It's main claims? "No one believes the oppositions figures" and that "not one expert agreed with their findings."
First off, the figures that I've used to repeatedly criticize the feasibility study are the figures that are in the study! So if incorporation proponents are saying that nobody believes the figures I'm throwing out, they're essentially saying that their own study's figures aren't believable. I'm glad they've finally agreed with my criticism. Maybe their next flyer can say acknowledge that they now apparently think the feasibilty study isn't credible, like I've been saying all along.
But more importantly, there has been one disinterested third party that reviewed the proposed incorporation: The King County Municipal League. Let me tell you a little story about how that process worked. The Municipal League contacted me and asked me to come talk to them about the proposed incorporation. So I took a day off work and went to their office in downtown Seattle. There were three of us from the no side who met with the Muni League. While we were waiting, three incorporation supporters walked out of the Muni League offices, having just met with them. I waved hi at them as they left, and they waved at me. The Muni League met with us, reviewed the data, and came to the conclusion that Fairwood is not financially feasible. They found that revenue estimates are too high, and cost estimates are too low. Their position? Annexation to Renton is the best possible option for Fairwood. You can read their recommendation here:
http://www.munileague.org/issues/ballot-issues-archive/ballot-issue-reports/nov-2009-incorporation-of-city-of-fairwood
The point to this story? When Vote Fairwood puts out a flyer saying nobody believes incorporation opponents, that no independent experts agree with us, they're not telling the truth. They were at the Muni League at the same time we were! It's not like they don't know the Muni League's opinion -- Vote Fairwood just rather be dishonest with the public than tell the truth.
In the end, the experts that matter are the voters. That's why we were willing to have a forum where the real experts -- the public -- could ask questions of supporters and opponents of incorporation. King County and Renton would have people there, so that people could get accurate first-hand info. Vote Fairwood refused to participate. Why? It's really easy to make all sorts of claims, but it's much harder to back them up to you, in public. I was willing to do it. They weren't.
Remember that when you vote. And then vote against incorporation.
2 comments:
The Go Fairwood folks have also been dishonest about the issue of low income housing. Their recent flyer says that Renton "will likely fulfill plans to build a large low income housing project in the heart of our community." Actually, it's the Renton Housing Authority, which is not part of the City of Renton, that owns property in the Fairwood area, and they have tried repeatedly to counter these rumors about low income housing.
Here is a statement from Mark Gropper, Deputy Executive Director of RHA, written in response to a Renton Reporter article:
Speaking on behalf of the Renton Housing Authority, a parcel of land in Fairwood zoned R-4 and R-6 totaling 20 acres was purchased by RHA in June 2006.
RHA explored the possibility of a service-enriched senior housing community there of modest size and construction (may be 90 units or so), affordable to seniors with annual incomes of about $30,000 to $40,000. An affordable home-ownership program for public employees (e.g. school teachers, fire fighters, or police officers) who want to live in the community, in which they work, is another concept that we have talked about.
Whether Fairwood incorporates as its own city or chooses to join in the City of Renton has only limited influence over what RHA ultimately may seek to do. What will make a difference is the interest and concerns of the surrounding community, AND the availability of funding.
Having said all this, funding for new housing development is scarce – and will be for the next year or two at least. In the meantime, the land is “banked” and held thoughtfully by your local housing authority.
For clarification on the matter, “Section 8” housing is a program formed under section 8 of the 1937 federal Housing Act. A Section 8 voucher performs like a rent coupon. Families receive rental assistance making up the difference between 30% of their income and the fair market rent in the privately-owned unit they choose to rent. The housing authority does not place Section 8 renters in a particular building or community, but may decline rental in any unit that does not meet the housing quality standards.
King County Housing Authority presently administers the Section 8 program in Fairwood. RHA may administer there in the future as clients transfer of their own accord in and out of the area. Vouchers are what we call “fully portable” they can be used in any jurisdiction of the United States. Just because a unit was rent-assisted through Section 8 at one time, does not mean the current occupants are low-income or receiving assistance.
Mark Gropper
Deputy Executive Director
Renton Housing Authority
PO Box 2316, 2900 NE 10th St. Renton WA 98056-0316
Check out the facts behind the rumors! And let common sense prevail in how you vote!
Laurie Finlayson
I do believe when they say that the careers of Fire Fighters could (read possibly) be at stake if you stay unincorporated, or if you incorporate in a seperate city. No matter what will have the same Fire commisioners and the same ecomic problems either way. The only way to keep the service level you have is to raise the benefit charge (a form of taxes). Annex to Renton, you may (again read: possibly) loose a Fire Fighter on your rig but you would become a part of a City with a higher Fire Fighting rating and a multi station Fire Department with several trucks available to respond. This is bettor then having a single station and a single Fire Truck and depend on other Fire Departments to help out.
For those that choose not to attend Fire Commissioner meetings (the meetings are open to the public). Back when Benson Hill was looking at annexing to Renton, the Fire Commissoners decided that contractig would be a better choice then going alone with a single Fire station.
David L McCammon
Benson Hill area of Renton
Post a Comment