Redmond residents are already over-taxed | Letter

Published 12:10 pm Friday, July 24, 2015

Vote “no” on Redmond propositions 1 and 2. Asking the already over-taxed residents to support a property tax increase to enhance public safety is a violation of public trust and decency.

Public safety has priority over all other needs, leaving levy votes for optional enhancements. Public safety is a given and not subject to levy votes. For almost eight years, Mayor Marchione has touted the merits and wonders of Budgeting by Priorities, which should have resulted in a budget that “lives within its means.” Budgeting by Priorities has failed as well as costing the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees and city staff time.

In addition, the City of Redmond informational piece (looked like a campaign brochure to me) on the propositions sent a couple of weeks ago states that the levy rate would only increase from $1.49 to $1.84 per $1,000 of assessed valuation or 0.35 percent. Looks small, but that is a 23.5 percent increase on top of the current rate. Taxes tend to be cumulative and build up fast — just look at your through-the-roof residential water and wastewater bill. These rates, as compared to eight years ago, are up an estimated 27 percent. So don’t be fooled by little numbers. They grow into big numbers very quickly.

In summary, Mayor Marchione is putting our public safety (neighborhoods, seniors and school resource to name a few) in jeopardy to make up for his failure to manage city resources. Redmond, given all the massive and ugly development projects and more extremely well-paying jobs than residents is simply a boom town by any standard with plenty of money to meet current needs. Vote “no” and send the mayor back to get it right — put public safety first and leave the extras for a levy vote.

Jim Robinson

Redmond City Council, 1992-2007