I think it is important to send a message to the Redmond City Council that we need to consider existing residents and safety before engaging in large-scale spending associated with new development.
The City of Redmond has directed a large amount of capital in areas that are close in proximity and appear to benefit areas of new development. While requiring maintenance of existing infrastructure, police and fire department improvements are to be funded by raising taxes on existing residents.
In the past few years, the City of Redmond has directed:
1. Almost $9 million improving Cleveland Street in front of the newly developed apartments. That is the major improvement on Cleveland Street and without a doubt, it is the highest end section of road in the entire Eastside. Who benefits that most from that improvement? The developers, owners and residents of those apartments.
2. Almost $5 million building a sidewalk behind those same newly developed apartments to link them to town center. That sidewalk was built even before the apartment complex was completed. Who benefits that most from that improvement? The developers, owners and residents of those apartments.
3. Almost $2 million improving sidewalks behind the post office. Who benefits that most from that improvement? I have no idea, I rarely see anyone walking on them.
4. Almost $9 million improving 116th Street to accommodate the new development. If you happen to drive along 116th, you will see notice a higher-end road development with the widest and nicest curved sidewalks in all of Redmond (except for the sidewalks behind the new development on Cleveland Street). Who benefits most from those improvements? The developers and owners of those properties.
5. Almost $15 million improving wastewater management required for the new development in downtown Redmond. I am not sure if this is a loan, but I hope so. When I built my house on Education Hill in 1994, I was presented with a bill twice a year because by building a new house, I increased wastewater needs of the area and I had to pay for that.
6. Almost $1 million improving a crosswalk on 51st near 520. How can improving a single crosswalk cost $1 million?
We seem to have money for these items (I am sure there are more), which seem to be benefiting new development in Redmond, but when it comes time for “important” items for the people who have lived here, paid taxes and built the city, we don’t have the money and need to raise taxes on the existing residents. An argument could be made that new development is requiring existing residents to pay higher taxes to maintain existing levels of lifestyle. Now, City Council wants to spend a whole bunch more money turning our one-way streets into two-way streets. Who is that going to benefit?
We already have a levy from 2007 that was supposed to be used for police, fire and park improvements that was required because of growth. The increase in police and fire support (in terms of head count) is very marginal. What is being done with that money? We have several new parks downtown near new development, but we don’t have the money to fix up parks in established neighborhoods.
The City Council is telling us we need these important things. Well, if they are important, why are they not first in the budget? Why does adequate police and fire coverage rank behind a sidewalk behind new apartments?
The danger in the manner in which City Council is approaching providing residents with fire and police coverage, is that the residents of Redmond can say “no.” Wouldn’t that be nice? We have a wonderful new Cleveland Street and a sidewalk surrounding the new development, but it isn’t safe to walk on at night and heaven forbid if there is a fire.
It’s time to tell City Council: put priorities first; “nice to have” second; make development pay for itself; look after existing residents first and stop asking existing residents to pay more money to maintain infrastructure, police and fire coverage at existing levels.
Brent Schmaltz
Redmond
