October 2008

The Pro-Parks Levy is expiring this year. The Pro-Parks Levy funded the acquisition of the two lots that are being transformed into Ballard's newest park. The levy also supplied $150,000 toward the development of the park. That money is funding our Phase 1 construction.

In the process of helping to create Ballard Corners Park, I have been excited by the involvement of the community. It's been wonderful to see all the folks turn out for our design workshops and the playground installation.

Like many of you, I received my ballot in the mail recently and want to urge you to go all the way to the bottom and vote Yes on Seattle Proposition 2 to continue investing in parks and open space as our city continues to grow and become more dense.

We also recently received our Voters' Pamphlet, and I thought a response to the wildly misleading opposition statement was in order.

As a forward-thinking voter, I'll vote Yes because I know from experience how hard it is to acquire open space in a fast growing, underserved neighborhood like Ballard during a boom cycle, and th

You know, I'm not in a great mood to have more useless taxes heaped on me. I've lost a ton in my 401k recently and frankly, I'm in a very foul mood when it come to giving up more of my hard earn money.

I've just voted no on all the levies. I'm sure it won't do any good in this spendthrift city. How about giving us working Joe a break for a change. These politicians are so out of touch with reality. I don't have unlimited amount of money for their

childhood train infatuation.

Martin Wayss

West Seattle

charter amendments

There are a few strange King County Charter Amendments on the ballot for our consideration in the Nov. 4th general election. All quotes used below come from explanatory statements and statements in favor for the Amendments, printed in the Voters Pamphlet.

Amendment 3, Regional Committees: seeks to replace the Democratic principle of one person, one vote with a two-fer.

with longboards

First let me say that I have longboarded the hills in West Seattle for many years and had a ton of fun doing so. I have been cited for longboarding but it has never held up in court. I could not agree more with what was said "if anyone is moving faster than 15 mph then they should be on the road." (Skateboard story, Oct. 15).

We need to share the road with longboards the same way we are supposed to with bikes. If we had bike lanes on every street (like Portland) drivers would always be on alert for non-motorized citizens.

Two years ago I commented on Jim McDermott's defense of the current Social Security system when George Bush proposed privatization. At that time, McDermott was on the defense. Now he's on offense and coming after our hard-earned savings. I ask this of my fellow West Seattleites who plan to re-elect him.

These Seattle residents have everything to be concerned about (cellular antennas, West Seattle Herald, Oct. 22). I live in a neighbourhood in Vancouver, B.C., where I am surrounded by three buildings with antennas on them and I have become electrohypersensitive because of the antennas.

My sleep is fragmented and disturbed, I have vertigo, constant ringing in my ears, warm in the extremities.

Your Oct. 22 editorial began, "Views are Sacred in West Seattle ...' yet your paper was silent on notifying your readers of the major demolition and subsequent expansion proposed by The Kenney.

Only in the "On the Go" section was the project mentioned (not highlighted) under Design Review. This project proposes to tear down the 1909 structure and cupola, the apartments on the west side, the three story building along Fauntleroy and the duplexes at the south end.

Last year, we urged readers to oppose Proposition 1, the regional transportation package that was placed on the November '07 ballot. That $18 billion measure, including $7 billion for roads and most of the rest for light rail, was soundly defeated.

In January I became the chair of the Seattle City Council Parks and Seattle Center Committee. What I have seen in the last nine months is men, women and children, throughout Seattle building parks and restoring our streams and greenbelts.

What brings a new park to life is the vision and energy of people in the neighborhood, a lot of persistence and hard work and funding from the city's current Pro-Parks levy.

In West Seattle we have a recent good example.

Ercolini Park located at 48th Avenue Southwest and Alaska was dedicated in July.