The City of Burien plans to let the people who are residents of the area proposed for annexation (North Highline) vote on the annexation.

However, the people of Burien are not allowed a vote even though the annexation will result in a significant increase in their property taxes (and probably other taxes, too).

On July 5, I sent a letter to Burien's City Council telling them that the people of Burien are entitled to vote on the tax increase, and the vote should occur before the annexation vote.

After all, if the people of Burien vote against the tax increase, then there would be no reason to have the annexation vote. Nor would there be any reason for Burien to waste more of the taxpayers' money working on annexation.

From what Burien has written in their newsletters and from what I've read in the Highline Times, it appears that Burien has no intention of letting the current residents vote on the annexation tax increase.

In the past several years, the people have passed two initiatives requiring a vote of the people if government is proposing or expecting a significant tax increase.

It appears that Burien intends to ignore the Will of the people and has apparently decided to tax the people anyway (assuming the annexation vote passes). In a democracy, Government is required to follow the Will of the people.

The people have made it very clear that they want a vote for any significant tax increase.

If City of Burien officials don't want to follow the Will of the people, then those officials should immediately resign. If they fail to resign, then it is the responsibility of the voters to vote them out of office.

The people don't have to put up with this kind of Government crap!

Gary H. Atwood

Burien