Some proponents of annexation continue to confuse and misinform the public, as witnessed by a letter in the Times/News, Aug. 22.

Chris Reed claims that Burien annexation is less costly (to Burien) than Seattle annexation. Perhaps Mr. Reed would care to read the Berk & Assoc. memo to which he refers. On p. 2, and again on p. 7, it clearly indicates that in year 2025 the deficit for Burien annexation is 40 percent greater than for Seattle annexation, just as we reported. Furthermore, the graphs on pp. 12 and 13 show the Burien annexation deficit growth to be 40 percent faster than if Seattle annexes.

Mr. Reed fails to note that the Burien deficits projected by Berk & Assoc. are only for the operating budget. The capital budget, which contains the vast majority of the shortfall, is omitted from the analysis. When the capital deficit is added to the operating deficit, by our calculation the yearly shortfall in year 2025 is approximately $25 million, and growing!

With regard to police services, we strongly recommend that a study of our present contractual arrangement with King County be analyzed against that of a municipal system. Response times are not acceptable under the current system, and the new town center will impose more demands on an already taxed system. Dedicated police forces are not unusual; of 30 cities of the size of Burien, 28 have municipal police services (at considerable cost savings to what we pay). It is notable that there is no analysis on which to base a decision, either for or against, and a professional study of the situation has not even been ordered.

BRAA has worked to provide accurate, meaningful information to the annexation discussion. For example, our analysis of the budget deficits has held up to scrutiny. Our exposure of the City's underestimate of annexation costs resulted in their restatement of those costs to reveal a higher deficit estimate by millions of dollars.

We believe that the gravity of the proposed measures require that everything be put on the table with all necessary information, so that Burien citizens can feel that the right decisions are being made for the right reasons. Sadly, these conditions are not a current reality.

John Oliger

Vice President

Burien Residents

Against Annexation