Seattle is best choice

By Richard Conlin

On Monday, Dec. 17, the City Council voted to retain North Highline as a Potential Annexation Area in Seattle's Comprehensive Plan, by rejecting an amendment that would have stricken the Potential Annexation Area designation, by the same 6 to 3 margin that approved the designation in 2006 (Councilmembers Drago, Rasmussen, and Steinbrueck supported the amendment striking the Potential Annexation Area).

At the same meeting, the Council unanimously approved an agreement with the King County Library District that would turn over to the City two branch libraries and $2 million in operating funds if the annexation proceeds. This agreement is the first step in putting together a financial plan for the potential annexation that would ensure that residents of the annexed area would receive quality services without placing an undue burden on Seattle's financial resources.

The City will continue to proceed carefully over the coming months to develop the full financial plan along with appropriate agreements with affected utilities and other interested local governments. A key step forward would be extension to Seattle of the state sales tax credit already authorized by the Legislature for all other Washington cities for annexation expenses, legislation that passed the State House in 2007 but has not yet been approved by the State Senate.

When these processes have been concluded, the City is committed to then asking the voters of North Highline whether they would like to be annexed. While there is clearly substantial support for annexation to Seattle, the voters should have the opportunity to make a choice.

North Highline voters are likely to support annexation to Seattle, because Seattle is in the best position to provide good services to the North Highline area, and the area would integrate well with the adjacent Seattle communities. Under the Growth Management Act, all urbanized unincorporated areas must annex to cities or incorporate.

Seattle annexation is the most responsible way to ensure that the spirit and letter of the Growth Management Act are carried out. North Highline residents and businesses would benefit from Seattle's lower property tax rate (Seattle's current property tax rate is levied at $9.28 per $1,000 assessed value, compared to $11.59 in Burien and $11.98 in King County). Seattle would benefit by bringing into the City a diverse community with considerable affordable housing that would thrive economically under Seattle's progressive and fiscally responsible policies.

Seattle City Councilman Richard Conlin may be reached at richard.conlin@seattle.gov