The problem with dealing with government is getting it to do what we, the voters and citizens want and not what someone "downtown" wants done. It is one of those never-ending struggles that frustrates both groups, the cash-strapped man and woman resident of Seattle, and the hard-working and decicated elected officials and their staffs.

In Seattle, all too often, there is very little light between the mayor and his quirky announce-a-new-plan-a-minute way of operating and the often slow, plodding ways of the City Council. When some light and some initiative is shown by the Council, it can actually lead to progress.

The Council's Parks and Seattle Center Committee is chaired by Tom Rasmussen, a council member from West Seattle now entering his second term. He says in an Op-Ed on this page that there have been a flurry of e-mails over concerns that Webster Playground in Ballard would slip into private hands. That and a concern that the end of the Pro-Parks levy this year would bring to a halt the acquisition of new parks and fixing up the ones the city already owns.

He has led the council to developing a new plan to seek public support to continue the Pro-Parks levy.

We applaud Rasmussen for the work and the idea, one supported by a lot of community activists and citizens.

But we do not know, and the Council does not know yet whether this is a good idea, and if it is whether citizens in this down economy will be willing to support continuing a tax on themselves.

The mayor has already said no to continuing the Pro-Parks levy. He proposes that voters be asked to support a $75 million overhaul of the Park Place Market and neaby Victor Steinbrueck Park. A six-year levy would fix and clean up elevators, rest rooms, provide seismic and electrical upgrades, improve heating and ventilation systems and rebuild the so-called "hill climb" on the water side.

Some in communities wonder why voters should support fixing up a downtown facility that draws thousands of tourist dollars each year. We have heard some suggest that deep-pocket developers who own the market property should use their money and not ask us in West Seattle or Ballard to chip in.

We often differ with the mayor on his initiatives, but those who think only private money should go into the Pike Place Market are missing the mayor's good point. This is a public, historic part of Seattle - how many of us take first-time, even repeat visitors, to the market? We will await more details on the mayor's program, but it appears worthy of support.

But so does a new Pro-Parks levy. We will also wait for details on Rasmussen and the City Council study on a new levy proposal before we sign on. It also has the potential for being a big winner for all those who believe Seattle should continue to be green the old-fashioned way, with parks and open space.

We will eagerly await developments.

- Jack Mayne