Letter: Multiple Levies Would Add to Tax Burden In Tough Times

Dear Editor,

Multiple levies are adding up.

If the County's new finger printing identification system is as important as it should be, then why doesn't the County Council fund it from existing revenues? The money is there. All the Council needs to do is spend it on this essential service before they spend the money on something else.

But no, the County Council would rather put this issue on the ballot instead of something that would be hard to justify as an essential county service. The levy allows their Council to balance their budget at our expense. It also frees up $119 million dollars over 6 years for the Council to use as they seem fit. Evidently, it's not on safety.

In Kirkland, if Prop 1 & 2 passes along with this levy, the average homeowner can expect to see another $21 dollars per year added to the $150 per year they will have to pay year, after year, after year for at least 6 years. The total will be $172 dollars per year at a time we need the money to pay for our Cost of Living. The meager 1.7% increase in SS payments will not cover the increases in SS cost and Medicare Parts A and B.

After 6 years, the County levy may go away.  Don't count on it.  You can expect to see efforts to continue and possibly increase the tax burden on our citizens.

We have to balance our budgets also. To add to our tax burden at a time of economic uncertainty is a failure of the Council to meet the needs of its citizens. Additional taxes decrease our quality of life especially if they are not necessary as in the case of Kirkland and possibly the County.

Multiple levies add to our tax burden.  Councils need to meet the needs of citizens without adding to our tax burden.  The Council and Kirkland ballot measures deserve a NO vote on what has become multiple levies on property owners.

-Robert L. Style, Kirkland