On Tuesday, staff will present a report on flood prevention and surface water management to Council; it’s full of prejudicial myopic malarkey.
We need surface water management. Who pays for it? Currently, Kirkland property owners pay $14.86 per month. The money goes into the general fund. Council can spend it on political whims. At least, most of the money goes toward managing our surface water program.
Most taxpayers don't understand what WRIA 8 means (Water Resource Inventory Area) much less how much it cost and who gets it. Kirkland pays $26,211 per year for ILA (Interlocal Agreement) services. The commission is not elected. Our money leaves Kirkland.
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Improving the quality of water going into the Lake is important; however putting spawning gravel along the shores where Salmon do not spawn is a waste of money. Most of the information is already known.
There is a reason that surface water from Kirkland has not been or is not being tested; the minute mount of pollutants affecting the Lake hasn't warranted the additional expense of unnecessary studies especially if the Feds reduce funds resulting from the sequester. Kirkland’s good and getting better at surface water management. It’s justification to pull out of the ILA.
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If Kirkland can be proven its part of the Salmon solution, then we should accept our responsibility. If not, then the only reason for Kirkland being part of the ILA is because rich Kirkland has deep pockets.
Money, about $1.9M, that’s going toward flood prevention also goes into the general fund which can be used for Council whims. We only get back about 10% ($190,000) of the million plus we pay to outside agencies. We need a better return on our money.
The amount we pay is based on wealth, not on accountability. It probably was the DOT design for Totem Lake that caused the flooding. Kent-Auburn-Renton-King County and the State caused flooding. Probably the DOT did. Since Kirkland is a rich city with good funding, the DOT is passing the buck if we allow them to not help with funding. Again, the amount we pay is based on wealth, not on accountability.
Page 1 of the report includes a quote by Mr. Kemmis 2001. He said, “Solving shared problems together on behalf of a shared place is essence of Democracy.” He’s wrong. It’s the essence of Socialism, not Democracy.
If we are to be a Democracy, then Kirkland elected official's first responsibility is to the citizens of Kirkland. Civil Libertarian James Bovard said, “Democracy must be more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.” Council, start howling.
Robert L. Style