FAIRedmond

The Golden Goose - Sometimes it kicks back

2006-05-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

Editorial Page Editor James Vesely still doesn't get it. His "Power to tax rebuffed in two growing communities" [editorial column, May 21], regarding the "rebuff" by Redmond residents of a proposed property tax increase, was generally well-written; however, his ending paragraph shows that he still misses the point.

Mr. Vesely writes, "People just don't like their property taxes to rise, even as the value of their homes rise."

Our opposition had nothing to do with property taxes rising because of rising home values or assessed valuations. It had everything to do with questioning the reasonableness of a proposed 53.8 percent increase to fix poor city financial decision-making.

— Andre Pack, Redmond

Mayor Ives Hasn't Seen the Light (Yet)

2006-05-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

Recent letters appearing in the King County Journal illustrate that Mayor Ives clearly has not gotten the message delivered at the ballot box a few weeks ago when Redmond citizens rebuffed a 53.8% property tax increase.

Letter from Warren McKenzie in the May 28th edition
Letter from Renee Fondacaro in the May 31st edition

FAIR believes that Redmond desperately needs to undergo a Priorities in Government exercise to determine those things that Redmond should fund first and cut those less-important items in order to bring the expenditures into line with current revenues.

Mayor Ives seems unwilling to undertake this, but fortunately there are those on the Redmond City Council who are, so while it may take a while to really determine the right priorities, we believe that it can and must be done.

F.A.I.R.

Open Letter to Redmond City Council

2006-05-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Editor (King County Journal),

It is clear that Mayor Ives seems to be intent on punishing certain groups of voters for voting “NO” on Proposition 1 last Tuesday. Why else would she desire to wait for the demographics report on the vote to come back unless it was to penalize those who don’t share her luxury view of Redmond city government?

Again, she refuses to get the message of nearly two-thirds of Redmond voters which is: taxes are high enough; find another way to balance the budget.

In the last 10 of her 15 years at Redmond’s helm, the number of city employees has doubled. When the population has only grown 20% in that same stretch, there must be room to trim overhead.

It would seem that nothing short of the Redmond City Council standing up to Mayor Ives’ continued call for “revenue solutions” – a couple of members have already shown marked improvement in the wake of Proposition 1’s defeat – is going to cure Redmond’s fiscal problems. Revenue is not the problem, spending is!

Mayor Ives would do well to engage in the priorities in government exercise that truly scrutinizes expenditures against the city’s stated mission. And maybe the city’s mission is super-sized and should be carefully examined as well? The taxpayers have demanded it and now it’s time for our elected officials to execute on it.

David Carson
Financial Accountability in Redmond
Redmond, WA

Victory for the taxpayers of Redmond!

2006-05-17T16:32:00.000-07:00

The most recent results from King County Elections:

CITY OF REDMOND

Total Ballots Cast Registered Voters Percentage Turnout
6304 23983 26.29%

Poll Precincts Counted Total Poll Precincts Percentage Reported
60 60 100.00%

Proposition No. 1
Increase In Regular Property Tax Levy Rate

Position Votes Percentage
YES 2416 38.34%
NO 3886 61.66%

Well, the voters of Redmond spoke loudly and firmly at the ballot box yesterday: We can do better… and we will!

FAIRedmond will issue a statement on Thursday that will outline its thoughts on where the City of Redmond can balance the municipal needs of Redmond residents with the associated costs.

FAIRedmond

More coverage on today's election…

2006-05-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.kingcountyjournal.com/sited/story/html/257651

Excerpt:

In Redmond, the city's share of the property tax would increase by 65 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation, from $1.23 to $1.88 per $1,000, or a 53 percent increase.

Wouldn't it have been nice if the city's language would have been this unbiased? :)

FAIRedmond

Get out and vote NO today on Proposition 1

2006-05-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Get out and vote NO today on Proposition 1

If you didn't get a 53.8% salary increase this year, vote NO!
If you think there are better ways to build and finance a Taj MaCity Hall, vote NO!
If you think that Herman Miller furniture is above your means, vote NO!
If you think that Police and Fire protection should come FIRST, not as an afterthought, vote NO!
If you want to keep Redmond an affordable place to live, PLEASE vote NO!

Thanks!

Richard Grubb, former Redmond City Councilmember
André Pack, former planning commissioner
David Carson, community activist and long-time resident

Vote "NO" tomorrow on Proposition 1 in Redmond

2006-05-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's the big day and we think that we've made the case for opposing the massive tax increase that the City of Redmond has proposed. Truth be told, it shouldn't be on the ballot in its current form, but the judge didn't agree that the language was biased (which when you read it, you will see that it clearly is).

So, onto the campaign's merits we moved. A couple of disturbing questions that needs to be asked of every city councilmember:

If Redmond was in such dire straights, why didn't they take the 1% increases for the past several years? This would have helped keep up with rising healthcare costs for employees and made this huge jump not so huge. It's our contention that it was done this way specifically to generate sympathy for such a huge increase. Disgusting tactics, that's what it is!

Again, if Redmond is in such bad shape, clearly we could have seen this coming many years out (if those who are holding the reins of power had opened their eyes), so why when this situation became clear enough to call a special election to ask the voters for a 53.8% tax increase did the Mayor not curtail all of her travel (such as two conferences in Washington D.C. - one of which was with Microsoft)? She could have taken the short drive up 520 to talk to Microsoft, so I'm not in complete understanding of her thinking here. Also, if the city is destitute, why did they upgrade the budgeted furniture by taking a quarter of a million bucks from the contingency fund to upgrade to designer brand Herman Miller furniture?

Why will Redmond have a surplus this year of $1.3 million without this property tax increase?

So, when you go to the polls tomorrow (or send in your absentee), think about the case that's been made for increasing your property taxes so much and ask yourself if you got a 53.5% salary increase last year. Well, if you're the Mayor of Redmond you got a 21% ($30,000) increase, but it's still not 53.8%.

I also urge you to look at the For and Against statements here.

Thanks and I urge you to vote NO on May 16th on Proposition 1.

King County Journal Letters on Redmond Proposition 1

2006-05-13T01:48:00.000-07:00

Today former Redmond City Councilmember Tom Paine and David Carson – co-founding member of Financial Accountability In Redmond (FAIR) – were published in the King County Journal’s letters section. Mr. Paine’s article tried to rebuff the criticism of Redmond business owner Vicky Methved’s recent filing against the City of Redmond for illegally using city assets to support the levy.

F.A.I.R. completely supports Ms. Methved’s accurate portrayal of how the city has acted in this short campaign. Mr. Paine sounds defensive and then he goes on to threaten many events that are held in Redmond that might be impacted by non-passage of Proposition 1. This is exactly the tactic that David Carson mentioned in his article that was published directly following Paine’s. One thing you have to say is that Mayor Ives plays the political games to win.

So, this has apparently become personal now with Mayor Ives (on her part) and she is willing to direct city staff to do whatever is necessary to win this huge tax increase. She absolutely must be incensed that there is a group of citizens that dares challenge her leadership and authority on city matters.

Frankly, it’s not that we don’t love Redmond; rather it’s that we love Redmond enough not to leave it as we may not be able to afford the privilege if this increase passes on Tuesday.

F.A.I.R.

Redmond's officers and firefighters shouldn't have to beg

2006-05-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

Isn't it outrageous that the services that are supposed to be the most important are the first to be sacrificed in the event of a shortfall? On second thought, it's not ridiculous. It's either insanity (it's doubtful that the council and the mayor could all be insane) or it's a tactic to preserve programs that are less important by threatening those that have the most significance to residents of Redmond every day: police and fire protection. That's exactly what Redmond has proposed and it should be resisted by the voters.

That those who protect our city are groveling for your support in public is disgusting and unseemly. We should never be placing the necks of our police and firefighters on the proverbial chopping block to save the programs that could be trimmed or eliminated. We cannot risk those vital services because those are a matter of life and death. Priorities? Aren't police and fire protection the most essential services that any city can provide? Should it not be fully-funded to keep Redmond a great place to live?

There were those on Redmond's city council who wanted to build and finance the city hall differently, but the responsibility for this debacle lies squarely in that body. However, Redmond's residents should not be punished for their serious lack of financial sense. Redmond doesn't have a revenue shortfall (revenues continue to rise significantly above inflation), it has a surplus of spending. I urge a NO vote on Proposition 1 on May 16th.

David Carson
Redmond

Our Reasons for voting against Redmond's Proposition 1

2006-05-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Vote NO on Proposition 1

FAIRedmond is asking you to vote NO on the proposed City property tax increase on May 16

THE CITY WANTS TO INCREASE YOUR LOCAL PROPERTY TAX RATE BY 53.8% IN 2007.

However, the City is NOT willing to publicly commit to fully funding police and fire shortfalls if property owners approve the increase.

The tax increase is NOT mostly for public safety. According to the City’s own documents, much less than one-half of the increase will be spent on police and fire services.

This increase is the first of many. City documents indicate additional property tax increases beyond 2007, as well as major business and utility tax increases.

Other taxing agencies such as the county, port and state will be watching this election closely. If Proposition 1 passes, look out for big tax increases from them as well.

The City admits it is “heavily dependent on growth” to fund services. Yet there seems to be no planning for what happens when growth slows, except to balance budgets on the backs of property owners and renters.

The City is not able to live within its means and is growing city government at an amazing pace. Administrative costs are projected to increase 25% annually over the foreseeable future.

The new city hall was built without voter approval for bonds when interest rates were at historic lows. It was built as a public/private partnership and leased back to the City.

If the City was in such dire economic straits, why didn’t it wait till things improved before building a new $36 million city hall, for which it will pay $72 million over the course of its lease?

DON’T BE FRIGHTENED BY CITY THREATS OF CUTBACKS TO POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES. The City’s own budget document states that…”the City’s finances have been holding their own in a sluggish economy”… AND WE ALL KNOW THE ECONOMY IS IMPROVING.

We believe the City needs to step back and re-prioritize. WE FAVOR A SPECIAL LEVY TARGETED TO FUND ONLY POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES.

The City needs to learn how to live within its means the same way that taxpayers do. Did you get a 53.8% increase in your salary this year?

TELL THE CITY TO KEEP ITS HANDS OUT OF YOUR POCKETS, VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATE INCREASE.

For more info contact Andre Pack at (425) 869-2995 or go to http://fairedmond.blogspot.com/ or email FAIRedmond@hotmail.com

Send donations to Financial Accountability in Redmond (F.A.I.R) at 2715 – 185th Ave. NE, Redmond, WA 98052

Some Prejudice Found in Redmond Levy Ballot Title

2006-04-18T12:04:00.000-07:00

Press Release:

Yesterday in King County Superior Court, Judge Dean Lum decided that some of the language of the Redmond levy lid lift ballot title was too prejudicial and required the city to make changes for the May 16th vote. FAIR believes that more extensive changes are merited under the law and after consultation with our attorneys is certain that upon appeal we will prevail in having further changes mandated. We are considering all of our options in this regard.

FAIR will continue to make the case to the voters of Redmond that a 53.8 % tax increase is outrageous and merely demonstrates the lack of fiscal responsibility of the city government. Redmond has consistently refused to engage in an appropriate "priorities in government" exercise and instead is determined to continue to tax and spend. The city has shown distain for the citizens of Redmond when the new Taj Ma City Hall was built without a vote of the people and now operational dollars are being used to pay for it instead of issuing capital improvement bonds at a much better interest rate.

"From the way Redmond decided what to build and how to finance the new City Hall to the shortened timeframe that they've used to put this on the ballot, Redmond has sought to keep the feelings of normal residents to a minimum and fly this under the radar" said FAIR committee member David Carson. "We will be making sure that our friends and neighbors in Redmond understand the size, scope of the tax increase and the lack of sound financial management in our city. We cannot allow unsound practices to be rewarded by giving this city so much more money to squander."

FAIR will make this a vigorous debate that currently has the mayor, current and former city council members lining up to jack up property taxes on Redmond taxpayers.

See the King County Journal article regarding the decision.

See the Seattle Times article regarding the decision.

FAIR

King County Journal: Mayor Ives won’t back down from Ballot Title language

2006-04-16T02:34:00.000-07:00

Mayor Rosemarie Ives says that the Ballot Title submitted by the City of Redmond is factual and that she will fight changing the language for the May 16th special election to approve a property tax levy that would increase Redmond’s take by 53.8%.

Read the King County Journal article.

See Mayor Ives' press release in response to FAIR's court challenge to the Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement that Redmond submitted.

FAIR

Citizens Get Day in Court versus City of Redmond

2006-04-16T02:24:00.000-07:00

Redmond - April 16, 2006

A bi-partisan group of citizens will have their day in court Monday when King County Superior Court Judge Dean Lum will conduct a hearing on the challenge to Redmond’s proposed Ballot Title and Explanatory Statement for the 53.8% property tax levy hike set for the May 16th special election ballot.

FAIR – Financial Accountability In Redmond – filed the suit April 7th, 2006 citing bias and technical reasons why the proposed language should be rejected in favor of unbiased language and the brevity required by state law.

The hearing is scheduled for 1:30pm on April 17 in Judge Lum’s courtroom in the King County Courthouse (516 Third Avenue, Room E-713) in Seattle.

FAIR is a registered political action committee formed to oppose the levy proposal in Redmond that would increase the city’s levy rate 53.8% ($1.88 from $1.23 per $1000 assessed value). Among the founding members of FAIR are a former Redmond City Council member, former planning commission member and community activists.

KCJ Letter to Editor: Redmond tax hike: Mayor, council responsible

2006-04-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

[Link to article not available due to the King County Journal's website changes.]

After years of increasing property values, increasing population (both residents and employers' head counts) and admittedly modestly increasing levy rates (which mean growing revenue), Redmond's leadership has decided that the city is in a financial emergency and that a whopping 53.8 percent property tax increase levy proposal is necessary and will be placed on the May 16 ballot.

The increase is either necessary to continue current services because the mayor and council have been neglecting the city's balance sheet for years and only now see a massive shortfall on the horizon. Or Mayor Ives has been allowed to spend unchecked in past budget cycles on new programs and building a new Taj MaCity Hall. Redmond citizens are now being held hostage with the threats that vital services will be cut if the levy increase is not passed.

Whichever is the case, Mayor Ives and the City Council bear the responsibility for this fiasco. My prediction is that if this is passed by the voters, the increased revenue will be used to grow city government instead of being used for service maintenance.

Cities like Bellevue, which also built a new City Hall, and Kirkland have not significantly raised taxes compared to Redmond while keeping their vital services intact. How can it be that Redmond finds itself in this position? It all comes down to leadership or the lack thereof. It's time for Redmond to cut the fat and give us a leaner, healthier city government.

David Carson
Redmond

FAIR Starts Taking Donations for Campaign and Legal Battle

2006-04-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

The organization is growing and we are doing neighborhood meetings to spread the word about the City of Redmond’s ballot measure that will be voted on May 16th that would raise the city’s take of property taxes by 53.8%. The average homeowner in Redmond can expect at least a $500 increase in their total bill.

FAIR needs your help in opposing the Ballot Title. We are expecting the legal fight to take between $2000 and $5000 to wage. The campaign against it is in addition to the legal challenge. Please consider this an investment in affordable housing – your own.

The city needs to sharpen their pencils and find some non-essential programs to trim and come back with a proposal that doesn’t tax people out of their homes.

Please click the link to the right to donate online with a credit card or you’re your PayPal account.

If you wish to send a check, you can mail it to:

F.A.I.R.
2715 185th Avenue NE
Redmond, WA 98052

Note: in order to properly report contributions, please include your Name, Address, Phone, Occupation and Employer.

F.A.I.R. Files Appeal of Redmond's Proposed Levy Ballot Title

2006-04-06T14:55:00.000-07:00

F.A.I.R.

Financial Accountability In Redmond

Contact: Richard Grubb
F.A.I.R.
Phone (425) 883-7629
Email: FAIRedmond@hotmail.com
Web: http://FAIRedmond.blogspot.com
Full copy of the challenge filing

53.8% Property Tax Increase Faces First Legal Challenge

Redmond – April 4, 2006 – Financial Accountability In Redmond, FAIR, a bipartisan coalition of concerned citizens, today asked the King County Superior Court to throw out the loaded and biased language of Redmond’s referendum to increase property taxes a massive 53.8%.

“The citizens of Redmond deserve a fair and open debate about such a huge increase, as well as the management decisions, government priorities and horse trading that got us into this mess,” said Richard Grubb, spokesman for FAIR, long-time Redmond resident, and former city council member. He continued, “the Ballot Title and the Explanatory Statement submitted by the city seek to bias and interfere with the debate. State law is very clear that the city must remain neutral. We have simply asked the court to order Redmond to comply with the law.” FAIR expects that the city will play with the numbers and advance many rationalizations for such a huge increase. They do not want a debate about the lack of fiscal responsibly by the executive or oversight by the city council. The law (RCW 29A.36. 090) says that the Ballot Title and the Explanatory Statement are off limits to that kind of spin.

This huge 53.8% tax hike is not earmarked for police or fire. It is an increase in the general fund. There are no guarantees that any amount of money will be spent on these critical priorities. Even if the mayor follows through on her stated intentions only about a third of the money collected from this historic tax increase will be spent on public safety. FAIR has no doubt that much of the rest will find its way into spending to grow city government. We will continue to live beyond our means and the city will be back all too soon for another big tax increase.

Redmond is promoting this 53.8% increase as a “public safety” and basic service levy. Why is it that we pay our police and fire with the last dollar, after the mayor’s travel, the new city hall, glossy magazines, a PR spin department etc? Keeping the citizens of Redmond safe is the paramount responsibility of the city government. Police officers and firefighters are the front line. The city should not be using them as props to advance a massive tax increase. They deserve better. The first dollar of tax revenue should be spent on police and fire, not the last!

This unconscionable increase, which will cause hardship for many people, defeats the very concept of affordable housing and rewards unsustainable management practices and should be defeated. Our police and fire must not be held hostage. Redmond should have undertaken a “priorities in government” exercise, such as the one the state used two years ago to close a budget gap without raising taxes. Redmond also needs an independent audit by the state auditor with the results made available to the taxpayers. Meanwhile we need to fully fund police and fire.

FAIR is urging Redmond citizens to Vote NO on the 53.8% tax increase.