More Islanders express their opinions about the Mercer Island Center for the Arts (MICA).
Parks petition is not right way to approach issue
I recently received the “Protect our Parks” petition and reviewed it carefully before coming to a decision. As someone who lives next to a park (Clarke Beach) that had its own controversy, I am very interested in how parks are treated, preserved and used.
I wish the Protect our Parks petition had not over-reached in trying to ensure that the city does the right thing. Like many people who live here (since 1992), I have reason to be skeptical about how the Mercer Island city government analyzes, negotiates and reaches decisions on land use, zoning and permissions. We need additional citizen oversight and participation married to additional transparency and communication by the city. After years of giveaways to developers, ill-considered bond initiatives and half-thought out plans, we have come to doubt the city’s ability to make decisions unless these are back-stopped by the people who live here. It is a democracy, so that’s not a bad thing.
I understand the first two clauses of the petition: public hearings and a definitive, analytically and politically transparent stand that there is no reasonable alternative to diminishing park land. But the third clause, demanding an exchange of proximate land, seems punitive, aimed at stopping the Mercer Island Center for the Arts (MICA) specifically (since there is no “in the vicinity” land to give back as park).
The petition and its “separated at birth” analog, the “Decline to Sign” group, are using the parks petitions as a proxy for the real issue: Is turning this specific land into a large footprint building without dedicated parking a good use and for the benefit of an adequate segment of the population.
Like many, I don’t think the city’s elected officials have demonstrated that they have the ability to make a good decision nor is there clarity on the size of the building and the impact on the neighborhood and downtown center.
I have my doubts — and doubts as to whether there aren’t alternatives or even if this is a good idea on its own merits. But this petition is not, in my opinion, the right way to approach attaining the right level of analysis, debate, citizen input and decision-making process. Hopefully, we can attain the right analysis, input and transparency without needing it.
Irwin Goverman
Mercer Island
MICA is a public charity
In response to the letters from Meg Lippert (Sept. 28) and Peter Struck (Oct. 12), I would like to clarify that Mercer Island Center for the Arts is a public charity, not a “private organization.” MICA was incorporated as a Washington state nonprofit corporation on Dec. 5, 2013 and was formally recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization on Sept. 8, 2014. This makes MICA a public charity, identical to great local organizations such as Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Symphony, both of which incorporated as Washington state nonprofit corporations and then obtained 501(c)3 status with the IRS. Each of these organizations received tremendous governmental support to overcome the political, administrative and procedural issues to build their facilities. I have been privileged to serve as general counsel to both these icons. As 501(c)3 public charity organizations, contributions received from donors are tax deductible.
MICA should also not be confused with another type of charity known as a private foundation. The IRS divides 501(c)3 organizations into two types: public charities and private foundations. MICA, like SAM and the Symphony, are known as public charities because the public supports them. To quote the IRS, public charities are those with an “active program of fundraising and [that] receive contributions from many sources, including the general public, governmental agencies, corporations, private foundations or other public charities. Private foundations, on the other hand, typically have a single major source of funding.”
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is a wonderful example of a private foundation. MICA is a public charity, not a private foundation.
Those who oppose MICA use the label “private” seemingly to insinuate some nefarious conspiracy or personal financial interest by MICA’s Board. Our board is made up of 18 Mercer Island citizens volunteering their time and effort to add to the quality of life on Mercer Island. Not a single one of us has anything personal to gain over any other citizen of our city with the creation of MICA. You can make a tax-deductible donation to the public charity by becoming a Friend of MICA at www.MercerIslandArts.org/friends or visit our office at 7710 SE 29th St.
Thanks for your support.
Bernel Goldberg
MICA Board Member
