Vote for fiscal responsibility

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Mercer Island appears to be weathering the current recession in better shape than possibly any other government in our state. Taxes have not been increased, essential services have not been reduced, the Rainy Day fund has not been tapped, our bond rating — one of the best in the country for cities — is still intact, and important community groups such as Youth Theatre Northwest were given temporary help to enable them to survive the crisis. I have been particularly impressed with the way of the difficult but pragmatic negotiations with Allied Waste, where both sides have worked long and hard to come to a fair agreement for the foreseeable future. I truly appreciate the tightrope that Dan Grausz and his fellow Councilmembers have walked.

I have recently learned that Ira Appelman wants to spend between $1.5 and $3.0 million, almost the entire annual capital budget of the city, on a traffic light at Merrimount and Island Crest Way. This is particularly perplexing as I believe that spending millions on the traffic light will greatly slow traffic and do nothing to solve the serious safety problems on Island Crest Way south of Merrimount.

This election will make a difference — a difference between fiscal responsibility and fiscal recklessness. We all need to vote to keep Dan Grausz working for us on effective, pragmatic and fiscally responsible programs to ensure that the city is well positioned today and in the future.

Ellen A. Canaday