King County Elections mailed the general election ballots on Oct. 19, and within the document exists a Mercer Island parks levy lid lift for voters’ consideration.

A simple majority is required for passage of the levy renewal Proposition No. 1, which received the final push from the Mercer Island City Council to be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot a full year early. Council adopted an ordinance to confirm the placement at its July 19 meeting.

In asking council at its June 7 meeting to consider the potential early placement of the levy, City Manager Jessi Bon noted in a previous Reporter article: “We just put a considerable amount of time into your PROS (Parks, Recreation and Open Space) Plan, which really helped inform our levy recommendation, and we are ready to go now.”

If the new 16-year levy passes, it will take effect on Jan. 1, 2023. Bon added that if the levy fails to pass, the current levy will still stand and the city could possibly repackage the proposal and include it on a 2023 ballot, according to the Reporter story from June.

The replacement levy funds parks and open spaces operations and maintenance, Luther Burbank Park, forest restoration at Pioneer Park and Engstrom Open Space, playground replacements and more.

By the numbers, a Proposition No. 1 approval increases the parks levy from $980,122 in 2022 to $1,629,322 in 2023 and sets the maximum city property tax levy rate at $0.862/$1,000 for 2023, according to the King County Elections site and a city report. Those documents added that qualifying seniors, veterans and other residents are exempt.

City attorney Bio Park reported at a previous city council meeting that the proposition is estimated to cost the owner of a median-valued $2,375,000 home $18.94 per month in 2023, which is an estimated increase of $7.55 per month compared to the current parks levy in 2022.

The elections site and voters’ pamphlet features Proposition No. 1 pro and con statements and rebuttals, which were penned by residents and forwarded by the city to elections officials in August.

The pro statement asks voters to help preserve and enhance the Island’s parks and playgrounds.

“Proactive planning will ensure that our playgrounds are safe, up-to-date, and accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all of our residents,” the vote-yes statement reads, in part, adding that, “This parks levy will provide for care of our city parks and open spaces, replacement of aging playgrounds across the Island, and continuing native plant restoration at Pioneer Park and Engstrom Open Space.”

On the opposition side, it is stated that the unrestricted levy creates a slush fund for park and non-park uses.

The vote-no statement also reads, in part, “We already have a Parks Levy through December 2023, so why vote another levy that begins January 2023 at 66% more per year than the current levy? The City Council wants to lock in a bloated, 16-year levy through 2038 worth $26 million before Islanders feel the pain of double-digit inflation.”

To read the full pro and con statements, visit https://tinyurl.com/45nz6ajr.

According to King County Elections, ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8 or returned by 8 p.m. on election day to one of its ballot drop box locations, including one at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center (8236 SE 24th St.). Up until the election day deadline, drop boxes will be open 24 hours, seven days a week.

King County Elections will post the initial round of results by 8:15 p.m. on Nov. 8.