There are many important decisions facing Mercer Island voters this election season. As you carefully make your choices at the national, state and county level, please don’t overlook an important local issue that will impact Islanders for many years to come — our parks bond and levy.

We are voting twice this year on parks. The first, our parks levy, replaces the current levy for operations and maintenance of Luther Burbank Park while providing increased maintenance for Pioneer Park and Open Spaces, as well as scheduling and maintenance for ballfields located at our local schools.

The parks bond will fund needed improvements for Luther Burbank, ballfields and Mary Wayte Pool, repairs and upgrades to our swim beaches, the creation of a small dog off-leash area and enhancements to our Island network of trails.

These measures, taken together, ensure that Mercer Island will be able to both adequately maintain and operate our parks while repairing and improving them in critical and important ways.

We need 60 percent approval to successfully pass the parks bond. Please join me in voting yes and yes for parks!

Terry Pottmeyer