James Toomey
Island Forum
The 105-day 2007 Legislative session ended in Olympia 10 days ago. The results brought joy, relief and the inevitable disappointments — and a long list of what needs to be done next time.
For some time, we have heard that our young people are stressed, depressed and prone to engage in risky behavior. We hear frightening statistics about how often students are medicating themselves, driving while intoxicated — how they feel alienated and worry if they can possibly measure up. Much of the problem seems to be the adults in their lives — parents who either care too much or care too little. We have heard all this before. What can be done?
Two things I feel compelled say about charitable giving: “Thank you,” and “Pass it on.”
Thumbs up for Mercer Island School District’s Wellness Committee’s one-month pilot project to introduce more nutritious and appealing lunch choices for elementary school students. The fact that both kids and their parents at the three elementary schools were enthusiastic about the changes speaks volumes.
Washington lags behind other states in protecting citizens who purchase new homes. Unlike other states, contractors in Washington are not required to participate in training or demonstrate their knowledge and skills. In fact, cosmetologists in our state must demonstrate more competency than the person you hire to build your dream home. We need stronger laws to protect homeowners from defective construction, and as chair of the Senate Consumer Protection & Housing Committee, I introduced a bill this session to help protect the largest investment most of us ever make — the purchase of a new home.
Mercer Island is uniquely situated to make a significant contribution to the challenge of our generation: To curb greenhouse gases and reduce the effects of global warming. As a community, we have a real opportunity to work together to build our sustainable future by “thinking globally and acting locally.” Last week, the City Council took an important step toward helping Mercer Island become a sustainable community. We unanimously approved a Sustainability Program that focuses on “leading by example” by conserving our natural resources and reducing the city’s carbon footprint for the benefit of future generations.
The efforts of the city of Mercer Island to reduce the city’s carbon footprint by the City Council are laudable. Certainly it is a good thing to conserve energy and reduce waste. But as managers of a city government that looks after a community already tuned into the environment, it is a no-brainer.
After two years of work by city staff, hours of meetings and discussion, the City Council has passed a set of amendments to the city code regarding commercial and residential construction in the Town Center.
After passing the driver’s test, it seems like having a car and being able to drive without their parents is the ultimate freedom for most teens. With this new privilege also comes a lot of responsibility — something that teenagers don’t often contemplate when they are behind the steering wheel or in the passenger seat.
Once again, Islanders rally to keep our community trash and toxin free. On May 19, the City of Mercer Island held another one of its popular community recycle and collection events behind City Hall. It is an opportunity for Islanders to load up the family SUV and haul away accumulated junk and waste — some stuff that is difficult to get rid of these days. More than a thousand vehicles snaked down Gallagher Hill Road to drop off items both unwanted and potentially harmful.
With White House support, the U.S. Senate is seriously debating comprehensive immigration reform this week. The central compromise of this “Grand Bargain” (S.1348) is a path to permanent residence for an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in exchange for huge cutbacks in future family-based immigration.
Fifteen months ago, the Mercer Island Clergy Association (MICA) began conversations with the City of Mercer Island about the probability that Tent City 4 (the Eastside Tent City) would eventually come to Mercer Island for a temporary stay of approximately 90 days. Over several meetings, we talked to city officials, including the city manager, the city attorney, and the police chief. We then broadened our meetings to include SHARE/WHEEL, one of the largest providers of adult shelter in Seattle and the supervisor of Tent City 4, leaders of Eastside congregations that have previously hosted Tent City 4, and the resident leaders of Tent City 4 themselves.
