I am a retired cost analyst living on the north end of what is called Kent East Hill. I am deeply concerned about Kent’s innovative process to annex my community into the city of Kent.
With the input of a small group of people from the north end of Panther Lake, before the City Council, without public notice, the Council then voted 7-1 in favor of putting annexation on the November ballot.
I have lived in my current place of residence for over 40 years and on the hill for 73 years. I have silently watched Kent city planners pave over the richest soil in the state in what they call progress and I call greed.
It now takes an hour to travel across the valley during peak hours. I have witnessed the same planners allow multiple apartments on the south end East Hill, which now has the highest crime rate in all of King County – so much for great public protection.
When I travel south from Kent on Central Avenue, I need to have my vehicle’s front end realigned from the numerous pot holes that have not been attended to in over three years.
If these are the positives that the City of Kent has to offer, then count me out.
The following is a list of concerns that if you agree are what you want for your community, then by all means vote yes to annexation. But if you feel as I do that the county has done an excellent job of taking care of our protection, roads and community long-term planning, then vote NO to annexation to the City of Kent.
• No current forecasted budget planned for annexation area and the city is now in a current budget crisis, with layoffs planned of current staff.
• Annexation does not consider Soos Creek Plateau Plan of the 1980s.
• Street maintenance is excellent within the city limits.
• It’s good for the public to pave over ball fields for children for an arena (that is in deep debt and we will be expected to pay for) with no plan to replace the ball fields or budget to do so.
• It is cool to put this annexation thing on the ballot with no advertised public hearings.
• Mandatory garbage pick up.
• Why didn’t boundary line go east to 148th?
• In conjunction with the school district, great planning for new Panther Lake school without knowing the ownership of land planned for resale of old school property. (Oh well, we’ll add on to next school levy.)
Stephen Cluphf
Panther Lake
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