Nearly 20 years ago, I left my 1-year-old son in the care of a babysitter to attend a City Council meeting to voice my objection to raising the building heights on Mercer Island. I had never spoken publicly, but I remember thinking what I treasure — open space, unblocked sky, and the quiet — will be gone unless I am willing to stand up. Mr. Jarrett, a City Councilman at the time, phoned me to ask me what I saw when I looked at downtown Mercer Island. I said, “I see a safe place where I can park my car in a lot and not fear my children getting out. I see shops that I can talk to the owners. I see sky that is hidden in Seattle or Bellevue.” He said he saw wasted potential and asphalt. He saw businesses struggling to survive and a dying town center which could not support city services by their revenue. And he gently suggested that change was coming whether I wanted it or not, and it was the shape of change that would make the difference.
Since that time, the downtown has many more buildings, traffic, Starbucks, drycleaners, banks, benches, businesses and a two-story park-and-ride lot. We have more rules and laws protecting each parking space and park. We have built new schools and computers, but it doesn’t necessarily improve academic outcomes for all kids or improve parent-teacher relationships or mean more respectful children. We have a newer, larger community center, but does it translate to more supportive programs for the elderly and the youth? We have city and school partnerships which mean more taxes to fund athletic fields with turf that is heavily scheduled and less grass to play with your dog or play flashlight tag. Yes, we have change. I love my coffee and my kids have benefited from athletic fields and new facilities, but I don’t think it is all better.
We can honestly disagree about the shape of change, but all of us want to remain in our community. The cost of living on Mercer Island is increasing to the point that it is difficult to remain here. Apparently, the majority of residents must be millionaires because people don’t seem to mind continually paying more from increased water bills and garbage bills to city and school levies and bonds. Few question the necessity of spending more and, unfortunately, unlike Mr. Jarrett 20 years ago, when someone has a different opinion, they seem to be dismissed as difficult, not community- or school-oriented.
I do not know Mr. Appelman, but I appreciate him or anyone who questions how money is currently spent and whether spending more is necessary. Mercer Island is my home, and I want to stay. No one outside is helping me fund my children’s schooling or my health care or care for my elderly mother at home. I do not expect them to, but I need my City Council to be aware that not everyone can continue to absorb more and more costs. The price of food, college, the plumber and income tax rates are all beyond their control, but they can contain local taxes and utilities.
People in this community, City Council, schools, Parks and Recreation, athletic clubs are largely good-hearted, volunteering thousands of hours without pay. That is why I find casting aspersions about people who ask questions I might ask, or someone with a different point of view, disheartening. The recent letter from six former mayors was ugly in its depiction of a dissenting voice. No, Mr. Appelman doesn’t scare me.
Vote based on what you value, your own inquiry into issues, rather than clichés, and vote for the person you have researched or spoken to personally and not because they are endorsed by this person or because you heard that this person was good or bad. Mercer Island lost much of its open space that I cherished, but I know it has not lost its caring and intelligent citizenry. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, there is a voter’s forum at Islander Middle School at 7 p.m. Be there and get informed.
Shirlee Taki
