I was shocked to learn that the Mercer Island City Council acted in the dead of night to tell residents what they can do with their property. As my mother always said “nothing good ever happens after midnight.”

Although the “emergency” moratorium on residential building and renovations failed, the Council decided to take up the issue again at its Dec. 7 meeting. No public hearings were scheduled. Instead, there’s just two weeks between the proposal and Council vote.

I don’t believe Council should pass laws about land use, certainly not without significant resident input. This move would absolutely reduce land values across the Island. We seniors cannot afford to have our life savings reduced. Many of us count on our properties’ value to support us in our final years. Let’s hope the Council rejects the moratorium, and opens up the conversation for everybody.

Don Samuelson