McGinn Says He Will Put White Center Annexation on the Ballot

Why on earth would anyone in Seattle want to annex White Center? What is there to gain from such a move?

Why on earth would anyone in Seattle want to annex White Center? What is there to gain from such a move?

Leave it in King County.

Leave it in King County.

@1

Votes.

@1

Votes.

Annexation would “exclude” the South Park Bridge because, like, the bridge is not in White Center.

Annexation would “exclude” the South Park Bridge because, like, the bridge is not in White Center.

this is a good idea. unfortunately, mcginn will have to show the white center voters that its in their own self interest to join the city. i am not sure they will say “yes” to his leadership style.

this is a good idea. unfortunately, mcginn will have to show the white center voters that its in their own self interest to join the city. i am not sure they will say “yes” to his leadership style.

@1: property taxes.

@1: property taxes.

Oh, and McGinn does not support the rebuilding of the South Park Bridge; he only supported the application for federal funds; so it isn’t surprising that the sliver by the river would not be a part of a White center annexation. Funny that, since this bridge is much more likely to fail in an earthquke then, say, the sea wall or the Viafuct. So much for McGinn’s “safety” argument in prioritizing projects.

Oh, and McGinn does not support the rebuilding of the South Park Bridge; he only supported the application for federal funds; so it isn’t surprising that the sliver by the river would not be a part of a White center annexation. Funny that, since this bridge is much more likely to fail in an earthquke then, say, the sea wall or the Viafuct. So much for McGinn’s “safety” argument in prioritizing projects.

Why would White Center want to become part of Seattle?

Why would White Center want to become part of Seattle?

It’s only January, and I have voter fatigue. Thanks a lot McGinn.

It’s only January, and I have voter fatigue. Thanks a lot McGinn.

Is there a sudden tweaker shortage in Seattle? Since my car radio was stolen yesterday, I don’t think so. So why does every mayor want to seize control of our rural cousins? Is there oil under there?

Is there a sudden tweaker shortage in Seattle? Since my car radio was stolen yesterday, I don’t think so. So why does every mayor want to seize control of our rural cousins? Is there oil under there?

Damien Jurado’s “White Center” is a great song. It explains the situation pretty well.

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/White+Center/606661

Damien Jurado’s “White Center” is a great song. It explains the situation pretty well.

http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/song/White+Center/606661

Ideally Burien would take on DubC but if they don’t have the courage to tackle the many significant issues then Seattle should – the County doesn’t have the proper structures or systems to resolve complex urban problems and the people who live in DubC deserve better.

Ideally Burien would take on DubC but if they don’t have the courage to tackle the many significant issues then Seattle should – the County doesn’t have the proper structures or systems to resolve complex urban problems and the people who live in DubC deserve better.

I’ll only support this if it includes replacing the bridge with a tunnel.

I’ll only support this if it includes replacing the bridge with a tunnel.

Great! Let’s annex a high crime that wants to drain services from Seattle! Great idea. How about we let Burien take it…

Great! Let’s annex a high crime that wants to drain services from Seattle! Great idea. How about we let Burien take it…

the bridge actually rests on an unincorporated sliver that used to be bundled with WC for annexation. removing it from the package was smart because of how expensive that project will be to replace it…and, please remember that no matter if seattle wants WC, the community there will have to VOTE to go to seattle, so just because mcginn and the council want it, doesn’t mean it will come to us…lots of folks there would rather be with burien.

the bridge actually rests on an unincorporated sliver that used to be bundled with WC for annexation. removing it from the package was smart because of how expensive that project will be to replace it…and, please remember that no matter if seattle wants WC, the community there will have to VOTE to go to seattle, so just because mcginn and the council want it, doesn’t mean it will come to us…lots of folks there would rather be with burien.

No one wants white center.

No one wants white center.

I doubt that there is enough tax revenue in WC to make this a viable annexation under the current property tax. I wish McGinn would put away the referendum shotgun he is firing from the hip and start acting like a leader instead of a dumbass dilittante.

I doubt that there is enough tax revenue in WC to make this a viable annexation under the current property tax. I wish McGinn would put away the referendum shotgun he is firing from the hip and start acting like a leader instead of a dumbass dilittante.

Does McGinn actually know how to do anything aside form proposing ballot measures?

And really, don’t we have enough problems without adding white center to the mix?

Does McGinn actually know how to do anything aside form proposing ballot measures?

And really, don’t we have enough problems without adding white center to the mix?

I also think the rest of Seattle should get to vote on this as well. Maybe we don’t want White Center to be part of our city. We should have a say too.

I also think the rest of Seattle should get to vote on this as well. Maybe we don’t want White Center to be part of our city. We should have a say too.

The county is basically telling Burien and Seattle that somebody has to take White Center, because they don’t have the money to support it.

But a previous poster is right – there’s not enough tax base to make it worth it to either town. Seattle is undoubtedly better equipped to deal with it though.

The county is basically telling Burien and Seattle that somebody has to take White Center, because they don’t have the money to support it.

But a previous poster is right – there’s not enough tax base to make it worth it to either town. Seattle is undoubtedly better equipped to deal with it though.

This is an example to me, why I feel that King County Govermnent thinks everyone outside Seattle is second class. King County says that it does not have the resources to keep White Center. This comes from not keeping there priorities right. County Govermnent’s first priority is to the unincorporiated areas. County Govermnent is supposed to be there city govermnent for these areas. It is acting like neglectful parents trying to dump the kids they don’t want.

This is an example to me, why I feel that King County Govermnent thinks everyone outside Seattle is second class. King County says that it does not have the resources to keep White Center. This comes from not keeping there priorities right. County Govermnent’s first priority is to the unincorporiated areas. County Govermnent is supposed to be there city govermnent for these areas. It is acting like neglectful parents trying to dump the kids they don’t want.

RennDawg–you are a conservative blog poster on many sites and aren’t telling the truth here. It is not the county’s priorities that are wrong, just their tax base. The state does not give counties the same taxes on businesses and utilities that cities get. Most areas with high property tax or sales taxes have been already annexed into cities. So, the county can’t afford it. The state Growth Management Act specifically says that urban unincorporated areas belong in cities.

As a Seattle resident who lives less than six blocks from White Center, I believe it is the best thing for Seattle and White Center for it to be annexed. Roxbury now divides the WC community. WC has tons of potential and already over 300 diverse businesses. It has excellent transit connections. Seattle has the large planning departments and expertise to make White Center blossom. Burien already added a big chunk and would have to double in size to take White Center. Burien is one of the smaller, poorer cities in the county. Seattle is the largest and richest.

TChen,Giffy, and others–White Center has a lot going for it and we spend a lot of money and time dining and shopping there. WC has more in common with Delridge, Georgetown, and South Park than it does with Burien. I think we can still afford vital services like the P Patch program and annex White Center. Don’t worry, Seattle can afford it. It is not cool to turn your back and say we are done growing, we have to take care of our own.

RennDawg–you are a conservative blog poster on many sites and aren’t telling the truth here. It is not the county’s priorities that are wrong, just their tax base. The state does not give counties the same taxes on businesses and utilities that cities get. Most areas with high property tax or sales taxes have been already annexed into cities. So, the county can’t afford it. The state Growth Management Act specifically says that urban unincorporated areas belong in cities.

As a Seattle resident who lives less than six blocks from White Center, I believe it is the best thing for Seattle and White Center for it to be annexed. Roxbury now divides the WC community. WC has tons of potential and already over 300 diverse businesses. It has excellent transit connections. Seattle has the large planning departments and expertise to make White Center blossom. Burien already added a big chunk and would have to double in size to take White Center. Burien is one of the smaller, poorer cities in the county. Seattle is the largest and richest.

TChen,Giffy, and others–White Center has a lot going for it and we spend a lot of money and time dining and shopping there. WC has more in common with Delridge, Georgetown, and South Park than it does with Burien. I think we can still afford vital services like the P Patch program and annex White Center. Don’t worry, Seattle can afford it. It is not cool to turn your back and say we are done growing, we have to take care of our own.

Good Idea Mayor McGinn. As a resident of White Center, I and many other residents will welcome this move. I love to be a part of Seattle.

Good Idea Mayor McGinn. As a resident of White Center, I and many other residents will welcome this move. I love to be a part of Seattle.

Bad news for Roxy’s Casino! Good news for City of Seattle coffers!

Bad news for Roxy’s Casino! Good news for City of Seattle coffers!

I nominate Westside for comment of the day. Beautifully articulated.

I nominate Westside for comment of the day. Beautifully articulated.

If White Center wants to join Seattle that is fine with me. However if they do not want to then the county should step up. I know that in the South End unincorperated areas are being pressured by the county to join cities. Even though they do not want to. King County only cares about Seattle.

If White Center wants to join Seattle that is fine with me. However if they do not want to then the county should step up. I know that in the South End unincorperated areas are being pressured by the county to join cities. Even though they do not want to. King County only cares about Seattle.

It’s easy to measure what we would pay if we annex White Center, but it’s harder to measure what we would gain. WC is a funky multi ethnic neighborhood that has been a springboard for many small businesses and first generation immigrants. It’s got crime problems, but it also has affordable real estate, great businesses and the kind of ethnic mix of people that so much of Seattle lacks.

It’s easy to measure what we would pay if we annex White Center, but it’s harder to measure what we would gain. WC is a funky multi ethnic neighborhood that has been a springboard for many small businesses and first generation immigrants. It’s got crime problems, but it also has affordable real estate, great businesses and the kind of ethnic mix of people that so much of Seattle lacks.

I agree with westside.

I agree with westside.

This is about time, I agree entirely with Westside as well. I used to live across the street from the area in question, and it definitely is more in line with Seattle than Burien. The potential annexation area in question is much more than the business sector at 35th and 15th.

There used to be a Cambodian American who always ran the Republican ticket against McDermott I think since no one else would step up to do it. His main claim as best I could tell was to avoid annexation and the “evils” of Seattle.

This is about time, I agree entirely with Westside as well. I used to live across the street from the area in question, and it definitely is more in line with Seattle than Burien. The potential annexation area in question is much more than the business sector at 35th and 15th.

There used to be a Cambodian American who always ran the Republican ticket against McDermott I think since no one else would step up to do it. His main claim as best I could tell was to avoid annexation and the “evils” of Seattle.

it’s really funny to read one day all about how bellevue is soooo racist in not wanting light rail, then the very next day sooo many Seattle residents don’t want anything to do with White Center….oh you see, it’s all for “fiscal” reasons, nothing racist here, just move along, we’re sooo seattle, we love diversity in concept, look ma, we have putamayor music and pictures of third world children on the wall that we took when we went to Bali, but if you’re talking about annexing a place with a bunch of real Mexicans and other immigrants, hey, fuck ‘em!

it’s really funny to read one day all about how bellevue is soooo racist in not wanting light rail, then the very next day sooo many Seattle residents don’t want anything to do with White Center….oh you see, it’s all for “fiscal” reasons, nothing racist here, just move along, we’re sooo seattle, we love diversity in concept, look ma, we have putamayor music and pictures of third world children on the wall that we took when we went to Bali, but if you’re talking about annexing a place with a bunch of real Mexicans and other immigrants, hey, fuck ‘em!

Renner:

You continue to amaze me with your ignorance. It is THE LAW — the state Growth Management Act — that unincorporated areas that are contiguous to one city or another eventually must be annexed by one of those cities or another.

Maybe Renner isn’t the only one here ignorant of the law. I must be, too, because for the life of me I cannot figure out how the Mayor of Seattle, or even the Seattle City council, gets to decide what will be on the ballot in any unincorporated area.

Renner:

You continue to amaze me with your ignorance. It is THE LAW — the state Growth Management Act — that unincorporated areas that are contiguous to one city or another eventually must be annexed by one of those cities or another.

Maybe Renner isn’t the only one here ignorant of the law. I must be, too, because for the life of me I cannot figure out how the Mayor of Seattle, or even the Seattle City council, gets to decide what will be on the ballot in any unincorporated area.

Westside got it right. I would only add that the northern part of WC, just south of Roxbury, definitely has more of an urban feel to it. The southern part, with a more suburban development pattern, was appropriately annexed by Burien.

The issue of whether or not this makes economic sense for the City of Seattle is beside the point. State policy is that these areas be annexec by a city. If Seattle was purely an economic entity and nothing more, I’m sure there are lots of neighborhoods like WC that “don’t pull their weight” and should be de-annexed, if there is such a thing.

Westside got it right. I would only add that the northern part of WC, just south of Roxbury, definitely has more of an urban feel to it. The southern part, with a more suburban development pattern, was appropriately annexed by Burien.

The issue of whether or not this makes economic sense for the City of Seattle is beside the point. State policy is that these areas be annexec by a city. If Seattle was purely an economic entity and nothing more, I’m sure there are lots of neighborhoods like WC that “don’t pull their weight” and should be de-annexed, if there is such a thing.

@Joel

White Center has similar demographics to south eastern Seattle which McGinn owned in the election. One of his early priorities will be annexing this area b/c “funky multi ethnic” people vote for him bro. First he has to make sure they are Seattleites though.

@Joel

White Center has similar demographics to south eastern Seattle which McGinn owned in the election. One of his early priorities will be annexing this area b/c “funky multi ethnic” people vote for him bro. First he has to make sure they are Seattleites though.

Putting the picture of the South Park bridge on this story is disingenuous unless you have some analysis to demonstrate why that area relates to the proposed annexation area in question. Erica, please explain why you made this connection?

Putting the picture of the South Park bridge on this story is disingenuous unless you have some analysis to demonstrate why that area relates to the proposed annexation area in question. Erica, please explain why you made this connection?

@ Perfect voter:

The northern part of the North Highline unincorporated area is a lot larger than just the White Center business district, and the vast majority of both this area, and its population, is a lot closer in character to the southern half, recently annexed by Burien.
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You can talk about “urban feel” all you want to, but it doesn’t apply as much as you seem to think. Right now my guess would be that if this area was to vote today, it would vote to go to Burien.
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I say this because by far the biggest complaint I heard when the southern half of North Highline voted to annex to Burien was that the entire area couldn’t vote. Most people in North Highline wanted North Highline NOT to be split.
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Besides that, the White Center business district, one of the funkiest, coolest areas in the state, is, believe it or not, a distraction. The real prize in this annexation issue is the First Avenue South corridor, arguably the most underdeveloped commercially zoned area remaining in King County.
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Developers are itching to get their hands on the First Avenue South corridor. It includes land along the Duwamish that is zoned industrial, and given the right business climate and political leadership, it could be a magnet for industrial and commercial development, and plenty of jobs and housing. You could fit another 50,000 people in there without breaking a sweat.
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Burien was nuts not to grab the whole area while it had the chance. The voters of North Highline would be even crazier if they voted to annex to Seattle. As part of Burien, they would be the balance of power, and soon the dominant force, as opposed to being 5 percent of Seattle, and its dumping ground.
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This is mostly my home Legislative District, and I keep my ear to the ground. The vast majority of residents don’t want Seattle’s imposed density or lot size setbacks. They want their own fire and water and sewer districts, which give them a better deal and more representation — Hello! They ELECT their commissioners — than Seattle would give them. They want their King County Library System, which is superior to SPL. They want the Highline School District, which is quantum leaps more responsive and less bureaucratic than SPS.
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Maybe the Archangel Michael should put North Highline annexation on the ballot in SEATTLE, and let the sidewalkless masses vote on whether or not they want to annex even more area, so that their taxes can go up and the city’s resources can be stretched even thinner, while real eastate developers make a killing.

@ Perfect voter:

The northern part of the North Highline unincorporated area is a lot larger than just the White Center business district, and the vast majority of both this area, and its population, is a lot closer in character to the southern half, recently annexed by Burien.
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You can talk about “urban feel” all you want to, but it doesn’t apply as much as you seem to think. Right now my guess would be that if this area was to vote today, it would vote to go to Burien.
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I say this because by far the biggest complaint I heard when the southern half of North Highline voted to annex to Burien was that the entire area couldn’t vote. Most people in North Highline wanted North Highline NOT to be split.
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Besides that, the White Center business district, one of the funkiest, coolest areas in the state, is, believe it or not, a distraction. The real prize in this annexation issue is the First Avenue South corridor, arguably the most underdeveloped commercially zoned area remaining in King County.
-
Developers are itching to get their hands on the First Avenue South corridor. It includes land along the Duwamish that is zoned industrial, and given the right business climate and political leadership, it could be a magnet for industrial and commercial development, and plenty of jobs and housing. You could fit another 50,000 people in there without breaking a sweat.
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Burien was nuts not to grab the whole area while it had the chance. The voters of North Highline would be even crazier if they voted to annex to Seattle. As part of Burien, they would be the balance of power, and soon the dominant force, as opposed to being 5 percent of Seattle, and its dumping ground.
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This is mostly my home Legislative District, and I keep my ear to the ground. The vast majority of residents don’t want Seattle’s imposed density or lot size setbacks. They want their own fire and water and sewer districts, which give them a better deal and more representation — Hello! They ELECT their commissioners — than Seattle would give them. They want their King County Library System, which is superior to SPL. They want the Highline School District, which is quantum leaps more responsive and less bureaucratic than SPS.
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Maybe the Archangel Michael should put North Highline annexation on the ballot in SEATTLE, and let the sidewalkless masses vote on whether or not they want to annex even more area, so that their taxes can go up and the city’s resources can be stretched even thinner, while real eastate developers make a killing.

Gosh, what low-income community of color wouldn’t want to put itself under the political jackboot of the DSA and Seattle developers?

Gosh, what low-income community of color wouldn’t want to put itself under the political jackboot of the DSA and Seattle developers?

Ivan: that’s a lot of words, too much to read, but I am taking your line break. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that earlier. Speaking of which, it would be a mitzfah if you fixed this annoying thing with not being able to double space, publicola.
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But, to the point – I agree with everyone that points out that it is good for the City, for many of the reasons pointed out. The fact is that the County is doing/has done a shit job dealing with the myriad issues in White Center. The negative aspects of that spill over into Seattle, and if King County won’t fix it, we should. Period.
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That’s not to say that Seattle has the best track record, however, it puts our city in a position to have more control and influence over a neighborhood that adds to urban blight, and harms our city in the process. Good job on this one, Mr. McGinn.

Ivan: that’s a lot of words, too much to read, but I am taking your line break. I can’t believe I didn’t think of that earlier. Speaking of which, it would be a mitzfah if you fixed this annoying thing with not being able to double space, publicola.
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But, to the point – I agree with everyone that points out that it is good for the City, for many of the reasons pointed out. The fact is that the County is doing/has done a shit job dealing with the myriad issues in White Center. The negative aspects of that spill over into Seattle, and if King County won’t fix it, we should. Period.
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That’s not to say that Seattle has the best track record, however, it puts our city in a position to have more control and influence over a neighborhood that adds to urban blight, and harms our city in the process. Good job on this one, Mr. McGinn.

@ Um…
You’re so right. There are a lot of Seattle folks who believe in celebrating diversity and do so by going out for Phad Thai.

@ Um…
You’re so right. There are a lot of Seattle folks who believe in celebrating diversity and do so by going out for Phad Thai.

@ maddux:

The county is hamstrung by the tax structure, not by any lack of desire or political will to “deal with the myriad issues.”
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As for Seattle “fixing it,” I challenge McGinn and the Seattle City Council to first put North Highline annexation on the ballot IN SEATTLE, and see first whether the voters IN SEATTLE want to annex more territory or not.
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They won’t, because they’re chickenshit. They know full well that the vote would be NO, HELL NO, and FUCK NO!
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Burgess, Licata, and Rasmussen get this. We hope that Harrell and Clark do. Conlin and Godden are hopeless on this issue. O’Brien has yet to demonstrate that he is not McGinn’s sock puppet, and Bagshaw has yet to demonstrate that she will ever vote against big developer money, for any reason.

@ maddux:

The county is hamstrung by the tax structure, not by any lack of desire or political will to “deal with the myriad issues.”
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As for Seattle “fixing it,” I challenge McGinn and the Seattle City Council to first put North Highline annexation on the ballot IN SEATTLE, and see first whether the voters IN SEATTLE want to annex more territory or not.
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They won’t, because they’re chickenshit. They know full well that the vote would be NO, HELL NO, and FUCK NO!
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Burgess, Licata, and Rasmussen get this. We hope that Harrell and Clark do. Conlin and Godden are hopeless on this issue. O’Brien has yet to demonstrate that he is not McGinn’s sock puppet, and Bagshaw has yet to demonstrate that she will ever vote against big developer money, for any reason.

While it makes perfect sense for neighboring cities to be annexing increasingly urban unincorporated areas that border them, in a lot of cases the infrastructure upgrades and services needed will be a lot more expensive than the new revenues brought in.
Besides the North Highline unincorporated area, the other big urban unincorporated area is the West Hill: Skyway, Lakeridge, Bryn Mawr. It’s on Renton’s list of potential annexation areas, but Renton has their own financial problems, and doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to have the annexation occur.
There’s a real disconnect. The county can’t afford to maintain these areas, even if they’re legally bound to at this point, and the neighboring cities don’t want to put out all this money.
Take the bridge, for example. It’s falling down, potentially dangerous, and needs to be fixed. But the county doesn’t have the money, Seattle is leaving it out of the annexation, and it’s not healing itself.

While it makes perfect sense for neighboring cities to be annexing increasingly urban unincorporated areas that border them, in a lot of cases the infrastructure upgrades and services needed will be a lot more expensive than the new revenues brought in.
Besides the North Highline unincorporated area, the other big urban unincorporated area is the West Hill: Skyway, Lakeridge, Bryn Mawr. It’s on Renton’s list of potential annexation areas, but Renton has their own financial problems, and doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to have the annexation occur.
There’s a real disconnect. The county can’t afford to maintain these areas, even if they’re legally bound to at this point, and the neighboring cities don’t want to put out all this money.
Take the bridge, for example. It’s falling down, potentially dangerous, and needs to be fixed. But the county doesn’t have the money, Seattle is leaving it out of the annexation, and it’s not healing itself.

@Ivan – I’m not saying it’s due to lack of political will or desire at all. I think it has more to do with the ability, due to funding and structural issues, to address issues in a pocket of county that is surrounded by city.
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And I don’t think it’s fair to make judgment calls about either O’Brien or Bagshaw less than a month into their terms. Just sayin’.

@Ivan – I’m not saying it’s due to lack of political will or desire at all. I think it has more to do with the ability, due to funding and structural issues, to address issues in a pocket of county that is surrounded by city.
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And I don’t think it’s fair to make judgment calls about either O’Brien or Bagshaw less than a month into their terms. Just sayin’.

Maybe finally we could say Seattle has good Mexican food.

Maybe finally we could say Seattle has good Mexican food.

Ivan, the same vote you call for in Seattle on annexation may well fail, but that same vote in Burien would likely fail as well. What is your point?

You are wrong on annexation. You assume because you listen to a noisy bunch of activists in North Highline that you know what the area thinks. I think the truth is that folks there are all over the place.

And Ira, this made my day:

“There are a lot of Seattle folks who believe in celebrating diversity and do so by going out for Phad Thai.”

Ivan, the same vote you call for in Seattle on annexation may well fail, but that same vote in Burien would likely fail as well. What is your point?

You are wrong on annexation. You assume because you listen to a noisy bunch of activists in North Highline that you know what the area thinks. I think the truth is that folks there are all over the place.

And Ira, this made my day:

“There are a lot of Seattle folks who believe in celebrating diversity and do so by going out for Phad Thai.”

well I hate to admit it, but I concur and agree with everything ivan has said.
I stood next to Candidate McGinn when he was seeking the 34th Dems endorsement last summer, and he was asked by a Burien resident who was very active in their annexation campaign about Seattle annexing WC. At that time he said he had no interest in WC as neighborhoods that had been annexed by the city 50 years ago still weren’t geting serviced and they needed to be taken care of before the city even thought of expanding. I guess that was so much lip service(?) just to get an endorsement.

well I hate to admit it, but I concur and agree with everything ivan has said.
I stood next to Candidate McGinn when he was seeking the 34th Dems endorsement last summer, and he was asked by a Burien resident who was very active in their annexation campaign about Seattle annexing WC. At that time he said he had no interest in WC as neighborhoods that had been annexed by the city 50 years ago still weren’t geting serviced and they needed to be taken care of before the city even thought of expanding. I guess that was so much lip service(?) just to get an endorsement.

@ westside:
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Listening to “noisy bunches of activists” is an integral part of my daily life, as is listening to people who are not “noisy bunches of activists”. Please do not assume what I know or don’t know.
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As to whether the vote to annex would fail in Burien, I remind you that Burien now includes the southern part of North Highline. That’s another, what, 10,000 residents added to a city of 30,000? North Highline wants to be united. A Burien vote to annex is a LOT less likely to fail than it was before.
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@ chilly:
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You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. };->

@ westside:
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Listening to “noisy bunches of activists” is an integral part of my daily life, as is listening to people who are not “noisy bunches of activists”. Please do not assume what I know or don’t know.
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As to whether the vote to annex would fail in Burien, I remind you that Burien now includes the southern part of North Highline. That’s another, what, 10,000 residents added to a city of 30,000? North Highline wants to be united. A Burien vote to annex is a LOT less likely to fail than it was before.
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@ chilly:
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You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile. };->

@ Maddux:
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What part of “has yet to demonstrate” do you consider a “judgment call?”

@ Maddux:
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What part of “has yet to demonstrate” do you consider a “judgment call?”

@Ivan:
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If you weren’t trying to pass judgment, it would have been “have not been on the council long enough.” Semantics matter, and you know that better than most.

@Ivan:
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If you weren’t trying to pass judgment, it would have been “have not been on the council long enough.” Semantics matter, and you know that better than most.

Seattle is already too big and stupid.

Seattle is already too big and stupid.

Actually, the Highline School District would not be affected by annexation.

Actually, the Highline School District would not be affected by annexation.

Of course Mike McGinn needs White Center’s additional tax dollars. He’s running out of sources to fund his plethora of projects.

Of course Mike McGinn needs White Center’s additional tax dollars. He’s running out of sources to fund his plethora of projects.

Burien isn’t sophisticated enough nor has enough money to take over the remaining portions of North Highline and White Center.

Tell McGinn to ask his staff to conduct another analysis of potential property tax revenue as there’s a lot of big lots out there that with urban zoning could be subdivided.

King County is close to getting a federal grant for the S Park Bridge. They’ve done their duty in getting that thing replaced – its a poster child for economic stimulus – Seattle can’t come close to the diversity in S Park and W Center. Time to take care of all our peoples and Seattle is the jurisdiction with the political sophistication and resources to do it.

Burien isn’t sophisticated enough nor has enough money to take over the remaining portions of North Highline and White Center.

Tell McGinn to ask his staff to conduct another analysis of potential property tax revenue as there’s a lot of big lots out there that with urban zoning could be subdivided.

King County is close to getting a federal grant for the S Park Bridge. They’ve done their duty in getting that thing replaced – its a poster child for economic stimulus – Seattle can’t come close to the diversity in S Park and W Center. Time to take care of all our peoples and Seattle is the jurisdiction with the political sophistication and resources to do it.

I have an idea. Lets let White Center and North Highline vote to see what they want. Put it on the ballot like this:

Do you approve annexation by Burien Yes or No

Do you approve annexation by Seattle Yes or No

They could vote yes on both no on both or vote yes on one or no on the other. If yes on both than Burien and Seattle can work it out. If no on both than the issue should be settled for good. Seattle, Burien and King county should drop the issue completly. If they vote yes for one and not the other than the winning city can decide if they want to annex them.

I have an idea. Lets let White Center and North Highline vote to see what they want. Put it on the ballot like this:

Do you approve annexation by Burien Yes or No

Do you approve annexation by Seattle Yes or No

They could vote yes on both no on both or vote yes on one or no on the other. If yes on both than Burien and Seattle can work it out. If no on both than the issue should be settled for good. Seattle, Burien and King county should drop the issue completly. If they vote yes for one and not the other than the winning city can decide if they want to annex them.

Renner, the LAW says they cannot remain unincorporated if they are adjacent to an incorporated city. The LAW says they can’t “drop the issue completely.”

Renner, the LAW says they cannot remain unincorporated if they are adjacent to an incorporated city. The LAW says they can’t “drop the issue completely.”

Then that unjust law needs to be changed.

Then that unjust law needs to be changed.

By the way Ivan. I did know about the law. I was a supporter of Ref. 72. It was unsuccessful in getting on the ballot. It would have overturned this unjust law.

By the way Ivan. I did know about the law. I was a supporter of Ref. 72. It was unsuccessful in getting on the ballot. It would have overturned this unjust law.

I don’t know what the big deal is. Places like White Center and Skyway, which are urban areas that are surrounded by cities, could be much more efficiently served by one of those cities.

You want low taxes? Then run the government efficiently.

I don’t know what the big deal is. Places like White Center and Skyway, which are urban areas that are surrounded by cities, could be much more efficiently served by one of those cities.

You want low taxes? Then run the government efficiently.