It is budget time in Black Diamond. The council is struggling. It has to look seriously at very unpopular choices. The most striking is a proposal to eliminate the city’s police department and begin contracting with the King County Sheriff’s Offce for police protection.
It must also consider eliminating police officer positions and thereby accepting that the city may have inadequate police coverage for several hours each day.
It is also considering raising fees on city water, sewer and storm water utilities. It will consider reinstituting the B&O (business and occupation) tax on our city businesses which has been shown to hurt the types of businesses we have in town and kill investment in expansion and jobs.
These are all proposals.
There have been no decisions as yet.
Attend the next budget work study meeting at 4 p.m. Oct. 29 and let the council know that you want to protect those who protect us.We voters need to be aware that if the form of government is changed, this council can do whatever it wants because there will be no elected mayor with the power to veto a move to King County police.
Yes, a veto can be overridden but your mayor will fight for you. A change in government will also allow the council to raise certain fees without the vote of the people and no elected mayor to balance their powers.
We must defeat Proposition 1.Although some may try to spin it otherwise, this budget shortfall is a consequence of the movement to stop or delay economic development which would have brought money into the general fund not only from action on the Master Planned Developments but also from ancillary businesses which would see a future in Black Diamond.
In response to a few citizen demands to the council, with no public hearing, Proposition 1 was forced onto the ballot at a cost of over $5,000. The council must now budget for a city manager at a cost of $75,000 more than our city administrator and mayor working in unison.Legal costs continue to rise due to continuing, unsuccessful court actions taken or supported by some Black Diamond citizens and out-of-towners wanting to stop YarrowBay.
This has caused the city to be placed in a higher risk category and liability insurance has increased 15 percent. This is your money. Property revenues are flat. Sales tax revenues from local businesses are flat.
No sales tax revenue growth is forecasted for existing businesses for 2013. Building permits and housing starts, which bring money into the general fund, are nearly nonexistent.
Why would any company want to locate, build or invest in a city that is so anti-business (remember B&O) and exhibits such a contested path to future growth? Black Diamond cannot be kept in a time capsule.
This council needs to find ways to spur growth and increase revenues.
For the last 20 years, prior councils, working with mayors and staff, have strived to put the city on a path to financial stability — allowing growth not only to pay for growth but to also help offset other increasing costs for the city.
This council was overwhelmingly voted into office to stop growth…and look where we are! Do we really want to sacrifice our police department to satisfy the desires of the anti-growth faction to oust the mayor?
Changing the form of government will give the council the sole power to raise utility rates and to destroy our police department. Please vote NO on Prop. 1.
Bill Boston,
Black Diamond
