Category Archives: Regional

Black Lives Matter; is defunding the police a solution to misconduct?

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By Scott Hamilton

Commentary

Black Lives Matter.

By Scott Hamilton

Thanks to everybody carrying a camera in their pocket via cell phones, the world now sees just how common police misconduct toward blacks remains.

Whether it is excessive use of force or gunning down someone, cell phone videos make it clear and unequivocal there is a systemic problem in law enforcement.

This problem doesn’t stop with police agencies. We now can see that all too often, prosecutors are complicit in covering up these police crimes, either by commission or omission of investigating and prosecuting.

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Growth pays for growth…or does it?

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By Christie Malchow
Mayor, City of Sammamish
Guest Op-ed

We often hear this term, 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡. But does it?

It doesn’t in the absolute sense. Actually, state law prevents it from paying its full impact, leaving the balance of the burden to existing taxpayers to fill the void.

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Staff confirms Klahanie annexation’s adverse affects on other road projects

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Aug. 26, 2019: The Klahanie area annexation to Sammamish in 2015 caused road projects in the legacy parts of the city to be delayed, despite promises from then-Mayor Tom Vance and then-City Manager Ben Yazici there would be no adverse impacts.

Then-Mayor Tom Vance and then-City Manager promised no ill affects on legacy Sammamish from Klahanie annexation.

Acting public works director Cheryl Paston confirmed at the City Council’s Aug. 20 meeting what Sammamish Comment feared and reported in 2015: the Klahanie annexation would divert money from key projects to fulfill a Christmas list of promises made by Vance, Yazici, council members Don Gerend and Ramiro Valderrama to entice Klahanie residents to vote to annex to Sammamish.

As the current city council debates over projects listings on the Transportation Improvement Plan—notably the Sahalee Way project—the 2015 council led by Vance and Yazici’s administration manipulated the TIP then to claim sharply reduced costs for a major Klahanie road project while simultaneously shifting monies from other road projects in legacy Sammamish.

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Sammamish fire station hours reduced, fire engine removed

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By Scott Hamilton

Staffed hours at Sammamish Fire Station 81 on 212th Ave. near SE 20th St. were reduced by half and the fire engine removed Jan. 1.

In what appears to be a series of communications failures, there was no notice to city residents in the service area.

Station 81’s service area is the light green color with 284 incidents. All but 80 occurred during the 8:30am-8:30pm period. The fire engine has been retired and an aid car (ambulance) now is staffed only during this 12 hour period instead of 24 hours. Source: Eastside Fire & Rescue.

Station 81’s service are is the western part of Sammamish from roughly just west of 228th Ave. SE to Thompson Hill Road on the north and Snake Hill Road on the south. The Station is located on 212th Ave. SE a half a block south of SE 20th St.

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Common Cause Housing Balance for Sammamish

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Editor’s note: This is the inaugural article of occasional Guest Contributor columns from Sammamish residents. See this post for details about contributing to Sammamish Comment.

 How to attain sustainable housing affordability, create vast community wealth and improve driver experiences.

Paul Stickney

By Paul Stickney

Guest Contributor

Article One of Three

Disclosure: I have, since 1997, had an interest in a five-acre parcel on the Plateau with Richard Birgh, who has owned the land since 1968. In 2008, this property became part of the Town Center.

In Sammamish we, as a community, are facing many important issues, including:

  • Trees coming down; Loss of tree canopy; Worries over wildlife habitat.
  • Tough commutes, traffic congestion and worsening driver experiences.
  • Storm water management; Erosion and sediment issues; Kokanee runs.
  • Preserving community character and aesthetically displeasing development.
  • Housing affordability and options to stay in Sammamish as ones needs change.
  • Capital needed to remedy extensive, inherited transportation deficiencies.
  • Voter tax fatigue – especially with recent impacts of McCleary and ST3.
  • Costs of community desires – Open Space; Parks; Trails; Arts; Human Services.

Several of the above issues are symptoms of two fundamental root ailments.

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