Name any city expenditure during the last two years that, looking back, you would assess as a poor use of public funds. What, if anything, can be done to mitigate the loss of these funds, or prevent similar decisions being made in the future?

Position 1

Erica Tiliacos

The City’s $3,250,000 purchase of the property adjacent to City Hall for a maintenance facility was ill advised. The City should have bought it to expand the commons when Mr. Kellman agreed to sell for $2,250,000 a few years before, a price finally in line with the appraisal.

The first Fourth on the Plateau festivities demonstrated the importance of a large formal gathering space off 228th Avenue.

Pushing the library further towards the west, over the Kellman property, would have allowed construction of two floors of underground parking without excavation and thereby resolved the inadequate parking. The central gathering space would have remained expansive and a teen building could have been built close to the skate park and accessible to the gathering space.

A long-term vision for the civic campus could have resulted in better use of all the land. Public involvement should guide plans for future facilities.

John James

The citizens I have talked to expressed concern about the way the City is prioritizing and spending tax dollars, especially in a tough economy where Sammamish has limited tax revenue.

There are several controversial projects, but the $5.4 million budgeted for an operations and maintenance facility stands out.

I believe an adequate structure could be built for less, and perhaps that money could be used for something residents have repeatedly said that they want, such as a community center that could be used by youth and teens, seniors and the general public.

It seems that when the City sets priorities for projects other than roads and parks, it is a few city employees that receive the benefit — such as the multi-million dollar City Hall and a storage facility for equipment — rather than achieving the real goal of enhancing the quality of life for citizens in our community.

Position 3

Tom Vance

Doorbelling around the city, I’m frequently asked about how the city is spending money.

The other day someone asked about “that clock.” I explained that the clock was suggested by our Arts Commission and that the Council, after consideration, decided not to build it.

More often, I’m asked how I feel about the $45 million being spent on the East Lake Sammamish Parkway. I respond that I’m against it; also, that I agree with the decision the Council finally made: to fix the congested and frequently dangerous Inglewood Hill-Eastlake intersection (cost $6.1 million and a benefit to north end commuters) and to shelve the biggest part of the project for at least the next six years.

Come to think of it, maybe the city should do a better job of spending our communications dollars so that residents will know what the council actually does.

John Curley

Untie the whipping horse. Everyone has a favorite. Is it the ELSP, or 228th sidewalks, the Freed House, or Town Center consultants?

If I read the tea leaf correctly, in the near future we may be longing for the days when we had money to “waste.” What’s done is done. Let’s learn from our choices and let history teach us a thing or two.

My Dad use to say, “there is a difference between needs and wants.”

In the coming years let’s make clear distinction between what this city needs and what it wants.

We have some serious belt tightening to do. The sooner we stop pointing fingers and blaming, the sooner we can move forward to face our future with a clearer resolve to respect taxpayers dollars.

Position 5

Don Gerend

Although the City Manager oversees everyday operations and expenditures, and the council sets the overarching policies, ultimately the buck stops on the councilmembers’ desks.

During the last two years I can’t think of a single budget item that I voted on, that I would now change my vote retrospectively.

It is easy to sit on the sidelines and choose one side on an issue (there are always two sides to the issues that come before the council) and say we should have done that. It is not so easy to make the decision after hearing both sides present compelling arguments in their favor.

But, that is the nature of the job.

An earlier decision not to irrigate the center median of 228th was perhaps penny wise and pound foolish.

We will probably have to replace numerous plantings that expired during this dry summer as a result of this decision.

Michael Rutt

The multi-million dollar East Lake Sammamish Parkway project. The $100,000 clock. Over three years at $2,000 per day on Town Center planning, without a plan that can be implemented. These are all examples of spending that many citizens criticize as poor use of public funds.

Yet after 10 years, no funds are available to staff and maintain a much needed teen center.

Immediate implementation of an economic development plan is of the utmost importance as we near the time where city expenses will be greater than the revenue collected.

I am against raising taxes, including surcharges on utilities. We need a new attitude on the City Council, a policy direction of viewing financial decisions by necessity rather than desire.

The council must also engage and include citizens in their financial decision making.

Spending money on investments that generate new revenue sources would be advised.

Position 7

Tom Odell

The single largest waste of public funds in Sammamish is the East Lake Sammamish Parkway Project.

After a minimum of four years of traffic disruption and a cost that may go well north of $50 million we will have a road with no more traffic capacity than the one it replaced.

Granted, there is a benefit to left turn pockets but on an overall basis the city’s claim of additional traffic gain is disingenuous given the loss of traffic flow capability due to other ELSP design features like planted medians and curbing.

By the time it is scheduled to be finished it will need replacing if the projections of population growth for Sammamish are correct.

The funding for Phases 2 – 4 could be much better spent fixing traffic problems on Sahalee Way, 228th, Issaquah – Pine Lake Road, and providing additional options for access to the Timberline and Trossachs subdivisions.

Jack Barry

I believe that the taxpayers of Sammamish have a Council and City staff that is dedicated to making sound budget decisions.

The evidence is that we enjoy a Moody’s triple AAA Bond rating, when our sister cities, of a similar size, have budget cuts between $5 to $15 million.

Cities and the state are cutting services, personnel, projects related to transportation, parks and recreation, and the City of Sammamish has a $10 million capital budget surplus because of prudent budget decisions made.

Some have said we should save money by not approving the road improvement on ELSP, some say we should cut programs.

The question is, if the City of Sammamish has a $10m surplus, the council should make decisions on how to most effectively use that money.

Should we purchase land for parks and open space, for the town center, should we put the money into public transportation, or should we use the surplus for a contingency?