By Dick L’Heureux, Mike Foss, Rob Young, and Brent Marshall

On Feb. 11, 2014 there will be a vote to decide if the citizens of the Klahanie Proposed Annexation Area (PAA) wish to become a part of the city of Issaquah or remain part of unincorporated King County. That decision should be made based on each voter’s judgment and that is the way it should be – including their belief that they feel to be more a part of the city of Issaquah than of unincorporated King county if that is the case.

Enter the David Kappler opinion article in which he has exhibited the same bias toward eventual annexation to Sammamish as he has over the past 10 years or so – including when he served as an Issaquah City Council member.

The problem with the article is misleading assertions not based on fact – as is the statement that Issaquah’s support of the PAA will be minimal. The truth is that the Nesbitt study funded by the city of Issaquah used as its basis providing the same level of support to the PAA as the city provides to its current citizens.

Next, Klahanie would be merely a suburb of Issaquah. Again, in its wisdom and fairness, the main concept of the study was to insure that, after annexation the new city of Issaquah would be a homogeneous city as has been the case after past annexations. When the state Boundary Review Board found that a vote by the PAA to annex was justified, that unanimous decision affirmed that a positive vote would result in a viable new city which would be beneficial to the current city and to the PAA residents as well.

Next is the issue issue that transportation projects of the PAA would be given short shrift. Not so. Future projects would be treated as part of the ongoing priorities of the entire city. To the fire service issue, after some 10 years of zero interest in the PAA, Sammamish developed a significant interest in us when our added revenue would permit the possibility of withdrawing from Eastside Fire & Rescue (to the harm of the other members of the consortium) in order to establish their own fire department. Where was the love for the PAA before they needed us?

Now to a really important assertion by Mr. Kappler – the assertion that Sammamish has no debt and will solve all future needs through its superior management abilities. If this is so, why then is its current tax rate higher than Issaquah’s? Considering the minimal business base Sammamish has to support future funding needs, guess where funds have to come from? Increased property taxes.

When the vote comes on Feb. 11, the citizens of the PAA need to base their vote on honest and legitimate reasons, even including an emotional attachment to a city, be it Issaquah or the belief that eventually it could be Sammamish. But at least make it unencumbered by unsupported allegations and inappropriate assumptions.

Dick L’Heureux, Mike Foss, Rob Young, and Brent Marshall are Klahanie PAA residents.