To The Editor

December 2, 2008

By Administrator

Thank you

Community helped make Harmony & High Tea a successful fundraiser

On behalf of the Issaquah Women’s Club, thank you to all who helped make our Nov. 8 Harmony & High Tea benefit at Pickering Barn such a huge success — the merchants and businesses who sponsored tables, purchased ads, donated auction items and/or contributed cash or necessities to our effort; the members of the Issaquah High School DECA club, who helped in countless ways;and the Liberty High School Jazz Combo and the Skyline High School Vocal Jazz Ensemble, who entertained us and our guests with delightful music during the event. We couldn’t have done it without you! And because of you, we will be able to continue to fund our scholarships and donate to the local charities we support.

We are both proud of and deeply grateful to this wonderful community we are privileged to be a part of. Thank you again.

Debby Bader

President, Issaquah Women’s Club

Southeast Bypass

Scientifically speaking, council members still in denial should step aside

I am confused. The frontline losers in the bypass battle — Fred Butler, Eileen Barber and Rowan Hinds — are arguing that the decision by the City Council to adopt the no build option was political and not scientific.

I believe all City Council members are elected through the political process as holds for the position of mayor. Hence, any decision made or recommended by these elected officials is, by definition, political. But, politics aside, I think that the electorate voted for these individuals with an expectation that they would make considered decisions. More importantly, that those decisions would be made after evaluating the available evidence, for and against.

Now, as a scientist, having earned a living as professor and researcher, I believe I can offer an opinion about the scientific/political aspects of the extended evaluation of the Southeast Bypass.

And the obvious one is very simple: You gain no increase in the number of automobiles using a two-lane highway by adding multiple feeder highways with any number of lanes. Traffic backs up regularly in the morning and the evening on two-lane Issaquah-Hobart Road. There are more vehicles at those times than the road can accommodate. The (very) expensive studies never should have been done. It is now and was then self evident. The Southeast Bypass solution is and was dead — scientifically.

Clearly, however, it is not dead politically. I wrote, after the decision was made, that Barber’s statement evidenced her inability to accept the wisdom of this decision and that she should step down so that someone committed to a real solution could take her place on the council. I complimented Butler for his acceptance and forward-looking statement. Fred has regressed and Eileen remains in denial. Both should step aside.

Let science prevail and politics be set aside so that real solutions can be brought to the table. And let those who believe more traffic can be accommodated by a two-lane road by adding any number of lanes at either end provide the scientific evidence in support thereof.

Jerry Klein

Issaquah

Front Street paying the price for no-build decision on alternate traffic route

Now that the north-south Issaquah Bottleneck, formal title intended, is once again being discussed, perhaps the decisionmakers will listen to someone who does not live along the proposed bypass route.

Front Street does indeed hinder traffic through the city as well as to businesses along Front Street, nearby shopping, the library and proposed enhanced medical facilities. Many mornings, Front Street backs up all the way to May Valley Road, causing lots of cars to spew carbon dioxide, unburned hydrocarbons and other pollutants into Issaquah’s air.

It is the ultimate in dishonest politics for Issaquah officials to lobby for state and county funding for libraries and medical facilities, saying that they are needed for the region, while at the same time pushing to impede access to these same facilities for those who live outside the city limits.

Building the bypass would even make it easier to return Front Street to the small town charm that many people associate with Issaquah.

Bill Roberts

Renton

Community Center

Seniors shouldn’t suddenly get a 1,250 percent increase in user fees

In this time of a big economical downturn worldwide, the Issaquah Community Center is raising the fees on seniors by 1,250 percent (yes, 1,250 percent!) effective Jan 1.

It is the principle of the thing of not doing it by a smaller percent each year, for a number of years, but 1,250 percent at one time is a big leap. The amount is not so much, but the large percent increase at this time seems strange after the City Council voted to eliminate its 1 percent tax increase this year.

Ken Sessler

Issaquah

Written by Administrator · Filed Under Letters to the Editor, Opinion

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