Congratulations to Beacon

for newspaper award wins

Editor, The Beacon:

I congratulate Pat Ratliff, Doug Warren and Sara Bruestle on your impressive awards [Beacon wins 3 awards at WNPA convention,” The Beacon, page 3, Oct. 3].

I'm proud to be associated with such as the three of you and The Beacon.

John Pierre,

The Constant Curmudgeon,

Edmonds

Charge residents to park? Crazy!

Upon some reflection, I think the idea of charging us (Mukilteo residents) a fee to park in our own park(s) is a sick idea. Some elected and employed city officials have decided to draw the wrong line in the sand.

The problem is evidently that too many non-residents are attracted to our fine park(s). The city and council have determined that the underlying issue is about controlling or limiting access. The insane solution is to charge everybody for using it/them.

That is NUTS!

Requirement: You need to find a way to charge the non-residents, not the residents.

We residents have already paid our share of the purchase and remodel costs. We residents are already paying for the annual maintenance costs. We do not deserve to be forced to pay for access to the park(s).

Requirement: You need to find a way to either charge or curtail access by non-residents. And the solution must reflect a minimum financial burden on the residents.

The solution that the city and council evidently prefer at the moment does not match the requirements noted above.

Even worse, that solution appears to cost as much or more than the revenue gained, which makes it foolish. You are solving one problem and creating another.

The city and council seem to have forgotten how a resident feels about "problems" that pop up from time to time. You guys now seem to be on the wrong side of the issue!

Better solutions: Someone had the idea of offering residents a sticker for their cars/trucks/bikes proclaiming them as Muk Residents, which sounds like a smart minimum-cost idea.

I suggest adding the idea that we hire high school students to place bills on the cars in the park without such stickers, another minimum-cost idea. Hire them only during off-school hours and days.

Forget about enforcement; it will cost us more to enforce than the marginal revenue we'll receive.

Start your solution with some minimum-cost tactics. Escalate them only when we can justify the cost.

Ken Brooks,

Retired old guy,

Mukilteo

How about a ‘Discover Pass’?

The only "paid" parking I would allow at the Lighthouse Park is to request displaying the "Discover Pass" that is used in various venues, at the Deception Bridge, and various local parks and trailheads.

This pass now allows parking for two vehicles for an annual fee of $30.

Lilo Lamerdin,

Mukilteo

Invest in Mukilteo schools

On Nov. 6, voters in the Mukilteo School District will be asked to approve a one year Transportation Vehicle Fund Levy to replace aging school buses.

It’s been 20 years since the district has asked voters to contribute to the purchase of new buses. Now is the opportune time to act.

First, consider the financial implications. More than half of the school buses operated by the district no longer generate state funding; therefore the purchase of replacement buses absolutely depends on this levy passing.

In addition, these aging buses are more susceptible to mechanical issues, and the costs of repairs deplete our limited district resources.

Second, older buses in our district contribute substantially more particulates and nitrogen oxide emissions to the air our children breathe, and do not have the vehicle safety features of newer models.

Our drivers travel more than 1,000,000 miles in a school year, delivering about 8,500 students to their destinations. When you consider the number of children that come within the proximity of district buses the health and environmental impacts cannot be overlooked.

Finally, if the Transportation Vehicle Fund Levy passes, the actual tax rate for Mukilteo schools will still fall due to the repayment of older bonds.

Please join me in maintaining our investment in Mukilteo schools by voting ‘Yes’ for the transportation levy on Nov. 6.

Dana Wiebe,

Mukilteo

Bus levy issue a ‘no-brainer’

Here’s what I call a ‘no-brainer’ on the upcoming November ballot: an opportunity to support our kids, by approving the purchase of new school buses through a one-year levy.

A major benefit will be safer transportation, because the new ones will have stronger seats and body construction, higher seats with more padding, larger windshields, better mirrors, improved stability controls and emergency exits, and will produce significantly fewer air pollutants with newer engines and exhaust controls.

The district will be able to purchase up to 35 new buses, depending on type and size, replacing about 14 with more than 20 years of service and another 15 with 15 to 20 years.

An additional benefit will be that the district will be able to qualify for depreciation funding from the state, which has expired for the buses older than 13 years, and will support future replacements.

I acknowledge some bias, as I was on the Mukilteo School Board for 12 years, and know that district staff not only do outstanding work toward student academic success, but also in fiscal responsibility, including quality maintenance, driver training and purchasing of equipment.

The bottom line is that the levy is only for one year, and if approved would add only 26.5 cents per $1,000 assessed value. The actual total amount collected would decrease because of a reduction in the overall district bond obligations.

I hope you will join me in supporting our kids this November. More information can be found on the school district website at www.mukilteo.wednet.edu.

Geoff Short,

Mukilteo

Vote ‘Yes’ for safer transport

I feel very fortunate to be able to transport our most precious cargo – the students of the Mukilteo School District – and to train new school bus drivers.

For 22 years, I have observed the district’s excellent fiscal management. I know that if a Transportation Vehicle Fund Levy is proposed, it is important for our students.

The facts are there. Safety improvements, cleaner emissions, and more dependable and less expensive to operate.

Our drivers and buses drive more than 1 million miles per year and deliver about 8,500 students to school and home. Quite an accomplishment.

With the purchase of additional buses, the revenue from depreciation payments will increase. That will allow for future bus purchases. Therefore, it will keep long-term taxpayer costs down.

Vote ‘Yes’ for the safest form of transportation for our students!!

Betty Kahler,

Everett

School district’s buses are too old

We need new buses for our Mukilteo schools. On Nov. 6, a transportation levy proposes funding for 30 new buses.

Today, nearly half of the 100 buses serving the Mukilteo School District are at least 14 years old – and several are more than 20 years old. These buses were old when our two boys were riding them 10 years ago.

There are few of us who would continue driving a car that is 20 years old, simply for safety reasons. Why would we allow our children to ride in buses this outdated? New buses will mean safer construction, better visibility, and safer, more certain trips to and from school.

School buses aren't glamorous, but they are fundamental to our children’s safety. We are voting “Yes” in support of this transportation levy, and we hope everyone in Mukilteo will do the same.

Let's continue to get our kids to school and back ... safely.

Barbara and Jan Edmondson,

Lynnwood

Meeting room is well used

I wanted to take an opportunity to follow up with Mukilteo City Council and city officials regarding room use at the city property 4902 76th St. S.W., managed by the Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting room and storage space is well used by many community members and local non-profit organizations. Those who use the meeting room always express appreciation for the availability to them.

The meeting room is used on a bi-weekly basis by the Mukilteo Lions Club, monthly by the Everett Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Lighthouse Festival board and committees.

The Mukilteo Community Garden used the room every Saturday throughout the spring for garden bed sign-ups.

The following is a complete list of other Mukilteo organizations and businesses that have used the meeting room this year:

Windermere/Mukilteo, Starbucks, Water Wellness, Compass, Tutti a Tavoli, Pi Plus Tutors, Island View HOA, The Villas Condo Association, Girl Scouts, Lighthouse First Aid, 71st Street Block Watch Group, Backyard Wildlife Habitat, Mukilteo Community Orchestra, Mukilteo Arts Guild, Waterfront Wednesdays and Kamiak Color Guard.

Many of the local non-profits rely on the basement of the building for storage including the Mukilteo Arts Guild, Japanese Gulch Group, Lighthouse Festival, Waterfront Wednesday Group, Rosehill Players, Save Our Community, Mukilteo Kiwanis, the Mukilteo Garden and Quilt Tour and Mukilteo Dog Park.

It has been a busy year for Mukilteo and for all of the organizations planning activities and programs.

Thank you for the opportunity to make it easy for these organizations to meet and make these events happen.

Sincerely,

Shannon McCarty,

Executive Director,

Mukilteo Chamber of Commerce

Vote ‘No’ on Referendum 74

We are being asked in Referendum 74 to accept or reject same sex marriage. We and many others ask you to vote “No” for two reasons. And if you believe you can’t vote “No” for one reason do so for the other.

First, it is against Biblical teaching where Sodomy (homosexuality) is condemned in several places, e.g. St. Peter in II Peter 2:6,7 and in Jude 7 as well as other passages.

Marriage was instituted by God for both reproductive purposes as well as having a man and woman being a helpmeet to each other and for their children.

There is no question that men and women are different – physically, emotionally, and in the way they think and relate. This is scientific. In a family a man alone nor a woman alone can fulfill the ideal of what children need. They need both a mother and a father who relate to them in different ways.

To accept same sex marriage has long-range implications. Our education system will be FORCED to teach this as being the norm. What effect do you think that will have in 2-3 generations?

Secondly, it is against nature. Look at nature. Animals pair off – male and female. Offspring are produced – by male and female! Even evolutionists know this to be true. Why are we trying to change nature or be different from what nature has been for thousands of years? It is scientific.

A related third argument can be added. In 1897 the Indiana Legislature passed legislation changing the value of Pi (the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter) from 3.14159 to exactly 3. They attempted to legislate what is defined by science and math. Impossible.

Marriage is defined by science and nature. Legislation will never change that. Why does Olympia think it can? Please vote “No.”

Sherwood and Maureen Sage,

Mukilteo