On Saturday, Southside residents received what I believe to be a deceitful political notice scaring voters not to vote for the Chuckanut Community Forest. This forest is the last remaining mature, forested, wetlands ecosystem within the city. I believe the postcard is filled with exaggerations and scare tactics. The notice uses worst-case scenarios, including tax increase examples beyond what The Bellingham Herald has reported and the Chuckanut Community Forest candidates have pledged.
The following candidates are running on platforms that are limiting the tax to 28 cents per thousand ($84 a year on a $300,000 home): Cathy McKenzie, Dan Remsen/John Hyamas, Susan Kaun, Vince Biciunas and John Brown. They have worked tirelessly to preserve this forest for no one else's gain, except our community.
The cost of voting in favor of the forest is a small price to pay for less traffic, impact of development costs and the preservation of this forest. Developers do not pay for anything voluntarily and the tax payers are left paying for most infrastructure. Examples: Who paid for the roads for the Walmart site? Who do you think will pay for the roads for the new Birchwood Costco site? Who is paying for the cleanup of the GP site? Developers are not going to pay to widen the 12th Street bridge.
In other words, we are going to pay no matter what direction we choose. Why not choose the preservation of a forest?
Julie Steele
Bellingham
