Our parks and playgrounds are cherished resources!  In a 2020 survey, 99% of respondents said that parks and recreation opportunities are essential to the quality of life on Mercer Island.  This parks levy will provide for care of our city parks and open spaces, replacement of aging playgrounds across the Island, and continuing native plant restoration at Pioneer Park and Engstrom Open Space.

Playgrounds support the physical and mental well-being of everyone in our community, from children to parents to grandparents. This parks levy provides for needed playground improvements across the Island. Proactive planning will ensure that our playgrounds are safe, up-to-date, and accessible, inclusive, and welcoming to all of our residents.

Pioneer Park was created to protect this unique native forest. Representing 40% of our open spaces, the Park provides varied recreational experiences, educational and scientific opportunities, and wildlife habitat and ecosystem protection. The Park’s Forest Management Plan guides regeneration and resiliency efforts. With funding from the current parks levy, the City has made considerable progress on the Plan, but achieving this vision requires the stable, long-term funding this parks levy will provide.

Vote Yes to preserve and enhance our precious parks and playgrounds!

Submitted by: Marie Bender, John Hamer, Ashley Hay, www.YEStoMIParks.org

We already have a Parks Levy through December 2023, so why vote another levy that begins January 2023 at 66% more per year than the current levy?  The City Council wants to lock in a bloated, 16-year levy through 2038 worth $26 million before Islanders feel the pain of double-digit inflation.

This levy creates a slush fund for park and non-park uses. Ordinance No. 08-08 limited the current levy to “operating and maintaining” parks.  Ordinance No. 22-13, though called an O&M levy, allows funding “Park Operations and Capital Projects and other uses of levy proceeds,” at the City Council’s sole discretion. This levy is so unrestricted that proceeds can be used to replace funds currently dedicated to parks, freeing those funds for non-park purposes!

To get other funds, the City must specify required uses.  The millions in Federal funds the City received prohibited use as replacement funds to free funds for other purposes.  The City hasn’t done its homework to determine a required list of projects, so it expects Islanders to write a $26 million blank check.

Vote No!  The City already has a levy and can use 2023 to determine a mandatory project list before asking Islanders for funds.

Submitted by: Ira Appelman, appelman@bmi.net

In 2022, the City, with significant input and support from citizens, completed the PROS Plan, a framework for meeting the needs of our community. This Levy, which when passed will replace the existing levy, is a vital step towards implementation. The Levy’s term will ensure completion of major priorities, playgrounds and Pioneer Park restoration.  It will also fund ongoing parks maintenance and operations. This Levy is sound, proactive City planning.

Vote Yes to MI Parks!

Submitted by: Marie Bender, John Hamer, Ashley Hay, www.YEStoMIParks.org

Islanders should know what they are asked to fund.  Instead, the named projects are optional, and the City Council determines funding at its sole discretion.  The Council has already decided that $350,000 will fund vandalizing Deane’s Children’s Park, cutting down trees and building mountain bike facilities, which previously vandalized Upper Luther Burbank Park!

The Council shouldn’t have a slush fund for special interest payback.  Vote No until we know exactly what we are voting for.

Submitted by: Ira Appelman, appelman@bmi.net

Complete text of measure

Simple majority (RCW 84.55.050)

For questions about this measure, contact: Andrea Larson, City Clerk, (206) 275-7793, cityclerk@mercerisland.gov