Why does the City of Kirkland want to annex?

While there  are several reason and some speculation why the City of Kirkland wants to pursue annexation the clear answer is that it is a part of the plan.  The City of Kirkland signed on to the growth management act where it designated that the PAA would eventually become a part of the City of Kirkland.

City of Kirkland announces intent to file petition to Boundary Review Board

The City of Kirkland has announced its intent to file a petition to the Boundary Review Board. For more information click here.

QUESTION: Why doesn’t the PAA form its own city?

As in the previous post it costs King County 40% more to provide services than it takes in from the PAA. So in short it would either costs the PAA more in taxes to maintain existing services, or would require fewer services. An example regionally of this scenario includes Sammamish and Kenmore. These places do have some commercial tax base.

QUESTION: Why does King County want the Kirkland PAA to become part of a city?

The short answer is money. To provide services to the Kingsgate, Juanita, and Finn Hill area costs the county roughly 20 million dollars a year. However, the area only generates around 12 million dollars a year. So King County has to come up with about 40% of their costs from other revenue areas. There are several other reasons but that is arguably one of the main reasons.

Better services for our neighborhoods, lower taxes! Vote yes on annexation, Nov. 3!

We can improve services in the Finn Hill, North Juanita and Kingsgate areas,without boosting average taxes, by annexing to the City of Kirkland.

Why annex?

• Annexation is the only way to counter King County’s endless service cuts.
• We don’t want to be carved up by other cities.
• Police coverage will increase and response times decrease.
• Property taxes, including debt service, will decrease by 14 percent.
• Total taxes will remain the same or decrease slightly.

How can annexation help our neighborhood parks?

By the end of this year, 39 neighborhood parks in King County may be closed due to the King County budget crisis. Imagine shuttering 132nd Square and Edith Moulton parks, among others. Closing 132nd Square would cut the number of Little League ball fields in our area in half! The City of Kirkland plans to keep these and other local parks open and make improvements.

What will “bonded indebtedness” do to my taxes?

Kirkland residents approved bond issues for capital improvements to parks (including Juanita Beach Park) and the Forbes Creek Fire Station. Since annexation area residents already bene_t from facilities paid for by the bonds, the city is asking us to assume our fair share of the outstanding debt. Even with the debt service, the total taxes and fees for the average homeowner in the annexation area will still be lower than in King County. (Source: City of Kirkland)

 

 

Kirkland Annexes BridleView Neighborhood

The City of Kirkland has just recently annexed the BridleView Subdivision. This neighborhood is in the southeastern part of Kirkland. Formally part of the Redmond PAA, the residents petitioned to become apart of the City of Kirkland after the City of Redmond agreed to give up stake in future annexation. In a recent article on the Kirkland Courier by Erika Hobart

The Truth is, Annexation is the Right Thing to do for Kirkland

 The annexation discussion has been full of misinformation and confusion, primarily from a single special-interest group. The truth is, annexation is the best move for good government, for the community and for the region

• The City, not the County, should control development in its planning area—development that impacts traffic and other of quality of life issues for all residents.
• Annexation will spread current City debt over the entire Kirkland community, a big plus with the forecasted economic downturn.
• $40 million for annexation from the State and County is available now, but not later.
• After annexation, Kirkland will have a stronger voice in regional issues.
•  Annexation will formally recognize neighbors who are already a part of the business and social community of Kirkland.

Let’s Clear the Air

One of the great things about this country is the right to public discourse. There are opponents to the potential annexation with some understandable concerns. However Citizens for One Kirkland would like to point out some truths to annexation and challenge the decision makers as well

Why Annex, Why Now?

1.  The Growth Management Act encourages and recognizes that cities are the best option for managing growth in urban areas
2. With 1 million new people living in the Puget Sound region in the upcoming decades, it is more important than ever to manage the growth of the Community of Kirkland
3. The State of Washington and King County are providing financial incentives to cities that annex
4. The majority of residents in the PAA  (Potential Annexation Area) identify themselves as Kirkland Residents
5. King County has reduced the level of service for an area that roughly pays the same amount taxes as residents of the City of Kirkland
6. Increased law enforcement protection from 0-2 officers patrolling the unincorporated area to 3-4 officers
7. TRAFFIC!!!!  Most residents travel through the City of Kirkland on their way to work.  Everybody needs a say!
8. Increased representation for both PAA residents and City of Kirkland residents.  PAA residents will be represented by a city council and county representation and the collective community of Kirkland will have a larger say in regional matters.

Funding the State of Washington and King County

The City of Kirkland is now being offered by both the State and King County to annex the PAA.  Recognizing the importance of the growth management principles involved and the plight of King County, the Legislature recently passed legislation to shift state sales tax dollars to cities which annex these urban islands containing more than 10,000 residents and double the tax dollars if they annex more than 20,000 residents.  The City of Kirkland has projected that it will receive around $4 million per year under this legislation for 10 years if it annexes the PAA.  King County has also offered one-time fund transfers and financial incentives, the full extent of which is the subject of negotiations.  With financial assistance from the State and County and careful use of resources, the City should be able to absorb the PAA and maintain quality services for the entire Kirkland community.