At a time when none of us need higher property and utility taxes, our city is choking us with higher taxes and forcing a detrimental unneeded, unwanted project on the taxpayers. Mayor Slowik wasted $30,000 on EnviroIssues (a company to correspond with downtown merchants) who did not perform according to the first contract and charged (good thing we did not have one more business for them to visit) $15 under their maximum bid to find out none of the businesses downtown want this project. Merchants and building owners already did that for free on signed petitions, against the outcry by ex-city employees and the public claiming there was a predetermined outcome. We overwhelmed them with presence and documented facts. Now for another $60,000, EnviroIssues is supposed to get another survey, a newsletter, and a logo?

Will that save the acceptable “80 percent” losses in businesses and revenues to the city projected by Councilman Rick Almberg? The city is not even fully aware of what services will be provided. Frank Scelzi suggested hiring someone local, like Patty Cohen, who cares about our community and will listen to the needs of businesses. Is all that money going to be spent for political reasons or for the not realistic 20 percent of the businesses that will remain?

There are so many ways almost half a million dollars of taxpayer money could benefit our community. We will never have the funds to change our historic city back as we have seen with Vancouver and Redmond, Wash., and most cities in our country and around the world. Hundreds of documented facts from cities here in Washington and around the world, letters from experts, public outcry, unlawful conduct by city officials, when is enough enough? Why, is the persistent question. If not for personal gain, what is the real reason? The public deserves an explanation that makes sense. As we’ve said, all these continued losses of revenues, businesses and being over $4 million above the proposed cost of this project is falling, and will continue to fall onto the remaining businesses and taxpayers of this community. I say no thank you Mayor Slowik and your band of unethical, illegal council members.

Les Bense

Owner of Oak Tree Antique on SE Pioneer Way