City of Renton- Proposition No. 1

BALLOT TITLE
PROPOSITION NO. 1
FAMILY POOL CONSTRUCTION BONDS
To construct and equip a family pool in Renton, shall the City of Renton incur debt and issue not more than $4,000,000 of unlimited tax general obligation bonds maturing within 20 years, which shall be payable from annual property tax levies upon all taxable property within the City in excess of regular property tax levies, as provided in Ordinance No. 4737?

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT:
After 43 years of continuous operation, the Henry Moses Pool in Liberty Park was closed in 1997 for structural and safety reasons. If Proposition No. 1 is approved, the City would issue up to $4 million in general obligation bonds to design, construct and equip a new outdoor family pool in Renton.
The pool features would be consistent with the recommendations developed by the Citizens’ Swimming Pool Task Force and adopted by the Renton City Council. The preferred location of the pool is in Cedar River Park, near the Renton Community Center.
The proposed bond issue, if approved, would result in an estimated average annual property tax levy of $.07 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for 20 years, based upon current financial information and projections. The cost to a taxpayer owning a $150,000 house is estimated to be approximately $10.50 per year for 20 years.

STATEMENT FOR
Summer was quieter this year. There were no sounds of kids and families splashing, laughing or having fun at the Henry Moses Pool. However, this can change. Your YES vote can fund a new family pool.
The typical rectangular tank of water, concrete deck and chain link fence no longer suit the needs of Renton citizens. We have grown and changed. Because an outdoor pool is a tradition in our community, this new outdoor pool would blend the traditional six-lane lap pool with popular features such as a wave machine, water spray play area, slide, large sun and shade spaces, and a bathhouse and concession area. Our pool will also provide opportunities for lessons, fitness, water play and fun creating a relaxing atmosphere where friends and families can gather.
User fees will cover operating expenses and non-residents will pay a higher rate to use our facility.
The average Renton taxpayer would only pay 85 cents a month to fund this new community-oriented outdoor pool. And, because the City is about to retire some bonds, our real estate taxes will not increase above their current level.
Help us add this excellent amenity to Renton. Vote YES for our new family pool.

REBUTTAL OF STATEMENT AGAINST
Building and operating two pools is MORE expensive. A centrally located community pool is convenient for ALL residents and less disruptive on our neighborhoods.
Rebuilding a larger pool at Liberty Park eliminates one ball field to build more parking. Paving over this heavily used park is WRONG when parking is already available at the Community Center.
The features proposed for the pool will create a fun, FAMILY experience for all ages - NOT another Wild Waves.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: JIM SULLIVAN, KING PARKER, GLENN KOST

STATEMENT AGAINST
I am opposed to the bond issue for the proposed new pool, and will be voting "NO" on the upcoming election. We do not need to replace the Henry Moses pool with a water recreation center complete with a wave pool and water slide, these items are high dollar maintenance items. If the community sincerely wants this type of "water recreation" versus a pool, then let’s go to private enterprises to foot the bill for building and maintaining a "water recreation" center like Wild Waves.
Instead of the $4,000,000 proposed center, I propose we rebuild a larger pool at the Henry Moses pool site and an additional pool at another site. There is plenty of land available surrounding the Henry Moses pool to rebuild a larger pool at that site. We should look at possibly building another pool in the Highlands area of Renton, maybe near the old recreation center. This type of pool would be better utilized by a broader base of our property tax paying citizens. This proposal would cost less to build now and cost less to maintain in the future. We taxpayer’s, especially those on fixed incomes such as senior citizens, don’t need another burden.

REBUTTAL OF STATEMENT FOR
Proponents claim our property taxes really will not go up, as the city is about to retire some bonds. Let’s not confuse the issues, the pool is not free. The real issue is whether this pool is a wise use of our tax dollars. Do we really need the pool proposed? We say let private enterprise take on such a project. Let’s build a more modest pool with our tax dollars.

STATEMENT PREPARED BY: KARLA NUSS

NOTE: The Division of Records and Elections is not authorized to edit statements, nor is it responsible for their contents.