A message from Advertiser Independent Burien:
Dear Burien Voters,
Wow – what the heck is happening to our community?
I’m sure many of you are wondering why I have stepped forward in a proactive manner to hint at what might be behind the political rhetoric that is coming at us from many different directions.
These past four years for the Burien council have been contentious, including several protests. It’s difficult to tell what’s fact and what’s fiction. During one of these protests, I was personally targeted at my workplace. In an erroneous newspaper article (not on the blog), I was reported to be a business owner with 15 employees working for me. Not true – I was a new hire employee at the business. It confirmed for me that not everything you can read in the news is reported accurately. Currently, there is a lot of campaign information out there – some of it is true but most of it misleading and some of it completely false.
If you already have voted – Thank You for exercising your right to determine the direction of our Burien community. If you still have your ballot, please take a moment to read further.
I believe this election is not about hate, racism or sanctuary city status but that these issues are being brought up to cover up the real concerns of Burien. The real issues are centered around land use, density, and how we help our poor and the less fortunate among us. These issues are the foundation of why Burien voted in 1992 and incorporated in 1993 gaining its independence from King County.
Below is an excerpt from HistoryLink.org Essay 7676 by David Wilma:
“…..By 1989, plans for a third runway at Sea-Tac International Airport and uncontrolled urban growth were enough for citizens to form a committee to investigate incorporation once again. Multifamily dwellings had increased by 33 percent during the previous 10 years and committee chairman Arun Jhaveri stated that Burien had become “a dumping ground for the county ….” (The Seattle Times, February 13, 1992)…..
“…… possibility of a major state highway cutting through the community would dramatically change its character. On March 10, 1992, Burien voters approved incorporation by a margin of two to one…..â€
“….The three critical issues that determined the successful vote for incorporation on March 10, 1992 were:
- Opposition to the third runway at SeaTac International Airport
- Local control of land use and zoning issues; and
- Improving the business tax base locally through economic development initiatives. …..â€
It feels like history is repeating itself. Our community continues to focus on these three critical issues. The outcome of this election will determine the path we take. Will we become more like Seattle or will we continue to be Independent? Please look at individuals and groups endorsing candidates. Are they local or are they from outside our community? Which elected officials are endorsing whom? What has happened in our neighboring communities (SeaTac) that is similar to what’s happening in Burien with this election?
When making your decision, another piece of information to examine is the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission. This site displays who is financially supporting Burien candidates. This commission was created by an initiative by the people of Washington to ensure accurate information about the financing of political campaigns.
Recently someone told me that all the candidates sound the same – they say they want the best for Burien. I encourage you to examine the materials carefully before making your decision. Burien’s future depends on it!
Sincerely,
Lucy Krakowiak
Independent Burien
