[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
Public safety is important. So is transparency.
Property taxes impact us all: homeowners, businesses, landlords, and renters.
Businesses pass on their taxes to customers; landlords pass on their taxes to tenants.
So, what’s the plan?
City officials have been asked to provide their plans, including the amount of money required and data and research to support this. However, the Council approved the ballot measure without presenting a single fact, while seeking over $52 million over six years.
Since that time, the city council has been entertaining presentations on projects considered “public safety”. That begs the question of HOW the city council came up with the amount of money they need for public safety that they had no budget for in the first place.
Looking at the 2025/2026 adopted budget packet, the total increase in expenses over the past three years (2022-2024) and the estimate for the next two (2025-2026) is around $11 million:
- If you extend this increase from 2026 to 2031 (the intended time frame for the levy lid lift), the total is only $16 million.
- Adding ten officers (the intended goal) increases that number to $23 million.
- Since the budget mentions nothing about co-response, let’s double that ten officer increase to get $30 million.
And yet the city is asking for $52 million over that same time frame. Just how many sidewalks and light fixtures is the city planning on constructing to justify the remaining $22 million?
It seems as though the city will use this “public safety” levy to pay for many other things outside of whatever definition of “public safety” they decide to use. Demand more transparency, facts, and a REAL budget before the City of Burien takes your money.
You deserve that.
Vote NO on Proposition 1.
– Omaha Sternberg
On Behalf of the Con Committee
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Current city management are not reasonable arbiters of what public safety means. This proposition is a power grab. Vote NO
Why You SHOULD Vote YES on Burien’s Public Safety Levy
Public safety isn’t a luxury. It’s a basic expectation for every community that cares about its people. Burien deserves safe streets, quick emergency response, and compassionate crisis support. That’s exactly what the Public Safety Levy delivers and why voting YES on Proposition 1 is both practical and necessary.
Let’s set the record straight: this is not a blank check. City staff have already presented, multiple times, exactly what this levy funds: police staffing, co-response teams, safer sidewalks, upgraded lighting, and incremental public safety improvements that make a real difference. These presentations were public and included members of both the “Yes” and “No” committees. Because they are part of the public record, the information is there for anyone who wants it. There’s nothing hidden here. The process has been fully transparent, and the benefits are clear for all to see.
A key component of the levy is adding two police officers per year for the next five years, ensuring our city finally reaches staffing levels that match Burien’s size and needs. At the same time, it preserves and expands the co-response program, pairing law enforcement with mental health professionals to respond more effectively to behavioral health, homelessness, and public drug use. Expanding this program to 24/7 coverage means the right help is available at the right time, day or night.
As someone who moved to Burien only a few years ago, I can see the difference these programs have made. The city feels safer, calmer, and more connected. This model works, and expanding it makes sense.
At the October 20 City Council meeting, the city discussed updates to its Comprehensive Safety Action Plan and capital priorities like new sidewalks and better lighting. These are visible, long-term investments that benefit everyone in Burien.
We wouldn’t be asking voters to approve this levy if it weren’t truly needed. Burien faces a $2.5 million deficit, rising costs, and the loss of federal co-response funding. Without this levy, we risk slower response times, fewer staff, and losing programs that keep people safe. Doing nothing isn’t saving money; it’s setting our city back. Doing nothing will cost us far more in the long run and set us back.
Voting YES on Proposition 1 protects what’s working, strengthens what’s needed, and ensures Burien continues moving forward safely, responsibly, and with proven results.
Learn more at YesForBurienPublicSafety.com
— Jamie Jo Skeen, Burien Resident