Op-Ed: League of Women Voters urges "No" vote on three initiatives

To the Editor:

Three proposed initiatives are on the November 3 ballot in Washington State. The League of Women Voters of Washington and the League of Women Voters Seattle King County urge voters to cast a “no” vote on each initiative.

Washington voters will vote on two initiatives that would directly affect kids, families, and public schools across our state. The League of Women Voters of Washington believes both measures are flawed and would cause unintended harm to the young people they claim to help. LWVWA urges voters to reject Initiatives 26-001 and 26-638 and support policies that protect student privacy, safety, dignity, and opportunity.

IL26-001 creates apparent violations of state and national League positions on equal protection for vulnerable students, K-12 Public Education, and good government. Further, national and state League positions strongly support the importance of public education in promoting democracy, as well as equality of opportunity in accessing public education. This initiative does not rise to the level of good law: It’s neither clear nor well-considered. 

This raises concerns that protected medical information could be disclosed in error and students facing violence, sexual abuse, bullying, depression or other health challenges may be less likely to seek help from trusted school counselors.

IL26-638 violates long-standing state and national League positions around diversity, equity and inclusion, equal rights, good government, and K-12 public education. IL26-638 is likely unconstitutional because it violates Washingtonians’ rights to privacy and equal protection by requiring doctors to certify a girl’s sex while it has no similar requirements for boy athletes.

Washington's tax structure is widely recognized as regressive and inequitable, placing a disproportionate burden on low- and middle-income residents. Washington’s highest earners pay as little as 3% of their income in Washington state taxes, while our lowest earners pay as much as 13%. That’s a burden more than four times greater put on those least able to pay. The ‘millionaires’ tax’ begins to correct this imbalance and affects less than 1% of the population - Washingtonians who take home more than $1 million a year. Currently, wealthy Washingtonians pay lower taxes here than they would pay in 42 other states.

The League of Women Voters believes a just tax structure is balanced, fair, adequate, flexible, and stable over the long term. The WA Millionaires Tax ESSB 6346 is a step toward those goals, so it should not be repealed.

 
Please vote No on all three of these flawed initiatives.

Janet Lenart
President, League of Women Voters of Seattle King County
Seattle, WA

Phillippa Kassover, North King County Unit Facilitator
Lake Forest Park, WA

League of Women Voters of Washington - Vote NO on I-638-and-I-001
League of Women Voters of Washington - Vote NO on I-645 Millionaires Tax

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Op-Ed: Vote for a strong LFP, and also for fairer taxes

By Josh Rosenau

Lake Forest Park is voting on a levy lid lift this November, an extra 22¢/$1,000 to maintain public safety services over the next 6 years. Last year, a very similar measure came 19 votes shy of passing. 

A year's delay brings our city closer to a crisis that could cost us the responsive, community-oriented police department we rely on, the compassionate alternatives to police response we've built with our neighbors, or the safe streets and sheltered parks we value.

Ours isn't the only levy lid lift on ballots in northshore communities this year. Kenmore and Mountlake Terrace are running similar measures, which would allow the city's property taxes to grow faster than would otherwise be possible under an outdated and flawed state law. 

Community members see their property taxes are rising steadily, often without realizing that the money flowing directly to their city — to the streets, police, parks, and community services that drew them to their homes — has been declining as a percentage of those taxes, and shrinking in its buying power.

Property tax rates to King County, school district, fire district, and others have risen because voters approved new taxes (or voted to let certain taxes rise with inflation, as the levy lid lifts all do this year). 

Those taxes are specific to each of those taxing districts. King County's Assessor collects all of those property taxes and distributes them according to the law and the actions of voters.

Lake Forest Park’s slice of that pie has shrunk steadily because voters haven’t adopted a levy lid lift or allowed tax revenue to grow with inflation. 

That means that total property tax collections citywide can’t increase more than 1% per year (except for a a one-time bump when a property is redeveloped). Because inflation is almost always higher than that rate, the city’s buying power declines steadily. 

Since that law was adopted in 2001, LFP’s property tax buying power is down over a million dollars each year. That loss makes it hard to even maintain the same services we had from one budget to the next, let alone keep up with new mandates or add the kinds of services community members request. 

The graph here shows the city’s property tax collections according to data from the King County Assessor, first in the actual dollars collected (also known as “nominal dollars,” shown in blue), and the same number adjusted for inflation (labeled as “buying power” and shown in green). It shows the steady drop in buying power, with a recent crash as the effects of the pandemic, tariffs, and war have accelerated inflation.

The city has two basic ways to close that gap. 

• One: raising taxes. 
• Two: cutting services in increasingly dramatic ways. The proposed tax increase in this case adds about $211 per year in property taxes to the median homeowner (less than Netflix). Closing a gap the size of the current structural deficit would cost the equivalent of the salary for the entire public works team or most of the police force. Selling a park might generate that much revenue, but next year we’d have to sell another.

These seem like dramatic examples, but when Brier’s levy lid lift failed, they cut their police department to the bone. When Edmonds’ levy lid lift failed, they started the process of selling parks, until public outrage forced a different path. Lynnwood just announced 14 layoffs across multiple departments and a property tax hike, all to close this same structural gap. Clyde Hill has already announced that if their levy lid lift fails this November, they will dissolve and be annexed by a neighboring city, losing control of their budget and local zoning.

Prop 1 is the solution Lake Forest Park needs today. But cities alone can't solve the underlying structural problem forcing us to ever more extreme measures. 

We need legislators in Olympia to see the chaos their 1% cap has produced, and implement a comprehensive fix so our property taxes will be fairer, while giving cities the ability to sustain services. 

Rob Foxcurran, the leading candidate to become King County's Assessor, has outlined a package of changes the legislature could pass immediately, so that cities wouldn't have to ask for voter approval just to maintain status quo service, while taking the property tax burden off of renters and working class homeowners. 

The millionaire’s tax passed last year was one step toward a fairer tax code, but the flawed property tax system is increasingly an existential crisis for our cities, and Olympia needs to address it in 2027.

Until the legislature acts, cities are stuck with the bad choices of 2001's lawmakers. We’ll continue to see cities placing existential choices on the ballot all over the state as we do this year. 

Those cities didn’t make bad management choices, they’re just asking voters to help our communities survive a flawed system. Only Olympia can really fix it, and legislators are on the ballot this November, too.

-- Josh Rosenau is a parent, conservation biologist, and policy advocate, and was elected to Lake Forest Park's city council in 2025. This essay expresses his personal views.

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Op-Ed: SR 522 Permits Are Moving Forward — Residents Should Know What They Mean

By Paula Goode

Lake Forest Park Resident and Owner of a business on SR522

The views expressed here are my own and do not represent the City of Lake Forest Park or the City Council.

Sound Transit has recently submitted four Major Critical Area Permit applications and a Tree Permit to the City of Lake Forest Park for the BT306 portion of the Stride S3 project.

Most Lake Forest Park residents don't live directly along SR 522. For those who do, however, this project will be happening outside their homes and businesses. It includes roadway widening, removal of a significant number of mature trees and other vegetation, retaining walls, excavation, drainage changes, and construction in areas containing steep slopes, streams, wetlands and known geologic hazards.

I support good public transit. I also believe we have an obligation to ask whether a project of this magnitude can be built while reducing its impact on our community as much as reasonably possible.

I recently spent considerable time reviewing these permit applications and submitted public comments to the City. What concerned me was not simply the volume of material, but some of the information contained in the newer technical reports.

Newer information deserves attention

Current geotechnical documents discuss steep and landslide-prone areas, groundwater, excavation and shoring requirements, slope monitoring and potential effects on neighboring properties.

At Bsche'tla Creek, for example, the project's geotechnical consultant identifies an area of concern for slope stability during construction and recommends monitoring slopes and nearby structures, establishing baseline measurements and setting predetermined action levels. The permit materials identify concerns and impacts involving other streams and critical areas along the corridor as well.

Elsewhere, the geotechnical report identifies liquefaction and lateral-spreading concerns associated with proposed pedestrian improvements and describes a potential failure condition that could present a life-safety concern unless mitigated.

These findings don't mean the project cannot be safely built. They do mean residents should be able to understand how these conditions will be addressed before permits are approved and construction begins. They also raise an important longer-term question: Who will be responsible for inspection, maintenance, drainage, monitoring and problems that may develop after construction is complete?

Does the earlier environmental review still fit today's project?

Sound Transit issued a SEPA Determination of Nonsignificance in 2021 and later prepared additional environmental review, including a 2024 Addendum.

But the project design and technical information have continued to develop, and the design has changed since that environmental review was completed.

The permit applications now before the City contain detailed 2026 information about geologic hazards, drainage, retaining walls, tree and canopy removal, critical areas and construction requirements.

That raises a simple but important question:

Does the environmental review completed earlier adequately address the project that is actually being permitted today?

I am not saying an Environmental Impact Statement is automatically required, although I believe a project of this magnitude and complexity deserved that level of review. I am asking that the adequacy of the earlier environmental review be examined against the current project and current information.

If significant impacts were not adequately considered previously, they should be evaluated before permits are approved—not after construction begins.

Noise is already a serious issue

Those who don't live along SR 522 may not appreciate how loud the corridor already is for the people who live beside it, including residents on the west side above the highway.

I recently walked portions of SR 522 with a sound meter. My informal readings frequently exceeded 85 dB and at times approached 110 dB. These were not professional measurements, and I am not presenting them as an acoustical study. They do, however, raise a reasonable question about whether current professional measurements should be taken.

Those readings were taken under today's conditions, with existing trees, shrubs and other vegetation in place. The project proposes removing significant vegetation and screening, widening portions of the roadway and constructing large retaining walls. Whether those changes will alter measured or perceived noise—and to what degree—should be professionally evaluated rather than assumed.

For those who live and work along SR 522, noise isn't an abstract number in an engineering report. It is part of daily life.

Can we accomplish the same goal with less impact?

Sound Transit's Arborist Study contains extensive information about trees proposed for removal and replacement. It also states that a “lower tree impact design approach was not feasible within the constraints of the SR 522 corridor.”

That deserves examination.

CORE and the City previously presented alternatives intended to reduce the continuous northbound widening between approximately NE 153rd and NE 165th while retaining transit-priority measures at important intersections.

The question isn't whether we should have transit. The question is whether essentially the same transit benefit can be achieved with less impact.

How much additional travel time does the continuous northbound lane actually save? How many mature trees could be retained under a different design? Could retaining walls, excavation, critical-area disturbance and impacts on neighboring properties be reduced?

Those comparisons should be part of the conversation before irreversible decisions are made.

Stormwater matters too

The permit materials acknowledge that stormwater currently sheet-flows from SR 522 onto neighboring private properties and propose new systems for collecting and conveying roadway and retaining-wall runoff.

Residents along the corridor have also experienced and reported water flowing from the roadway and downhill toward Lake Washington. That makes it especially important to understand what happens when drainage patterns are changed.

At the same time, the project involves removing vegetation, altering paved areas, excavating near slopes and constructing retaining walls in a corridor where the geotechnical reports identify groundwater and geologic hazards.

Residents should be able to understand which stormwater standards apply, where collected water will go, who will maintain these systems in the future, and how neighboring properties, streams and slopes will be protected.

More than 3,000 pages — but residents still have a voice

Perhaps one of the biggest problems is simply understanding these permits.

Residents attempting to review the applications face more than 3,000 pages of engineering reports, drawings, arborist information, geotechnical studies and technical appendices. Even downloading, identifying and organizing some of the documents can be confusing.

Most people don't have the time or technical background to work through all of this.

But they shouldn't have to.

You don't have to understand 3,000 pages of engineering documents to have a voice in what happens to your community!

People who live beside this project know things that may not appear on engineering drawings. They know where water collects during heavy rain. They know where slopes have moved. They know where highway noise is worst. They know which trees provide screening between their homes and SR 522. And they know how their neighborhoods function every day.

That knowledge matters.

This is the time to pay attention! I believe Lake Forest Park should do everything reasonably possible during this permit process to reduce the project's impacts on the people who will live beside it during construction and long afterward.

We are within a 30-day public comment period, so this is the time for residents to look at the permits and ask questions about the issues that matter to them.

If the earlier environmental analysis remains adequate, residents deserve to understand why. If newer information or changes to the project warrant additional environmental review, that review should occur.

And if a practical alternative can provide nearly the same transit benefit while saving mature trees, reducing excavation and retaining walls, protecting critical areas and lessening impacts on residents, we should examine it before construction begins.

This isn't about stopping transit.

It is about building it responsibly and doing everything we reasonably can to protect the community that will live with the results. And we haven’t even seen the monetary cost yet!

Which permit affects your area?

Sound Transit's current BT306 applications divide the critical-area work into four groups, plus one corridor-wide Tree Permit:

20260098 — Critical Area Group 1
Covers work associated with Bsche'tla Creek, McAleer Creek and Lyon Creek, including areas near Town Center/Brookside Boulevard and Ballinger Way. It also includes a proposed mitigation area at Pfingst Animal Acres Park.

20260100 — Critical Area Group 2
Covers the west side of SR 522 from north of NE 165th Street to 41st Avenue NE. This area includes erosion, seismic, steep-slope and landslide hazards and construction of two soldier-pile retaining walls.

20260101 — Critical Area Group 3
Covers the west side of SR 522 between 39th Avenue NE and NE 165th Street, including 13 residential parcels sloping toward Lake Washington. Proposed work includes retaining walls associated with roadway widening.

20260102 — Critical Area Group 4
Covers the west side of SR 522 between 38th Avenue NE and 39th Avenue NE, including multiple single-family residences and City right-of-way.

20260099 — Tree Permit
This is the BT306 Tree Permit associated with the corridor project. Residents concerned about tree and vegetation removal, canopy loss, screening or replacement planting should review this permit in addition to the Critical Area permit covering their area.

How to comment:

You do not need to understand every permit or comment on all five. If you are concerned about something specific—trees, drainage, a slope, a stream, noise, construction near your property, retaining walls or another issue—you can focus on what affects you and identify the applicable permit number.

The City's notices state that written comments on the Critical Area applications may be submitted to the Lake Forest Park Community Development Department or emailed to Community Development Director Mark Hofman at mhofman@cityoflfp.gov. The notices provide a 30-calendar-day comment period following the October 1, 2026 publication date.

You don't have to understand 3,000 pages of engineering documents to have a voice in what happens to your community!

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State Superintendent Chris Reykdal's Statement on Sham Announcement by the Trump White House

State Superintendent of Public Education
Chris Reykdal

This week, the U.S. Department of Education issued a news release stating that the agency was requesting information from Washington and California regarding "transgender policies." 

Below is State Superintendent Chris Reykdal’s statement.

OLYMPIA—July 30, 2026—Washington state law provides parents and guardians with access to their child's records in school, and our state civil rights laws are fully in compliance with federal law. Period.

For the last 15 months, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has requested—and my office has provided—tens of thousands of documents as part of ED's "investigation" into Washington's civil rights laws. 

While my office has provided every single record that ED has requested, we have not heard anything substantive from their office in months about the status of their efforts.

To the surprise of no one, the Trump White House is playing the worst kind of politics by threatening to withhold federal funds from states that don't comply with their political ideology.

In a press release today, ED stated that they are "demanding" information from Washington and California regarding state policies that govern schools' disclosure of student records to parents and families. 

Today's demands are based on an expectation that we will change our state’s student protection policies to align with a case out of California that is still being litigated. As we have done throughout this process, we will supply ED with all the information they are demanding, consistent with state and federal laws.

Let me be clear: Washington state law ensures that, when parents and families request information about their child from their child's school, the school provides that information consistent with state and federal laws.

Further, Washington state law has robust protections against discrimination for public school students, which has included discrimination based on gender identity for two decades. These protections fit within the scope of what is allowed by federal law and recent court rulings on these issues.

While the Trump Administration continues their lengthy fishing expedition on the taxpayer's dime, my office will continue to uphold and enforce our state and federal laws.

Today’s media stunt by the now dismantled U.S. Department of Education is yet another reminder that they only exist at this point to pump out political and ideological propaganda. 

From over here in the functioning Washington, might we suggest they demand charges against any number of persons identified in the Epstein files or those who allegedly committed abuses of the “ring boys” at the World Wrestling Entertainment company?

If the U.S. Department of Education is looking for something to do, pushing the White House to bring justice to victims of sexual abuse and assault remains an important endeavor.

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Op-Ed: Citizen Action Saves 14 Elm Trees

Story and Photos by John Hushagen

After the removal of 1400 trees for the construction of the two light rail projects in Shoreline, Sound Transit was to plant 7400 replacement trees. 

Some of these trees are at risk during the drought, a condition exacerbated by hot weather. Today I'm writing about a glaring example of this just south of the Shoreline North station at the corner of NE 185th St, and 5th Ave NE. 

In 2024, Sound Transit's landscape contractor installed hundreds of trees and shrubs on the public rights of way and along 5th Ave NE. 

Among these trees are 14 large elms that were planted as street trees. 

The Elm is one of the toughest trees in the world, but trees as large as these need supplemental irrigation to help them get established. 

The landscape architect that chose these trees failed to provide any means of watering them. 

Big mistake! From what I have seen, the trees received no irrigation except rainfall for the balance of 2024, all of 2025, and none thus far in 2026. 

The dry grass had grown to knee high and the corner had become both an eyesore and a fire hazard, highlighted by rapidly defoliating trees.

I began to complain about this neglect to public officials at both the City of Shoreline and Sound Transit in mid-June of this year. 

Just yesterday I learned from Sound Transit that the prior landscaper's contract expired in April, and no one took his place. 

A new landscape contractor is now on the scene and the trees are finally being watered. I raised a ruckus with Shoreline and Sound Transit, and the trees are now getting much-needed attention. 

The 14 Elm trees, that cost nearly$50 Kto install, represent an example of how we sometimes take our urban forest home for granted until it is too late. 

Plant trees! Water trees! And raise your voice until you are heard!

John Hushagen
Shoreline Resident, Retired Arborist

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Op-Ed: Lime bikes are a nuisance

Story and Photos by Michael Bachety

I don’t want to be the curmudgeon I’ve become, but these lime bikes are a nuisance, to me at least. 

They are dumped everywhere and are heavy to move out of the way. So, I’d like to ask the community if it’s just me, and/or if something should be done to address this issue/problem.

In other cities, you must return the e-bike to any charging station (at stations, shops, schools, etc.) to end your ride; this being the infrastructure that we don’t have.

When I wrote to the city asking them to confront the company to build just that, or maybe penalize the rider a dollar if they park/dump an e-bike on a sidewalk, my eventual reply from the city was metaphorically an equity, finger-wagging admonition.

After I thought deeply as to how horribly insensitive of a human I am, for 3-5 seconds, I then thought well maybe the company could incentivize a rider by giving them a dollar for being responsible. 

This has the added benefit of the rider possibly realizing that other people use the sidewalks too and now I’m a considerate person with an extra dollar.

By the way, where is the equity for a resident in a wheelchair? Why do we even have ADA accessible curbs and sidewalks? 

I know people in wheelchairs exist. I see them hugging the side of the street on Linden Ave N. Honestly, that’s because we have no continuous sidewalks on Linden Ave N, though we have begged the city and were promised them, which has been about a decade now.

(Side note: if your kid goes to Shorewood HS and walks to Fred Meyer for lunch, they all walk in the street. I also hear the vroom of cars fly past these kids. I don’t know what the Doppler Effect is, but I know the sound of a car going double the speed limit.)

Anyway, I do see a necessary need for e-bikes for many practical reasons. 

All I’m asking is to end this laissez-faire attitude of governing and proactively address these types of situations that arise, and specifically how we can all get around safely within our community - all of us.

Michael Bachety

Shoreline

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Op-Ed: Participating in sign-wavings gives me hope

Photo by Pam Cross

By Pam Cross

About 50 regulars were at the intersection today. I had to skip last week but, like an addiction, I couldn’t stay away for another. 

Every time I look at the paper or watch the news I get angry. Every day seems to be worse than the last.

Participating in this weekly event brings me hope. We are all angry and the positive feedback we are getting from passing drivers gives me hope that others are angry too.

At this point it is hard to know what to put on to make a new sign because there is one abomination after another. Far too much for a single sign.

Why are farmers angry they are losing workers to ICE when they voted for the current administration?

If you did what you could to avoid getting drafted, what makes you think you should mandate a new draft?

The signs tell a story: We do not want a war. We do not want higher prices. We want the peace and prosperity we were promised during the presidential campaign.

We do not want a national religion. We want to keep the freedom to follow our individual beliefs.

We want to stop being lied to every single day.

We want Congress to start representing the people again.

We want to keep the right to vote. Healthcare. Food we can afford. Gas and utilities we can afford.

We want our country back.

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Op-Ed: My Pre-Obituary: A Shoreline Single Mom Waiting to Be Hit

Stay on the paths at the Park at Town Center in Shoreline

By Lindsey Burke

I grew up here. I have lived in Shoreline since 1997. I am 32 years old, a single mother, and a college student. I have watched this city change for decades. So I am asking a direct question: do you care about reporting on the everyday safety issues residents are actually facing?

There is a patch of grass by the Shoreline Police Station, the one decorated with trolley lights during Christmas. It is consistently covered in dog waste. 

There is enough dog shit you can make a board game out of it. If you step off that path, there’s a 10 out of 10 chance that you will run into dog shit every 6 inches. This is not just unpleasant. It is a public health issue. Dog feces carry bacteria and parasites that contaminate soil and stormwater runoff. It affects children, other animals, and our shared water system. This is basic civic responsibility and it is being ignored.

In 2018 a 20 year old pedestrian was
struck and pinned by this vehicle. He 
survived but with serious injuries.
Photo courtesy Shoreline Fire

More urgently, pedestrian safety in Shoreline is failing.

Since my car broke down, I have relied on walking and public transportation. Every single time I leave my home or step outside my door, I am almost hit at least once if I do not actively avoid being hit. 

I am following the rules as a pedestrian. In just the last few weeks, I have had to actively jump back to avoid being struck. My children have nearly been hit. 

This is happening on 175th, 185th, in residential neighborhoods, and in community parking lots. 

It happens when crosswalk signals are illuminated. It happens when we are visibly crossing. It happens when drivers simply choose speed over human life.

There has not been a single walk where I have not had to avoid a moving vehicle.

This is not hyperbole. This is daily reality.

If a resident is struck and killed, it will be framed as a tragedy. But what about the pattern leading up to it? What about the dozens of close calls? What about the families who live in a constant state of vigilance because drivers refuse to yield?

I raised concerns about expired tabs years ago. At the time, it was dismissed. Now it is newsworthy. So again, what qualifies as important enough to report? Does someone have to die first?

If you conducted a poll of pedestrians in Shoreline, I suspect many would report similar experiences. The issue is widespread and visible.

Pedestrians have the legal right of way in crosswalks. That is not optional. It is law. More importantly, it is basic human decency.

My life has value. My children’s lives have value. The lives of people walking in the cold, using public transportation, or crossing parking lots have value. Convenience does not outweigh that.

I am asking you to report on pedestrian safety enforcement, traffic patterns on 175th and 185th, crosswalk compliance, and the broader culture of disregard toward people who are not inside a vehicle.

This is not about being politically correct. It is about whether everyday residents matter enough to be heard before a preventable death makes headlines.

Respectfully,
A lifelong Shoreline resident
Lindsay Burke

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Op-Ed: Two wrongs don't make a right

Do the Right Thing and Vote Yes for Both SSD Levies for Shoreline and LFP Students

By Malorie Larson

Reminder: Ballots are due Tuesday February 10th by 8pm. Please use a ballot box to avoid USPS post marking delays and ensure your vote counts! The Washington Secretary of State's Office cautions voters: Do not use a mailbox within 7-10 days of the election due to recent USPS rule changes.

Two wrongs don’t make a right. We learned this in elementary school. Yes, the state is negligent in their primary duty to fully fund K-12 education in Washington State. However, also failing to support the local replacement EP&O and technology levies only hurts our community’s children and sends a message to them that their friends, families, and neighbors aren’t willing to invest in them.

Even a replacement levy proposition with a lower dollar figure puts the district in the position to make impossible choices:

Do they increase class sizes to unmanageable levels that decreases the quality of student learning and sends our veteran, highly qualified teachers to nearby school districts?

Do they cut supports for students and families such as deans of students, security staff, counselors, family advocates, and/or full-time school nurses? This, at a time when members of our community are fearing for their safety, experiencing food insecurity, and “COVID kids” are coming to school with more behavioral needs than ever before?

Do they cut athletics, arts, or other extracurricular activities? These are the things that augment the Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic that make students whole, keep them engaged in their schooling, and attract homebuyers and other families to the Shoreline School District.

Do they continue educating students in 2030 with literacy curriculum from the early 2000s, rather than giving our children modern, research-based instruction that benefits not only their short-term educational needs but their long-term success in accessing information, communicating, and thinking critically about information they receive?

Do the right thing: vote yes for the replacement EP&O and technology levies AND contact your legislators to advocate for better education funding for students in Shoreline schools and across Washington State.

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Op-Ed: Public Health in Washington Faces Nearly 40% State Funding Cut Amid Federal Grant Uncertainty

Megan Moore, MPH is the Executive Director of the Washington State Public Health Association

The Washington State Legislature is poised to cut funding for Foundational Public Health Services by nearly 40 percent in the coming weeks, a move public health leaders warn would dismantle the state’s public health system and leave communities across Washington less safe.

The proposed reduction comes as the federal government threatens to withhold and claw back public health grants, creating unprecedented instability for local health systems.

Every person in Washington will feel the loss of this funding. Our public health system is already strained — a reality made clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Local health departments struggled to vaccinate people, and residents experienced delays in restaurant and plumbing permits, difficulty getting clinic appointments, and longer waitlists for care. With federal funding increasingly uncertain, it is more important than ever that the state’s commitment to public health remains stable.

Foundational Public Health Services operate across county lines and serve all Washingtonians. These investments protect community health and support a strong economy by ensuring safe food, clean water, and effective responses to emergencies.

Public health services supported by this funding include:

• Issuance of birth and death certificates
• Restaurant permitting and food safety inspections
• Water quality testing to ensure safe drinking water
• Emergency response and recovery during disasters such as wildfires and the recent historic floods in King, Snohomish, and Skagit counties
• Septic system safety to prevent water contamination
• Translation of health communications into the many languages spoken across Washington

Before the state invested in Foundational Public Health Services, counties were forced to shoulder the cost of these essential services on their own, leading to inconsistent access and unequal outcomes across the state.

This funding has been game-changing for public health. It allows us to respond in real time to what’s happening on the ground — without delays. One week it can support flood cleanup efforts, and the next it can be used to track measles cases. No other funding source offers that kind of flexibility.

The proposed state cuts coincide with renewed threats from the Trump administration to eliminate or reclaim major federal public health investments, further destabilizing health systems across Washington.

At a time of increasing federal uncertainty, Washington must stand up and protect Foundational Public Health Services. These investments are critical to keeping our state a safe, healthy place to live, work, and raise a family.

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Op-Ed: Why Shoreline Students Need Voters to Support the 2026 Levies

Years of state underfunding, outdated staffing models, and inflation have left schools with few options

By Malorie Larson

The Shoreline School District (SSD) Replacement EP&O Levy for 2027-2030 that will be on the ballot February 10th 2026 is asking voters to continue supporting our community’s children in our schools, in large part because the state and federal government continue to underfund public education.

Since 2021, Washington State has underfunded Shoreline School District by $136M—$6M for utilities and insurance, $22M for special education, and $107M for salaries and benefits. And that’s just for basic needs. 

Even those basics fall short because the state’s staffing model is outdated, requiring unrealistically large enrollments to fund essential staff—for example, 603 students for a full-time librarian, 684 for a nurse, 1,286 for a social worker, 3,846 for a psychologist, and 5,063 for a security guard. By comparison, the average Washington elementary school has just 400–500 students.

From presentation by Dan Steele, Assist Exec Dir of WA Assoc of School Administrators
Photo by Malorie Larson

WA State funding models are severely outdated and students are suffering the consequences. This chronic underfunding is why SSD needs the levy to pass as proposed on the February 10th ballot. Shoreline SD is already covering what the state does not in some areas and still needs to do more. Students need more support, more adults in buildings.

SSD has done the hard work before coming to voters to ask for help. They are asking for what a community member panel agreed was necessary. A vote NO (as some might suggest you do so the district could come back with a lower levy amount) will result in more staff and program loss for Shoreline and LFP students. The right thing to do is vote YES and demand better from our legislators so the burden does not continue to rest so heavily on property taxes.

SSD already spends below average both in administrative costs and student spending compared to other surrounding districts. The district continues to make staff and program reductions in attempts to avoid a negative balance and state oversight (also known as binding conditions). 

This has resulted in 67 position reductions that include but are not limited to: multiple administration, maintenance, groundskeeping and custodial positions, front office supports, library technicians, and drug and alcohol counselors. There is nothing left to cut but MORE staff and essential student educational and support programs.

Despite these reductions, since the 2020-2021 school year, district expenses have increased 23.13% ($160.4M vs an estimated $197.5M for ‘25-26) and costs continue to rise. All internal and external audits of Shoreline SD have all concluded that without an increase in revenue, cuts must continue to be made. There is no evidence of fund mismanagement. Regional and state agencies that routinely review and monitor the financial health of school districts have flagged SSD as concerning due to having an “average of less than 30 days’ worth of cash available for the fiscal years”.

Total enrollment may be down 1.98% from 9,261 students (October 2021) to 9,078 students (October 2025), but overall, SSD’s forecast is seeing that recent enrollment remains stable with slight growth of 0.1% for this year and projected in the years to come. Regardless of enrollment, electricity, heat, and water still need to be used and paid for. Teachers still need to be in classrooms regardless of if there are 22 or 25 students in the class.

To summarize: hard decisions have been made to get revenue in line with expenses and it is still not enough. State staffing models are inadequate and inflation has significantly affected state-mandated costs. We need to do MORE to protect the level of quality education that the Shoreline School District is known for. We need to vote YES.

Vote yes to prevent further staff cuts, larger classes, and fewer extracurriculars. Vote yes if you believe that every child, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity for a quality education. If you support all of the above, but are frustrated that it so heavily relies on levies, I urge you to do both: lobby for better education funding by contacting your legislators and support the February 10th, 2026 replacement levies.

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Op-Ed: Patriotic Citizens Continue to Protest the Authoritarian Rule of Trump

By Tom Krebsbach

Many groups of citizens assembled in various areas of Western Washington Tuesday afternoon to protest the worsening dictatorial leadership of President Donald Trump. These demonstrations were called for by the national Women’s March group. 

At the intersection of Bothell Way and Ballinger Way in Lake Forest Park approximately seventy-five people stood along Bothell Way with their protest signs. The crowd was a good size, considering that the protest at that location was organized at the last minute. The intersection is well-traveled, and there were numerous honks of support for the protesters from passing vehicles, as well as many displays of thumbs-up and waves in agreement. 

A similar response is generally demonstrated on Saturdays when a smaller group stands at the corner from 11am until noon.

Some may question why people would want to stand with protest signs along a well-traveled road for an hour or two, listening to passing vehicles honking in support. 

Could it be that these citizens, many of whom are senior citizens and have lived their whole lives within a democratic form of government, now feel horrified to witness a narcissistic, megalomaniac leader take on all the trappings of a dictator? 

Or perhaps they are outraged that Donald Trump has essentially turned the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency into his own private army and now uses it to extract revenge on large cities that did not support him in the election, with various immigrants being deported without hearings to diverse corners of the world and citizen protesters being shot point-blank in the head without any repercussions for the murderous agent.

Some citizens seem to be disturbed that Trump essentially ignores the law, both domestic and international, and proclaims that the only constraint on his behavior is “his own morality” and “his own mind,” this from a man who appears to have not a scintilla of morality and who has the maturity of a five year old bully on a playground. It certainly is not very reassuring.

Then some are quite concerned, after he ordered the U.S. military to invade Venezuela to kidnap its leader primarily so the U.S. might profit from Venezuelan oil, that Trump will next order the military to invade the friendly territory of Greenland and thus destroy NATO and cut ties with the vast majority of American allies. Could any leader be so heedless and stupid? From what we have seen of Trump, he is certainly capable of such disloyalty to friends.

The author of this article is a U.S. Army veteran and a Vietnam veteran. I keep thinking about the hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of U.S. soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending American democracy and freedom. 

And now far too many people are unwilling to raise cries of outrage at the specter of one narcissistic, ignorant, self-centered, megalomaniac leader destroying American democracy from within. What has happened to America? What is wrong with its people that this destructive man has not been removed from power yet?

This and many other reasons are why I and hundreds and thousands and millions of others in this country stand in protest, demanding that Donald Trump be removed from power. Whether it is effective, we cannot say yet. But we feel it is the least we can do.

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Op-Ed: School levies - let's talk real numbers

Echo Lake Elementary parents sign-waving for the levies

By Malorie Larson

Levies and taxes can be confusing, especially when costs keep rising. I understand why voters want to know how a levy will actually affect their household budget. 

Here’s how I calculated the real cost for my family before deciding how to vote on the Shoreline School District EP&O and Technology Levies on the February 10, 2026 ballot.

1. Step 1: Enter your address here on the county assessor’s website to find your assessed property value.
2. Step 2: Scroll to your tax history and note the “Taxable Total” for each year. Look at how that number has gone up or down over time.
3. Step 3: Dividing “Taxable Total” by 1,000, then multiply by the corresponding levy rate for that year. This shows how much you’ve already paid to the school district for that year.

Use this district chart to find the levy rate for each year

Future property values are unknown, so estimates matter. In my case, my assessed value has gone up 7.5% one year and down 14% another year. Remember, we are not voting on property values; those are outside our control.

If my property value stays the same (I don’t expect it to, but I’m using this to estimate), the replacement EP&O and Tech levies would cost my household $157.37 more per year from 2027–2030. 

Claims that homeowners will pay “thousands more” are misleading. 

Compare what you paid from 2023–2026 to what you may pay from 2027–2030. The current average levy rate is $3.23 per $1,000 of assessed property value, while the proposed replacement average rate is $3.16.

Personally, I’m willing to pay under $200 more per year to support smaller class sizes, student supports, extracurriculars, and updated technology for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park students. My goal is simply to help families understand the real-world costs before voting.

Thank you for reading, Shoreline and LFP!

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Op-Ed: With your help ShoreLake Arts can expand services and offerings

2025 has been a transformational year for ShoreLake Arts as we stepped into this year with substantial goals and renewed mission to offer more to our community.

Through your generous donations and unwavering support, we have been able to deliver more classes and events to our community, and we are tremendously grateful for all we have achieved together.

Because of your contributions, we were able to bring back the beloved Battle of the Bands in 2025 and make this event free! 

This allowed more than 100 additional people to enjoy local musical talent without needing to buy tickets. Plus, the Battle of the Bands gives emerging musicians an opportunity to connect with new audiences.

Battle of the Bands

As this year is coming to a close, ShoreLake Arts is planning to expand our services and offerings to the Shoreline and Lake Forest Park neighborhoods, but we cannot do this without your continued support. 

We are asking for you to kindly consider donating to our organization to keep the wonderful programs thriving through 2026.

One of our most impactful programs, After-School Classes gives youth a positive creative outlet and fosters stronger relationships between students and families. 

Our organization intends to invest more into the After-School Program which will require additional staffing and supplies. Your donation can help us get the resources we need to reach more students.

We provide options for either a one-time donation or monthly contributions – whichever fits best in your budget. Our team works tirelessly to make sure your financial gift goes directly back into the community to bring art and culture to everyone.

Looking forward to another fantastic year at ShoreLake Arts!

Many thanks,
Laura James, Executive Director

ShoreLake Arts

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Op-Ed: Support the Shoreline Historical Museum as we take the next steps into our future

In Gratitude Event at the Museum featuring a special ukulele performance by Ken Doutt!

To all of our friends of the Museum,

The footsteps of history start here in a rustic little red house hidden in plain sight at 185th and Linden Avenue N. Within these walls, gems of the past reside, and growth continues. The recently unveiled artifacts whisper the mastery of crafts from generations gone by. The Miyawaki Forest is alive with the sounds of life. From the gentle hum of a bee to the lively song of a bird, the forest has become their home.

The Shoreline Historical Museum, sustained by an energetic and visionary community, lives and thrives in collecting the stories and wisdom of the past as well as preserving the footsteps of today for future generations.

This year, with your support, we took many steps into that future.

We reached three crucial milestones for our King Conservation District funded Miyawaki Forest Project:

• The ADA pathway completed
• Weatherproof interpretative panels
• Informational Kiosk

Now we are only one year out for a self-sustaining Miyawaki Forest to give back to the Earth and reduce our carbon footprint!

A substantial portion of our collection has been successfully rehoused in order to promote research access and future exhibit development.

With the departure of Kenneth Doutt, our former Director and Robby Grillo, our Collections Manager, assuming the role of Director, our staff is now reduced to one. With your support, we will continue to expand our team in order to achieve the goals of a holistic and inclusive history for the communities we serve.

Join and support us with your donations as we take the next steps into our future together.

Join the museum

With gratitude,

Armand Micheline
President, Board of Trustees

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Op-Ed: Lake Forest Park, it’s time to get our environmental priorities straight

By Robert Anderson

Lake Forest Park resident

Over the last few years, a controversy has arisen that pits environmentally-minded Lake Forest Park residents against one another. Sound Transit’s plans to expand the regional public transportation system, and specifically to widen Bothell Way to add an additional lane for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to and through Lake Forest Park, has prompted major concern from residents about the loss of trees in the corridor and other environmental impacts.

Don’t get me wrong: I love trees, and I deeply value the forested ecosystems we have in Lake Forest Park and the benefits our tree canopy provides. I’ve made my career working professionally in the environmental restoration field in the region, including planting forests, restoring salmon habitat, and researching human-environmental interactions. 

I’ve also spent years restoring my own backyard with diverse native trees and shrubs – I’m about as much of a “tree-hugger” as you could ever meet, and proud of it. And I believe that in all the concern about trees being cut down, the bigger picture is getting lost when it comes to the environmental challenges facing our community and our world.

Global climate change, driven by our society’s ongoing burning of fossil fuels to power our industries and cars, is rapidly changing the face of the planet. It leads to drought, flooding, wildfire, and other hazards, contributes to biodiversity loss and the extinction crisis, and has major impacts on human health and wellbeing. 

And one of the most essential actions that we can take to mitigate these impacts is simple: get out of our single-occupancy vehicles, and start using sustainable green transportation such as walking, biking, light rail, trains, and buses.

This is the broader frame through which we should be seeing Sound Transit’s expansion projects: as an effort to build a world-class transportation system for the Puget Sound region that allows people to move about without relying on fossil fuels. 

Bus Rapid Transit in Bothell, Kenmore and Lake Forest Park will connect tens of thousands of people to the new high-capacity light rail line that brings us to downtown Seattle, the University of Washington, the airport, and other destinations, and this is just one leg in an extensive network of buses, light rail, and more connecting the entire region. 

Within this network, every dedicated bus lane we build can carry thousands of riders per hour, several times more transportation capacity than an equivalent car lane, and with a far lower carbon footprint.

As such, LFP’s BRT project is about much more than “saving just a few minutes” on a single bus route, as critics of the project often frame it. It is one step in the realization of a much broader vision for a sustainable future in the Puget Sound region, the construction of an urgently-needed, long-overdue mass transit system that allows us to shift away from the “car culture” that has fueled planetary environmental degradation. 

And it’s going to be a great thing for our community, allowing us to hop on a short, fast bus ride to Northgate where we can access light rail to speed us toward our workplaces, cultural events, and much more.

Does this come with costs? Yes: construction of the project will temporarily contribute to traffic and noise, some neighbors will lose a portion of their properties, and we will lose trees, including several hundred in Lake Forest Park. And these trees are a tremendous loss to our community, not to be taken lightly.

But I also don’t think they should be taken out of proportion. In a recent opinion article in the LFP Town Crier, city councilperson Paula Goode appeals to the ecosystem-service benefits provided by the trees to be removed, highlighting “five giants” that each sequester over 600 pounds per year of carbon dioxide. 

Let’s put that number into perspective: a single passenger vehicle emits over four tons of CO2 per year. In other words, getting even a single driver out of their car and into public transit would eliminate more carbon emissions than a dozen of these giant trees can sequester.

Moreover, many of the trees to be removed (including the single biggest one listed, a black locust) are actually non-native, invasive species that should be removed to promote healthy native forest regeneration. 

And the vast majority of the trees are far from “giants”: many of them are essentially large shrubs, such as dense thickets of smaller-diameter (6-12”) English holly and cherry laurel, also both invasive species, that are already at their full size and are actively degrading habitat conditions and reducing biodiversity by their presence.

Of course, large native trees have many other benefits besides carbon sequestration, and I’m certainly not trying to argue here *for* the removal of the giants that we do have. I would love to see as many native trees saved as possible in the construction process. 

But as a lifelong environmental advocate, activist, researcher, and professional, I am dismayed—and frankly, offended—by the attempts to twist this issue to claim the environmental high ground on the part of opposition to the project. 

In her opinion piece, Councilperson Goode spins pro-transit advocacy as anti-environmental and sweepingly lays claim to everything from indigenous history to climate action in an effort to center tree advocacy as the only valid form of environmentalism. This narrow, exclusionary idea of environmentalism is misguided and misleading.

Lake Forest Park, it’s time to get our environmental priorities straight. Trees and forest canopy are wonderful and valuable, but they are not the be-all, end-all of environmental stewardship. Let’s take a step back and look at the big picture, and do all we can to support real climate resilience through sustainable transportation.

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Op-Ed: Join the Lake Forest Park Voices for Justice on October 18, 2025

No Kings II: Rise-Up Protest!

By Donna Hawkey and Elizabeth-Simmons-O’Neil 

At Lake Forest Park’s Democracy Corner
Bothell Way & Ballinger Way
Saturday October 18, 2025 from 3:30-5:00 pm

We recognize the urgent need to counter the rise of authoritarianism, and we urge people to join in to make a difference. 

The “NO KINGS” movement continues with our local LFP non-violent “Rise-Up” protest on October 18th, in Lake Forest Park (LFP). This will be a nationwide protest with all of us working in solidarity.

People power can bring about change and has historically done so within many movements. 

Supreme Court Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson, and Elena Kagan have issued dire warnings about the court’s decision regarding Donald Trump’s presidential immunity. 

“In every use of official power, the president is now a king above the law,” Sotomayor wrote. She notes that this immunity ruling "will have disastrous consequences for the presidency and for our democracy.”

Come to our local LFP rally in support of nationwide protesters and one another. Join in on this one, or please find another protest that works for you via Indivisible.org or https://www.mobilize.us/nokings. 

RISE-UP by joining your neighbors in Lake Forest Park to stand up for democracy and for each other. We will have activities such as music and a friendly gathering of like-minded individuals, along with a steady stream of traffic passing by Bothell Way.

We will continue to collect and deliver donations of school supplies for our children. And for adults in need, we will collect and deliver self-care and hygiene products. The past contributions are greatly appreciated!

Did you know that at our Brookside Elementary School, 33.8% of students come from low-income households, and at our Lake Forest Park Elementary School, 28.3% of students come from low-income households?

Lake Forest Park Elementary principal Aimee Miner noted, in appreciation of the donations received from our September protest: 

“The supplies were exactly what we need to ensure that every student at LFP has supplies to learn with. Our school supply budget was slashed, and many families cannot afford the extensive list of supplies that are needed for the year.”

If you would like to join the Voices for Justice-LFP email list, we are the organizers of our protests, please send a note to lfpvoices@gmail.com.

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Op-Ed: Getting around Shoreline without a car shouldn’t be this hard

Heather with her e-bike

Monday is the beginning of the Week Without Driving

By Heather McLaughlin

I live on the border of Shoreline, Mountlake Terrace, and Lake Forest Park — three cities built with cars in mind. But I don’t drive.

I stopped when our family car, a 2010 Prius, became unreliable, and I realized that with light rail opening nearby and a trusty e-bike, I could get by without it. Today I use a mix of biking, transit, and the occasional ride-hail. Most days it works well — but it also reveals just how hard it is to live without a car in communities like ours.

Unless you’ve been in this position yourself, it’s easy to miss the daily challenges: bus routes that don’t line up, gaps in bike infrastructure, or the sheer cost of alternatives when transit doesn’t reach where you need to go. 

When my husband broke a rib late one night, getting to the ER meant a $40 Lyft ride. By the time we left, the price had jumped to $80 — an impossible burden for many. Even with light rail, the trip home by transit took more than an hour.

These moments highlight what’s at stake in this year’s Week Without Driving (September 29–October 5). The annual event, started in 2020 by Disability Rights Washington, asks people — especially policy makers — to give up driving for a week, a day, or even just one trip. It’s grown into a nationwide effort with 400 organizations across all 50 states. 

Here in Shoreline, Urbanist Shoreline is encouraging neighbors to try it and share their experiences.

The point isn’t to shame drivers — most of us rely on cars because our communities have been designed around them. The point is to show what life is like for the more than 10% of Washingtonians of driving age who cannot or do not drive. Their voices are too often missing from transportation decisions.

That’s a problem not just for people like me, but for everyone. When policy makers assume driving is the only viable option, they leave us all with fewer choices. Drivers get stuck in traffic with no alternatives. Kids can’t safely bike or walk to school. Older adults lose independence when they can’t drive anymore. And our cities’ climate goals become harder to reach.

Shoreline’s own climate action plan identifies private vehicle trips as the single biggest source of carbon emissions — and calls for reducing them sharply over the coming years. We’ve made progress: light rail expansion, new sidewalks, and bike lanes are real steps forward. 

But they’re not enough. We need a full network of safe, convenient, and affordable non-car options: buses that connect seamlessly, protected bike routes that don’t vanish at busy intersections, sidewalks that work for people of all abilities.

For me, biking to my bookkeeping clients around the region works — most of the time. But when I have to get from Shoreline to Renton, patience is the only way to survive the two-hour trip, even with light rail. That shouldn’t be the case. 

If our cities truly invested in alternatives, everyone would benefit: people who don’t drive, people who can’t drive, and yes, even people who do.

That’s why I’m inviting you to join me in trying the Week Without Driving. Pick a day, or even a single trip, to leave the car behind. Notice what works and what doesn’t. Could you get there by bus? Was there a safe walking or bike route? Did it take a reasonable amount of time?

The answers to those questions matter far beyond this week. They should shape the way we plan and build our communities. Because a Shoreline that works without a car is a Shoreline that works better for everyone.

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Op-Ed: Defending the Soul of America

Op-Ed from reader Sam Doyle, Mountlake Terrace

Neighbors are being stolen by masked and unidentified ICE officers and being sent to El Salvador. Countless people have been deported without due process, which our Constitution promises to every person on American soil-person, not citizen. 

SNAP cuts are hurting hard-working local families. Tariffs are hurting local businesses. Civility has gone by the wayside. 

Medicaid cuts threaten millions. The democratic process is being attacked at multiple levels. Tanks roam Washington, DC, without justification, criminalizing the unhoused. Grocery prices rise. 

Billionaires bask in obscene wealth at the expense of working people like me and you.

It is disheartening to feel powerless right now. America is better than this. The soul of America is NOT as xenophobic, angry, uncaring, misogynistic, or as racist as the behavior that the loudest and most brash people in the nation have been exhibiting without restraint for months. 

This country is becoming increasingly diverse and those typically in power are using any means necessary to fight that tide, as they lose grip on what they see as their natural born right to control this country. Ceding and sharing power is rarely peaceful, even if it is just.

I believe in the inherent goodness and promise of this country and of her people. I dream of an America where power and plentiful resources are shared equitably and where our constitution is upheld; it is possible. 

I acknowledge that we are imperfect, with bloodstains on our flag from African-Americans, women, Japanese-Americans, LGBTQIA folks, and other historically marginalized communities. We have had other tumultuous periods in history and clearly we are in the midst of one now.

Despite the struggle, we cannot give up. YOU cannot give up. It is not an option. We cannot let hatred and division tear our cities or our country apart. America is for everyone-- immigrant, refugee, queer, disabled, trans folks--America is YOURS too. 

To each of you who have attended a rally, written to an elected official, donated to a food bank, voted, reached out to a new neighbor, defended a marginalized person--thank you. You matter, your actions matter, and thank you for believing that this country is worth fighting for.

Keep going.

We are in the midst of almost unbearable national and communal pain as previously underground forces that seek to maintain White supremacy’s dying grip on power threaten our bonds to each other and to our nation. We must not let these bonds break, although we feel them bending. 

Remember, everyone is hurting--even those whose actions we neither understand nor condone while they fight to retain their solitary grip on power. Work to find compassion for them as people even as you fight against their actions.

From Maya Angelou in her poem “On the Pulse of Morning”:

“History, despite its wrenching pain

Cannot be unlived, but if faced

With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon

This day breaking for you.

Give birth again

To the dream.”

Sam Doyle
Mountlake Terrace, WA

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