What protects the va1ue of your home?
What is the biggest factor that protects the value of your home? Final answer: The investment in your community.
That to me seems like no secret. I have to honestly say, as people consider this proposal by the city of Bellevue to increase its funding necessary to provide the acceptable level of services people expect, that you know without a doubt, the city is doing everything it can, exhausting every means available, to attain the financial backing necessary to keep budgets funded. We are setting priorities in our programs. We do not create waste. We strive to provide the best level of service ensuring the quality of life we all want, to the most people, for the longest time, and for the best cost possible.
The budget for Bellevue and how the money is spent is no secret. It is public knowledge and at any time if someone wanted to know where the money was going, please come in and look. We are not asking for more than we need, quite the contrary. The citizen's advisory committee in their re- view of the basic level of services that they would like to see recommended more. But in keeping with the council's agenda and belief in working creatively to fund programs, it was decided to keep the appeal moderate. We will still pursue every option for providing these services such as contracts with other departments, but otherwise it's just not right to keep cutting, say, the maintenance of the streets to make sure we have police officers. We honestly need this additional funding.
When we are in the budget process and are trying to decide which programs to cut or from which department we cut funds (often all), it makes me think of being a parent of many children and they all need shoes (basic needs), but I only have the money for one pair Which one gets the pair of shoes? Let's not decide that anymore, let's "Believe in Bellevue." Let's keep our investments protected by supporting this increase and voting "yes" May 22.
Tammy E. Eaton
Bellevue
