Let’s see.

We have a $5.2 million deficit, so we raise the city budget by 2 percent. If there is a budget problem, why are we increasing the budget and making a bigger deficit? Then we raise the property tax, of course, and the utility rates by 4 percent on water and 4 percent water/waste.

Of course, then the city cut short the garbage contract by one year, with the cost to the citizen for the same service going from $13.44 for a 32-gallon can per week to $32.32 for a 64-gallon can every other week. The city seems to be trying to tell the citizens that the cost for your garbage is only increasing to $18.41 per month for the same service; it’s not. The $18.41 is for every-other-week pickup for a 32-gallon can.

Then the council is looking into spending $22 million plus on Rainier Avenue by putting a planter box and trees with no left-hand turns, except at the lights.

The trees will be blocking the view of the businesses plus reducing the lanes from three to two, creating a backup of traffic. The drivers will be driving through Renton. We did the planting of trees 20 years ago on Third Avenue. It didn’t work. If the city has this kind of money lying around during these hard times, why not transfer some to the utility department to reduce cost to the ratepayer.

George Rock

Renton