Sammamish's advisory vote on Prop. 1, like many other races here, has not moved much on the needle, with with 79 percent of the votes received by King County as of 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8.
As of this afternoon, 51.97 percent of the votes (8,740) have been in favor of the proposition, and 48.03 against (8,076), little change from yesterday's results.
The pro and con sides continued today to exchange a few barbs following comments yesterday by Jim Wasnick and Ramiro Valderrama.
Wasnick said he himself has raised questions directly to Yazici and the City Council about different wording between the city's fact sheet on the Proposition and the language in the actual proposition, specifically regarding the tax issue, which he says amounts to misinformation. Wasnick received responses to his email only from Yazici and Councilman Don Gerend, and said he was not satified with their answer.
Valderrama said that as a matter of course, any email sent to a council member is copied to all, as are any individual responses, so in the case of Wasnick's email exchange with Gerend, the other members, himself included, concurred with Gerend or didn't have more comment to add to his response to Wasnick.
Valderrama added that Yazici's job is to present the City Council with its options in the budget, both for expenses and revenues, so it's entirely appropriate to include the annual statutory option the council has to consider a 1 percent property tax increase.
Ultimately, Wasnick said, he sees the city council members latching onto the issue of misinformation from opponents such as Common Sense Sammamish as a way to explain the close vote, but he believes his efforts and questions were honest and forthright regarding the issue.
Valderrama told Patch today he disagrees with Wasnick, who, like all the citizens of the city, has had more than 18 months to comment on or participate in the Parks Department's development of its PRO plan which the community has participated in to develop the department's priorities, but has not availed himself of the opportunity.
Wasnick said he is a strong proponent of Sammamish Parks and Recreation efforts, and has volunteered many hours, such as at Evans Creek Park, but does not agree that the proposed Community and Aquatic Center is the best use of those funds.
