After living in unincorporated King County in the Panther Lake Annexation Area for almost 17 years, I would prefer to be governed by the City of Kent rather than King County.
As a resident of Kent, my local government will be elected by, and be responsible to, the community in which I live: people like my neighbors and me. We won’t be governed by people from and who are elected by residents of other parts of King County, whose interests and concerns may not be the same as ours here in South King County.
Although my taxes will be reduced and my services will remain the same, I would vote for annexation even if that wasn’t the case. King County simply does not want to be responsible for areas such as ours anymore. The King County Council passed a motion in September 2004 (known as the King County Annexation Initiative) to facilitate the transfer of governance of areas such as ours to cities like Kent.
Why? Because the King County Council recognized that cities such as Kent would have more funds available to provide the services required by densely populated areas such as ours.
I am proud of how Kent has developed during my 17 years living just outside its city limits. Kent Station and ShoWare Center have made Kent a destination in the region. The Kent Arts Commission brings outstanding entertainment to the community. Historic Downtown Kent has the charm of First Avenue and the untapped potential of Meeker Street. I’m proud to already call Kent my home and look forward to soon becoming an official voting resident of the City of Kent.
If you live in the Panther Lake Annexation Area, please vote yes to be annexed to the City of Kent.
Greg Haffner
Panther Lake
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