The following was provided by Vince Bicunas, President of the Fairhaven Neighborhood Association.
Remember the petition you likely signed last summer, asking for a
ballot up or down vote on creating a Chuckanut Community Forest Park
District?
The time has come, the ballots will be in the mail soon, and due to
be voted on by February 12th 2013. The ballot measure will create a
Municipal Park District, a legal entity in the State of Washington,
to collect a general property tax of $.28 per thousand of property
valuation. If your property is valued at say $250,000, your yearly
tax will be a mere $70.00. The tax collected in ten years will be
sufficient to repay the City of Bellingham’s inter fund loan of $3.2
million used to complete the purchase of the property back in August
2011.
This vote on self-taxation will only apply to properties and voters
in the five southside neighborhoods: South Hill, South, Happy Valley,
Fairhaven and Edgemoor, and only in Precincts 256, 257, 258, 259,
260, 261, 262, 264, and 265. The five neighborhood associations have
already endorsed this action. I hope you will too!
Remember, if development south of the 12th Street bridge were to
reach the level of requiring new roadways or bridge widening, the
costs to us would be much greater. Help us maintain the ecologically
valuable integrity of “Chuckanut Ridge” or “Hundred Acre Wood.” Sure,
we’re going to pony up this last amount so that the rest of the city
and county will benefit too, but this is a financing package that
allows the City to honor its commitment to acquisition projects in
other parts of the Southside and the rest of town. We all win. VOTE
YES FOR OUR FOREST!
And join us tonight, for:
CHUCKANUT COMMUNITY FOREST CAMPAIGN BENEFIT
Saturday January 12, 7:30 P.M.
Firehouse Performing Arts Center, 1314 Harris Avenue, Bellingham
Bellingham Repertory Dance Company
Poet Kevin Murphy
Lindsay Street Band
Also present will be representatives of the campaign steering
committee, who will answer questions about the proposed Chuckanut
Community Forest District.
Suggested donation of $15.00.
www.chuckanutcommunityforest.
ALSO!…
This weekend marks the beginning of a doorbell canvass to support the
passage of the February 12 vote to create the Chuckanut Community
Forest.
Join us for a brief orientation:
Saturday, January 12 at 10 am, and/or
Sunday. January 13 at 12 noon,
at the Caretakers House in Fairhaven Park, site of the former Rose
Garden.
Parking available at main lot in Fairhaven Park or at Fairhaven
Middle School.
Following the orientation we will canvass southside neighborhoods.
Please dress warmly!
In addition to our vote to create the Chuckanut Community
Metropolitan Park District, we will have to vote in five Chuckanut
Park Commissioners. The candidates are:
Position 1: Cathy McKenzie and Patricia Montgomery
Position 2: John Hymas and Daniel Remsen
Position 3: Susan Kaun and Jan Brown
Position 4: Vincute (Vince) Biciunas (yes, me)
Position 5: John Brown and Anna Williams
Please VOTE YES for this jewel of Bellingham!
Vince Biciunas