The Si View Metropolitan Park District is asking local voters to fund improvements to the Community Center including the adjacent field and now Tollgate Farm.

I look back to 2003, when King County decided to shut down our pool. The park district was born via Proposition One. It was stated that the pool would be reopened, the roof of the community center would be replaced and the siding repaired or replaced. I believe the CIP scheduled the roof replacement for 2007.

It is now 2010 and the new Proposition One wants more money to replace the roof and the siding. What happened to the initial funding authorization of 2003? In my mind, the deal breaker in this new proposition is the inclusion of additional funding for Tollgate Farm.

I respect the hard work the district board contributes to the Park District, but I believe they have gone overboard on the funding requests. Don’t they realize the economy is in the tank? There are other taxing districts asking for additional property taxes (the North Bend fire station is one example).

I hope the voters will consider these additional burdens and vote against Proposition One. If the Park District wants all of the money for their wish lists, put the community center on one bond and Tollgate Farm on another. Then let the voters decide.

Dan Goodrum

North Bend