I’m writing in response to the article (“Agreeing to disagree,” Dec. 29) in which Mayor Matt Larson and the rest of the Snoqualmie City Council decided to “wait and see” if the February 8 school bond vote passes before perhaps giving their support to the school district’s requested, and much needed, impact fee increase.

To me, this is the cart leading the horse, and I’m appalled that the Mayor and the City Council would even hesitate.

I am a strong supporter of our schools, and I believe that this is the right bond at the right time, and I hope that my fellow citizens will join me in voting “yes”. But many people from all around the Valley have watched the explosive growth in Snoqualmie over the last several years, and there is the perception that the growth is perhaps not paying for itself when it comes to school over-crowding. There is no doubt that this line of reasoning has played a major role in bond-failures in the past, and I would think that Mayor Larson would be one of the first to recognize this.

I realize that he has a budget to balance, and that Snoqualmie’s funding comes from a variety of sources that must be carefully weighed. But unlike the other municipalities in the district that have weathered the economic downturn by producing modest budgets built on smart fiscal responsibility, it seems that he has built his fastest-growing-city-in-the-state utilizing a budget over-reliant on tax receipts from new construction. His decision to delay approval or perhaps never approve the new fees shows that his loyalty is with the builders, not the local taxpayers who voted him into office. I believe that this is misguided, and would encourage those of you who agree to contact the Mayor’s office and express your opinion.

Eric Yotz

North Bend