Yes for Kirkland Pools and Parks

11/17/2023

From all of us on the YES! for Kirkland Pools & Parks campaign, 🙏THANK YOU to the YES voters on Prop 1!

While the outcome of Prop 1 does not nearly reflect the need and demand for a new public aquatic and recreation center and parks investments in Kirkland, it does tell us that residents need more confidence in a proposal that increases property taxes. The investment that was made by the City, the Parks Funding Exploratory Committee, the Parks Recreation Open Space planning process, and our collective YES for Kirkland Pools & Parks campaign was significant. It has put us in an informed position to take the next steps forward. Civic engagement, partnerships, clarifying information gaps, refinement, and continued leadership are needed. Communities far smaller and with less resources have achieved public support for ensuring everyone has access to aquatic and recreational facilities and enhanced park systems.

The path ahead is unclear, but steps must continue to be taken. Onward.

11/06/2023

Now is the time to VOTE YES on Prop 1 - for the residents of Kirkland! Invest in our community's quality of life for generations to come. 🌳🚶🏀🏊‍♀️💦💙

https://fb.watch/o8UBP9mBFf/

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11/06/2023

"We must pass this now. We won't have another opportunity to make this happen for years to come."

🙏Thank you Representative Larry Springer for your support & all you do for the residents of Kirkland and the 45th District. 🌳🚶🏀🏊‍♀️💦💙

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11/05/2023

You’ve still got time to 🗳️VOTE YES ✅👍 for Proposition 1!

EVERY YES vote counts!! This is our shot. If we don’t pass Prop 1, we’ll wait years for another opportunity and costs will only rise.

Mail or drop off your ballot by 8pm on or before Tuesday November 7th. Kirkland has two ballot drop boxes - Kirkland City Hall and Kingsgate Library.

We appreciate you and the time you have taken to learn about Prop 1.

🗳️ 🌳🚶🏾‍♀️🚶‍♂️🏊🏼‍♀️🏊🏽‍♂️💦🏀💙

11/04/2023

"We need to invest in Kirkland's beautiful parks and recreation areas for generations to come but also for what we need today. Our pool is small and overbooked for the short time it's available. Our parks are fabulous, our trails plenty and our sports fields very well used. Let's keep it that way for a long long time and make them safe and modern and available for everyone! We need to do this now in order to use it for years to come."

🙏Thank you Adelheid for your VOTE of support!🌳🚶🏊‍♀️💦💙

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11/03/2023

FACT: Kirkland's Proposition 1 is a SENSIBLE and RESPONSIBLE levy that PROTECTS the Parks investments it includes especially a new aquatic and recreation center.

✅The levy would fund the ongoing operations & maintenance (O&M) for Kirkland's new aquatic and recreation center.

✅If the levy passes, the city will issue government BONDS for the remaining design and capital costs. Kirkland has a triple-A bond rating and these bonds would be debt-serviced by the general fund.

✅ Having a RELIABLE, STABLE source of Operations and Maintenance funds is essential to ensuring a new aquatic and recreation center is well-operated and cared for for generations to come. The Forward Thrust pools like the Juanita HS Pool and newer facilities like the Sammamish YMCA struggle with maintenance costs. Both have received King County Aquatic Facilities grants to address needed infrastructure improvements. LWSD received $2M for Juanita HS Pool to keep the facility from falling into disrepair and improve ADA compliance. Sammamish YMCA received $232K to repair pool tiling work.

✅Whether a voted bond or not for capital costs, construction financing and operation & maintenance costs do not change. Opponents' projections on cost savings ignore ongoing operations and maintenance as well as protecting a municipal asset that is beholden and responsive to Kirkland residents' needs.

✅While the levy lid lift can increase each year by the value of new construction plus 1%, the assessment and resultant levy funds will fall relative to inflation.

✅All Prop 1 Parks capital projects would be scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.

A new public aquatic and recreation center will be a shining beacon in our community and Prop 1 ensures that will be for the next 50+ years. 🌳🏊💦🏀🚶💙

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11/01/2023

FACT: The proposed new Kirkland Aquatic and Recreation Center at Houghton P&R will NOT REQUIRE membership for usage.

✅1. Kirkland residents will be offered reduced resident rates like they are offered today for city programs and activities.

✅2. There will be DAILY DROP-IN fees and multi-visit punch cards for further discounts.

✅3. Memberships will be offered for adults, seniors, and families with reduced resident rates. If the levy passes we're told that City Council will explore a sliding scale membership rate based on household income level.

✅4. There will be PRIORITY REGISTRATION for Kirkland residents. The City of Kirkland recently implemented priority registration for swim lessons at Peter Kirk Pool and for Parks & Community Service programs this fall.

✅5. There will be scholarship programs to further reduce financial barriers to using the facility.

All this is to say, that with a City operated facility, it will be accessible to the broadest spectrum of Kirkland residents across age and income levels with the goal to reduce barriers. You would not get ALL this with a private for-profit operator.

🗳Vote YES on Prop 1 TODAY!🌳🏊💦🏀🚶💙

10/31/2023

Prop 1 invests in the QUALITY OF LIFE for all Kirklanders by providing the missing link in our Parks system - a new aquatic and recreation center IN KIRKLAND with guaranteed access FOR KIRKLAND RESIDENTS all year round. Prop 1 is more than a pool. It includes expanded teen programs, operations at the Kirkland Teen Union Building for before and after school programs, year-round park restrooms, more lifeguarding hours at our beaches, water safety programs, park rangers in our parks, and an expanded trail system in Finn Hill. 🌳🏀🚶🏊‍♀️💦💙

Kirkland, we can do this together! 🗳Vote YES TODAY! 🎉

Kirkland has a once in a generation opportunity to invest in an aquatics center, new parks facilities, expanded lifeguards, and the Green Loop. Vote YES by November 7th!

10/30/2023

"Satisfying an ongoing need and desire in the community, Kirkland has proposed building a multipurpose recreational facility featuring two pools that is the right size for Kirkland. This will be a tremendous resource for people of all ages for aquatic activities, classes, and gatherings. After building such a community treasure, it would be fiscally foolish not to provide a mechanism for its maintenance and operation. The ongoing nature of the levy lid lift is fiscally prudent to pay for this M&O as well as expanded parks programs and services. Kirkland has always been transparent and accountable to voters with its park levies, and this will be no different. Vote yes for Prop. 1!”

🙏Thank you Rep. Shelley Kloba, 1st Legislative District, longtime Kirkland resident, former Kirkland Parks Board member and former Kirkland City Council Member 🗳🌳💦💙

Shelley Kloba for State House

10/29/2023

"A YES vote on Kirkland Proposition #1 continues the legacy of our community investing in Kirkland, our parks, and quality of life."

🙏Thank you Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold for your endorsement & support on Prop 1🌳💦💙

Jay Arnold, Kirkland Deputy Mayor

10/28/2023

Had a great time meeting & talking to a lot of Kirkland voters at Kirkland’s Pumpkins 🎃 in the Park event! Many will be sitting down to vote 🗳️ this weekend. We enjoyed answering your questions. Thank you 🙏 to those that already voted YES 🙌 🌳💦💙

10/27/2023

A question you may have is...

Q: How is the city planning to fund building the aquatic center? The levy looks to only cover the operations and maintenance as well as the other park investments and services.

A: If Proposition 1 passes, the City will use its triple-A bond rating and issue limited-tax-general-obligation bonds to fund the remainder of the design work and capital construction of the facility. The bonds would be debt-serviced by the City’s General Fund.

The capital cost of the proposed 86K sq ft facility is $108.5M in 2025 dollars. The levy would fund the ongoing operations and maintenance of the facility to ensure the sustainability of a municipally operated facility. The levy would fund costs related to design, permitting, construction, what’s inside the building (furniture, fixtures, equipment), and their ongoing maintenance.

This is a financially responsible approach to protecting Kirkland’s next major Parks investment so that it will be a gem in our community for generations to come. The Forward Thrust pools of the early 1970's, like the Juanita High School Pool, taught us that without a reliable steady source of funding, operations and maintenance it can be a challenge to keep these facilities operable.

Prop 1 is transparent, responsible & achievable. Let's do this Kirkland! 🗳🌳💦

For more questions like this see the City’s FAQ’s on www.kirklandwa.gov/parksballot

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