Residents of cash-strapped Normandy Park facing tough choices
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NORMANDY PARK, Wash. -- The city of Normandy Park is in dire financial straits, and now city leaders are asking residents to pony up more money or face losing their city.
Like many cities in the region and around the country, Normandy Park is going broke. A quick stroll through the once bustling City Hall paints a picture of just how bad things have become.
"This is the vacant office that was previously occupied by the public works director," said City Manager Doug Schulze.
Other offices, such as that of the former community development director, are also empty.
Despite the money problems, Mayor Clark Brant said he's keeping his cool.
"We're at the point now where if we keep spending our reserves, we'll be in a crisis situation if we have an emergency," he said.
Perhaps the biggest concern is that there just aren't many ways for the city to raise money. There's not much retail space, and much of the space that is there is vacant.
A full 60 percent of Normandy Park's expenses are wrapped up in its police department, but few of the city's 65,000 residents want to see that department go.
"I like having our own police department. I like being able to call when we're out of town and the police will come around and check your house," said resident Carol Heigh.
Leaders are now making what could be a last ditch effort to save the city by asking residents to pitch in. There will be a ballot measure in November to lift the lid on local property taxes.
Schulze said the vote is a way to ask residents how much they really want their city. And what happens if it doesn't pass?
"I think the council will be willing to cross that other bridge if we need to," Schulze said.
That bridge could mean annexing into Burien to the north or Des Moines to the south. That's not an option that many residents are embracing.
"I want this to stay a city," Heigh said. "It's been a city for a long time, since 1953, so I don't think we want to see that change.'"
If other residents share Heigh's feelings, Brant said they need to vote for the tax increase.
'We're not kidding them, this really has to be done," he said.
The ballot measure would raise property taxes 30 cents per $1,000 assessed. Even if the measure passes, the city won't be completely out of the woods, but it will get them enough revenue to forge ahead.
Like many cities in the region and around the country, Normandy Park is going broke. A quick stroll through the once bustling City Hall paints a picture of just how bad things have become.
"This is the vacant office that was previously occupied by the public works director," said City Manager Doug Schulze.
Other offices, such as that of the former community development director, are also empty.
Despite the money problems, Mayor Clark Brant said he's keeping his cool.
"We're at the point now where if we keep spending our reserves, we'll be in a crisis situation if we have an emergency," he said.
Perhaps the biggest concern is that there just aren't many ways for the city to raise money. There's not much retail space, and much of the space that is there is vacant.
A full 60 percent of Normandy Park's expenses are wrapped up in its police department, but few of the city's 65,000 residents want to see that department go.
"I like having our own police department. I like being able to call when we're out of town and the police will come around and check your house," said resident Carol Heigh.
Leaders are now making what could be a last ditch effort to save the city by asking residents to pitch in. There will be a ballot measure in November to lift the lid on local property taxes.
Schulze said the vote is a way to ask residents how much they really want their city. And what happens if it doesn't pass?
"I think the council will be willing to cross that other bridge if we need to," Schulze said.
That bridge could mean annexing into Burien to the north or Des Moines to the south. That's not an option that many residents are embracing.
"I want this to stay a city," Heigh said. "It's been a city for a long time, since 1953, so I don't think we want to see that change.'"
If other residents share Heigh's feelings, Brant said they need to vote for the tax increase.
'We're not kidding them, this really has to be done," he said.
The ballot measure would raise property taxes 30 cents per $1,000 assessed. Even if the measure passes, the city won't be completely out of the woods, but it will get them enough revenue to forge ahead.
