Q&A: Renton Talks Annexation With West Hill Community Association

Now is the time to ask those burning questions about the Skyway/West Hill annexation vote that will appear on the November ballot.

The West Hill Community Association will host a Q&A session with Renton's Chief Administrator Jay Covington and King County's Senior Policy Analyst Karen Wolf at its quarterly meeting October 16, 7 p.m. at the Skyway VFW Hall, 7421 S. 126th St., Seattle.

What would you like to know? Post your questions in the comment section, below.

The West Hill Community Association is also gathering queries. So far, the list includes:

Ask City of Renton:

1. If we vote YES to annexation, will City of Renton begin the transition process in January, 2013, or delay for an unknown timetable until Renton city governance feels fiscally prepared to assume responsibility for our services?
2. Does City of Renton have actual statistics proving that crime rates are higher on the West Hill than in City of Renton?  If so, will City of Renton retain our very successful community policing model, including our storefront presence?
3. What are City of Renton’s specific concerns about stormwater drainage on the West Hill, and what are the plans for making improvements, including cost?
4. King County has been maintaining Skyway Park very well.  What kinds of improvements does Renton expect to offer?
5. West Hill is one of the City of Renton’s ten Community Planning Areas.  Renton’s community planning process, embodied under the umbrella of the Renton Business Plan, is the major avenue for discussing economic development in the city, as well as livability of its neighborhoods in general.  Can you provide any insight into what this ought to mean for the citizens of West Hill in practice?  Realizing this is an ongoing effort, when would you expect to see action taken to implement a community plan encompassing the West Hill area?
6. If Annexation is a yes and the Fire District 20 levy passes will the levy still be collected?
7. What are the differences in disaster (earthquake etc.) response and resources between our existing fire department and Renton’s?
8. Will Renton be able do anything about the blight of Mt. Anderson and surrounds?
9. If annexation passes will the issue of new sidewalks and sewers be any different than with King County?

Ask King County:

1. How will our local road services be impacted, assuming we vote NO to annexing to Renton in the upcoming November election?
2. How long will West Hill remain in Renton’s PAA, and are there any other contenders on the near or distant horizon (Seattle, Tukwila), should Renton drop out?  (Note: this might also be a question appropriate to the City of Renton, since 1. the West Hill Community petitioned the City of Renton to be annexed, 2. the City of Renton added West Hill to its PAA in response to the petition of West Hill citizens, and 3. according to King County annexation rules no area can be in the PAA of two different cities.  I don’t believe the West Hill area can be removed from Renton’s PAA without Renton’s agreement.)
3. What is King County’s backup plan should West Hill voters reject annexation?
4. In 2003, King County did a study (ref: King County General Budget Advisory Task Force) which made the following claim [under the subject of Root Causes]: “In total, $42 million per year more is spent in unincorporated areas (rural and urban) than those areas generate in taxes.”  And under the subject of Urban Subsidy, the following claim was made in the same report: “[Urban] unincorporated areas [are] getting more than they’re paying for.”  With respect to these claims we have the following questions:
   • What part of that “subsidy” was reflected in the urban areas only (excluding rural areas) as an annual amount?  
   • How has the overall subsidy to urban areas changed in the intervening years (increase, decrease, or stayed approximately the same)?  
   • Thinking of the local West Hill unincorporated area specifically, how much more (or less) has been spent in this area each of the past eight years than was generated in taxes from the area?  
   • Until such time as the West Hill area is no longer unincorporated, what is the projected future level of expenditure for the area compared to taxes generated in the area (and how long can such a projection expected to be realistic)?  
   • Finally, if the services the area needs cannot be met within the pool of taxes generated in this area, and future subsidy from county regional revenues is not an option, what options will be open to citizens of this area to shore up our own tax base in order to maintain or improve the area as a vital and forward-thinking place to live, assuming the area stays unincorporated?
5. What are King County’s specific concerns about stormwater drainage on the West Hill, and what are the plans for making improvements, including cost?
6. Recent challenges outlined by the King County roads department include the success of the annexation initiative which has reduced the overall property tax base for roads in King County.  How has the number of street/road miles for which King County is responsible been reduced due to recent completed annexations, and isn’t any reduction which has been seen proportional to the reduction in tax base for roads (i.e. an expected consequence)?  Furthermore, how much deferred maintenance was King County able to remove from its books due to completed annexations?
7. Will the proposed $20 car tab fee (for roads) apply to our area if Annexation passes?