ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
Friday, November 25, 2011
www.issaquahreporter.com
HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU
Sammamish City Council on fence over taxes, raises BY LINDA BALL ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
This rotifer was pictured spinning bricks for its conical-shaped home. Taken by Issaquah’s Charles Krebs, the image won first place in Olympus’ Bioscapes competition, one of two major photomicography competitions in the world. PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES KREBS
Issasquah photographer gets up close with everyday life BY CELESTE GRACEY CGRACEY@ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
A
t first glance, the microbe looks like a strange Micky Mouse popping up from a hole. But fix a mind upon it and the translucent microorganism, building its conical home, must be alien — pure science fiction.
Charles Krebs, a recluse with a microscope, wouldn’t necessarily disagree. The petri dish is a new world to explore, he says. “There’s like a universe, inside a universe, inside a universe.” Krebs took first prize in the national Olympus Bioscapes contest this year. But unlike the photos produced by scientists, Krebs’ work comes from the curiosity of a photographer. The microbe, a rotifer, was actually an unusual entry for Krebs, who prefers to photograph creatures more familiar to
the average person - such as the eyes of a honey bee or the wings of a a mosquito. Such creatures, usually seen with disgust, become stunning when viewed close up. Put something under the microscope, Krebs says, and people see the bugs anew. “Who doesn’t like seeing new things?” Krebs says. “Not just things that are new, but things that are totally unexpected.” For Krebs, the adventure didn’t start with a microscope. He had focused on nature photography and had his work featured in about every
major magazine that takes an interest in the great outdoors - National Geographic, Time and Smithsonian. He also made money providing images to stock photo companies. Then the Internet and digital photography came along, destroying the freelance industry as images became too plentiful, too cheap. Never interested in photographing people, he turned deeper into the natural world. Not an educated scientist, he is baffled by the world that swims by as he looks into the petri dishes. He pulls water from nearby ponds and lakes and, after finding some new specimen, looks for information on the Web. “It’s humbling in a way,” he said, his voice rich with enthusiasm. “There is so much left that we don’t know.”
PHOTOGRAPHING THE SEE PHOTOS, 2
The city of Sammamish is considering a 1 percent tax increase so it can afford raises for its employees next year. The 3.2 proposed cost of living adjustments would be the first the city has seen since 2009. The tax increase would come in addition to Sammamish’s $3.8 million year-end surplus. Several city councilmembers were uneasy with proposal. “You can’t run a city on property tax,” said Mayor Don Gerend, adding that he was uncomfortable with any proposed tax increases. Instead he suggested the city use real estate excise taxes to create additional revenue. Jim Wasnick, who recently lost his campaign for city council, agreed with Gerend, and pointed out people in the private sector are not getting 3.2 percent raises across the board. Deputy Mayor Tom Odell echoed the sentiments. “The non-governmental sector is still in belt-tightening mode,” he said, adding that the raises and the tax increase needed additional thought. However, councilmember Mark Cross pushed for raises for city employees, stating that the Puget Sound area is doing “quite well.” Odell countered by saying that the economy is still in a long-term downward trend. Joe Guinasso, the city’s new finance director, made his first public presentation Nov. 14, on the city’s budget. The surplus is made up from $1.8 million of addition income from development, specifically real estate excise tax and traffic and park impact fees, and the $2 million from savings on the expenditure side, Guinasso said. The city council expects to revisit the proposal Dec. 6.
Linda Ball can be reached at 206-232-1215 ext. 5052.