SPORTS: Team time ... Sports, A7
Record South Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012 | Vol. 88, No. 89 | www.SOUTHWHIDBEYRECORD.com | 75¢
Budget unveils big plans
Price Johnson, Johnson, fire levy all win By JUSTIN BURNETT and JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporters
Justin Burnett / The Record
Langley resident Robin Adams addresses the City Council Monday about the proposed 2013 budget. From the left are council members Hal Seligson, Jim Sundberg, Bruce Allen and Rene Neff.
Langley mayor presents ‘Big Picture’ budget nearly double last year’s BY JUSTIN BURNETT Staff reporter Langley Mayor Larry Kwarsick has big plans in store for the Village by the Sea and he made that clear Monday by putting forward a 2013 budget to the City Council that is nearly double that of 2012. While more than half of the money consists of unsecured funds, including grants, loans and a bond, all of which would be put toward capital projects, the $11.3 million total is a 48 percent increase over last year’s $5.5 million budget. Kwarsick said past budgets have been narrower in scope, lacking prospective funding strategies for large-scale and long-range projects. “We’ve tried to be a bit more comprehensive this time around, talking about the big picture,” Kwarsick said. “The vision we’ve tried to create in our budgetary policies take advantage of
ture is largely unprecedentlow interest bonding oppored, according to Debbie tunities and looking at ways Mahler, Langley’s clerk/ to try and invest in our own treasurer. economy and stimulate our “I think there is more own economy.” infrastructure improveThe budget is especially ments in this budget than heavy on infrastructure the city has ever done in improvements, with specifive years, let alone one,” fied projects totaling about Mahler $6.5 said. “This million, is very according aggressive to city ‘We’ve tried to be a bit and ambidocumore comprehensive tious.” ments. At the Broken this time around, top of down, it talking about the big the list, tabs out to picture.’ and the about $2.8 line item million in -- Mayor Larry Kwarsick some city loans, $3 officials million say may in grants be the and a least assured, would be $1.4 $700,000 bond. million in state and federal The loans would all be grant money for the Street paid back with revenue Fund. A $700,000 bond generated from the city’s would also be pursued, various utilities, due in part totaling about $2.1 million in to rate increases that were new revenue. adopted by the City Council The money would largely earlier this year and in 2011. be put toward the Second The focus on infrastruc-
Street redevelopment project, which is expected to run about $1.7 million. The remainder, along with existing revenues, would fund engineering of a funicular from Cascade Avenue to the marina, install two radar speed signs, overlay sections of Anthes and Park avenues, overlay all of Camano Avenue and Sixth Street, and seal-coat Island View Lane. In the Water Fund, a $780,000 loan and $260,000 grant, both from the United States Department of Agriculture, is slated to pay for water line improvements on Decker and Park Avenues, Second Street, Sandy Point Road and in Northview. From the same federal agency, the city is seeking a $935,000 loan and $765,000 in grants for stormwater projects in a handful of locations, from Sixth Street and See budget, A6
Island County’s first female commissioner will get another four years in office, according to Tuesday’s first election count. Incumbent Commissioner Helen Price Johnson, a Democrat, has a lead over Republican challenger Jeff Lauderdale for the District 1 position, which covers South and Central Whidbey. Price Johnson has 17,420 votes, or 52 percent, while Lauderdale has 16,019, or 48 percent. “I do think the race will narrow but it looks like my lead will hold,” Price Johnson said. Jill Johnson, a Republican, is ahead of Democratic Commissioner Angie Homola by 2 percent of the vote for the District 2 position, which represents the Oak Harbor area. She has 17,095 ballots cast in her favor, or 51 percent, while Homola has 16,400 votes, which is 49 percent. “It was a clear message and I am really excited to represent the voters of District 2 and all the citizens of Island County,” Johnson said Tuesday night. “There was no indecision in this vote at all.” South Whidbey Fire/ EMS’s levy lift proposition is passing with a hefty 58.6 percent of the vote. The measure, which raises the levy rate from about 61 cents to 76 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to pay for existing operations, needs only a simple majority to pass. “The fire department would like to greatly thank the public for its support,” Assistant Fire Chief Paul Busch said. In the hotly contested race for the District 10 senate seat,
Democrat Mary Margaret Haugen, the longtime senator, is losing to Republican challenger Barbara Bailey in Island County results. Bailey has 17,733 votes, or 52 percent, while Haugen has 16,437 votes, or 48 percent. The votes for the entire district weren’t available by press time. In the race for Position 1 in the 10th Legislative District, incumbent Norma Smith, R-Clinton, was well on her way to defeating challenger Aaron Simpson, D-Langley, receiving 61 percent of the vote in Island County. Smith said there are still a lot more votes to be counted in Snohomish and Skagit counties but was optimistic of a favorable result considering the wide margin of her lead and her win in the primary. “I’m deeply grateful for the support I’ve gotten,” she said. For the district’s Position 2 seat, Republican candidate Dave Hayes has 16,809, or 51 percent, and Democrat Tom Riggs garnered 16,241 or 49 percent. In the major state initiatives, Island County voters mirrored statewide results in casting ballots in favor of legalizing marijuana, approving same-sex marriage and approving charter schools. Island County voters also favored Republican candidate Rob McKenna over Democrat Jay Inslee for governor. McKenna earned 53 percent of Island County votes while statewide he has just 48 percent. U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen, a Democrat, and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell are both ahead. President Barack Obama won in Island County, with nearly 51 percent of the vote as compared to Mitt Romney’s 47 percent.