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Relief efforts | A local Filipino group is collecting money for victims of the earthquake and typhoon. [3] Toiletry drive | The Renton Reporter is partnering with RAYS and Art2D2 Tattoo and Piercing on a toiletry drive this holiday season. [7]
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2013
County ruling allows city more revenue next year By Brian Beckley bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
Workers begin tearing up concrete on the Upper Cedar River Trail Tuesday near the Renton Senior Activity Center. Brian Beckley, Renton Reporter
Repairs begin on Upper Cedar River Trail By Brian Beckley bbeckley@rentonreporter.com
The Upper Cedar River Trail is getting a facelift. The section of the trail on the north side, or right bank, of the Cedar River between Williams Avenue North and the Renton Senior Activity Center
closed Monday and will remain closed through Dec. 13 to allow for repairs of the 35-year-old walkway. According to Parks Planning and Natural Resources Director Leslie Betlach, the closure is to allow for the repaid and replacement of the walkway, which has become “heaved” and “cracked” due to the roots of trees pushing up on it and is
potentially unsafe because of it. It is the first time the surface has been replaced since being installed in the late-1970s. “Everything has a lifespan,” Betlach said. “That’s a long time.” Betlach said the panels of trail along the river will be removed, along with the [ more TRAIL page 3 ]
A ruling earlier this year from King County will allow the City of Renton to collect more revenue in 2014 than previously expected. The change could mean about $16 more per year per tax bill on a $300,000 home. According to Administrative Services Administrator Iwen Wang, who gave a presentation to the City Council Monday on the midbiennial budget amendment, the budget was prepared assuming a levy of $3.10 per $1,000 assessed value maximum for 2013. Because the total valuation of the city dropped, the city hit the maximum tax rate and was required to collect less in revenue than in 2012. But the city raised a question to the county regarding the annexation into the King County Library System and the county agreed that because of the annexation, the city was not subject to the earlier limit, allowing them to raise the effective rate. “In that case, we shouldn’t be lowering our property tax collection in 2013,” Wang said Tuesday. Because state law limits revenue increase to 1 percent of the previous year’s total, the 2014 [ more budget page 5 ]
Renton educators weigh in on national Common Core standards The majority of Renton teachers, principals and staff expressed a positive view on new national reading, writing and math standards adopted by Washington state. The Common Core State Standards are academic benchmarks for reading and math that lay out what students should know and do at each grade level, as well as after high school. Currently, 45 states and the
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District of Columbia have adopted the standards, while five other states created their own version. For those that have adopted the standards, they will be fully implemented by the 2014-15 school year, when new assessments aligned with the Common Core are published. “I definitely like the Common Core Standards,” said Laurie Parten, Math Department chair at McKnight Middle School. “The standards are evidencebased and developed using the most effective models [ more Standards page 10 ]
Lakeridge Elementary School teacher Candace Abrahamson teaches her kindergarten students numbers during class. Courtesy photo
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By Sarah Kehoe
skehoe@rentonreporter.com