Kent Reporter, November 07, 2014

Page 1

INSIDE | Boy recovering from transplant surgery [6]

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Sports | Woods directs Royals into the district playoffs [12]

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2014

Bond measure for new police hub coming up short BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com

Kent voters appear to be failing to give the necessary 60 percent bond measure approval to build a new police headquarters. Proposition A received 8,080

(53.73 percent) yes votes to 6,958 (46.27 percent) no votes, according to results released Wednesday afternoon by King County Elections. “I was a little bit surprised,” said Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas at a gathering of bond measure sup-

INSIDE: Early election returns, page 5

porters at the Mexico Lindo restaurant across from City Hall. “I’m encouraged and optimistic but I thought the numbers would

come in a little bit higher.” If approved, the $34 million bond measure would pay for a new police headquarters as well as improvements to the city jail and firearm training range for officers. The property tax rate would be 19 cents per $1,000 assessed value or

City Council approves increase in garbage tax

BY STEVE HUNTER shunter@kentreporter.com

shunter@kentreporter.com

[ more TAX page 4 ]

Men in black

VETERANS DAY OBSERVANCE

HELPING OTHERS FIND THEIR WAY BY MARK KLAAS mklaas@kentreporter.com

From soldier to civilian, the transition can be a difficult one for today’s veteran. Timm Lovitt should know. He

[ more VOTE page 5 ]

ShoWare Center operating losses growing

BY STEVE HUNTER

Garbage taxes will go up next year in Kent to help pay for residential street repairs. The Kent City Council voted 6-1 on Tuesday night to raise the solid waste tax rate to 18.3 percent from 7.8 percent on each bill. The increase will bring in about $3 million per year for street maintenance in neighborhoods. Single-family residents who pay $18.37 per month for garbage, recycling and yard waste service plus taxes, will see a new rate of $20.75 per month for

about $57 per year for a $300,000 home. Thomas asked the City Council at an April workshop to send the measure to voters. Kent has 144 officers and is expected to have

completed the mission, going from the battlefield to the working world, and now uses his experiences to help veterans help themselves. “I’m trying to help them be successful … to help them explore and

Ken Raner, of Kent, waits in line with his son to sign up for the Kent Station’s costume contest last Friday. Merchants participated in trick-or-treating and prizes were awarded to winning costumes. ROSS COYLE, Kent Reporter

INSIDE: Columnist Don Dinsmore thanks veterans for their sacrifices, page 7 Auburn, K honors veterans with parade, events. Area events, pages 8, 11

understand what’s available to them,” said Lovitt, a former Army infantryman, now the director of campus veteran resources and services at

It appears Kent's ShoWare Center could be on a record-setting pace for operating losses this year. Although arena officials expect a strong fourth quarter with numerous events at the cityowned facility, the INSIDE: City losses hit $764,473 Council OKs conthrough the first tract extension for nine months, ShoWare operator, according to the page 3 ShoWare Center's income statement. The arena had expenses of $2.05 million and revenue of $1.28 million. That would rank as the biggest annual loss since the arena opened in 2009 and send the six years of losses to more than $3 million. The facility has lost money every year, with a high of $707,541 in 2012 and low of $370,874 in 2013. [ more SHOWARE page 4 ]

Timm Lovitt, a former Army infantryman, now serves veterans in his role at Green River Community College. MARK KLAAS, Kent Reporter

[ more LOVITT page 10 ]

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