News
Eastlake grad pilots Navy’s new maritime patrol plane Page 10
Reporter ISSAQUAH | SAMMAMISH
WWW.ISSAQUAHREPORTER.COM
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2014
Issaquah council passes modified B&O tax increase
Arts
BY DANIEL NASH
ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Sensational singing, dancing highlight ‘Mary Poppins’ Page 11
Business JOANNA MARTIN, City of Sammamish (Courtesy Photo)
A young attendee of “Very Merry Sammamish 2013” gets his face painted. Visitors can also meet the Ice Queen, Ice Princess, and Santa Claus while listening to performances by area choirs.
Look’s Gifts and Cards donates part of sales to Eastside charity Page 2
Sports
Kirsch, Crusaders set for football playoff matchup with Lincoln Page 12
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Santa’s coming to town Choirs, activities and photo ops will headline annual holiday festivities, tree lighting in Sammamish BY BRYAN TRUDE ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
Heads up Sammamish residents, Santa Claus is coming to town. The jolly one himself is making an appearance along with the Ice Queen, Ice Princess, and Eastside Fire and Rescue’s Reindeer Truck at “Very Merry Sammamish,” beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 at Sammamish City Hall. “Very Merry Sammamish” is the city’s
annual holiday kickoff. Designed to appeal to people of all faiths, the holiday festivities will feature activities for kids of all ages. Choirs from Eastlake High School, Eastside Catholic high and middle schools and Rachel Carson Middle School will all sing. Kids also can enjoy face-painting, a snow machine and a petting zoo provided by Old McDebbie’s Farm of Spanaway. Food trucks will be on hand and kids can get their SEE MERRY, 2
The Issaquah City Council approved new business and occupation tax rates at its regular meeting Monday night. The new rates were modified from those proposed by Mayor Fred Butler in October, eschewing a nearly doublerate increase on manufacturing/wholesale/retail businesses in favor of an across-the-board 50 percent increase on all applicable businesses. The ordinance passed 5-2. The updated rates would take effect at the onset of April. The business and occupation tax, or B&O tax, is a municipal tax on a business’s gross receipts. Currently, product-based businesses — those in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail sector — are taxed at a rate of 0.08 percent, or eight-hundredths of a penny on every gross dollar earned. Service businesses — including printers and publishers, service retailers and other service providers — are taxed at a higher rate of 0.1 percent, or a tenth of a cent on every gross dollar. In October, Butler proposed raising the 0.08 percent to 0.15 and raising the 0.10 percent rate to 0.12 percent. At the beginning of 2017, the 0.15 percent rate would have increased again to 0.2 percent. Representatives for the Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and several larger Issaquah businesses — including Costco and Darigold — objected to the proposed rates, calling the increase too steep. Instead, 0.08 percent will become 0.12 and 0.10 will become 0.15, effectively flip-flopping the planned tax burdens on product and service businesses so that service businesses continue to pay a higher rate. Preserved from Butler’s plan was a proposal SEE B&O, 2
Teaching teens to fight against rape BY DANIEL NASH ISSAQUAH/SAMMAMISH REPORTER
One of the throat strikes almost knocks Karin Walen off stage. The sparring pad she held up had blocked the impact, as it had with all the previous girls, but there’s a little too much gusto this time around and she creep-creep-creeps to the edge of the platform. But it’s just three hits and soon enough
Walen laughs it off and she’s back in position for the next girl. The instructors had asked for 10 volunteers but two dozen, maybe three dozen, had piled on stage. The last demonstration — groin strikes — had simply looked too fun. They could hit pads as hard as possible, they could swear and everyone would laugh it off — students, SEE SEMINAR, 6
DANIEL NASH, Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter
A student practices palm strikes with Fight the Fear director Melinda Johnson during a seminar on sexual assault and self defense Nov. 13 at Issaquah High.