By Highlands Community Council
So first we see this happen with the Renton School Disctrict. Now we see this happening at Valley Medical Center. What’s next? The City of Renton? Remember, you fund the hospital through your property taxes. If you want to know how much, follow these steps:
- Browse to http://www5.kingcounty.gov/parcelviewer/viewer/kingcounty/viewer.asp
- Enter your house number and street name (just the house number and street no direction)
- Select your address from the list
- Click the “Get Property Report” link below your address (it’s a pop up so you may have to unblock)
- Select the “Property Tax Information for this property” (it’s in the “Related Resources Section” towards the bottom of the page (Again, it’s a pop up to you may have to unblock)
- On the next page, click the “Search” button to search for your “Real Property Tax”
- About 1/2 down the page you will see a section with 3 tabs. Tax Year Details, Receipts, 2009 Tax/Fee Distribution. Click on “2009 Tax/Fee Distribution”
- You will see a line reading “Hospital”. Keep in mind that just because your address in Renton, you may not be in the Valley Medical Center Hospital District.
While you are there, take a look at how your property taxes break down. Many assessed values were reduced by the County Assessor. Just because your home value went down by 26% does not mean that your property taxes will be reduced as well. The Renton City Council will identify what revenue they need to bring in and your taxes could actually increase.
As far as the Golden Parachute, legally Roodman he probably did earn the money, but why was the large some of money offered in the contract to begin with?
Keep in mind the board members of Valley Medical Center have been involved in Renton politics for many years.
Also be sure to read some of the comments on KOMO’s site and post some of your own below.
Read more »
By Highlands Community Council
King County Budget Cuts
09/29/2009King County Executive Kurt Triplett unveiled his 2010 budget proposal yesterday (Monday). It contains what he calls “heart-wrenching” cuts. The county needs to plug a $56 million deficit for next year. The proposed budget eliminates more than 360 staff positions, including 16 people in the executive’s office. And it makes big cuts in some social service programs.
Story continues at KUOW.
By Highlands Community Council
SEATTLE - Insurance brokers say private companies won’t sell flood insurance in Kent, Renton, Auburn and Tukwila, where the Corps of Engineers says Green River flooding is likely this winter.
Federal insurance is still available but capped at $500,000 for a structure and $500,000 for contents. The Seattle Times reports that won’t cover many businesses in the valley where industries have grown.
Story continues at The Olympian.
By Highlands Community Council
Is this what it’s come to? Finding fast fingers to land grants?
Story courtesy of Columbian.com.
Clark County wasn’t the only agency that wanted to get its hands on a $12.5 million “revitalization” award from the state of Washington.
But it was the only agency that recruited 34 bureaucrats to sit at their computers at the moment the award was handed out, their mouses poised to click a button the instant it appeared on a state Web site.
By Highlands Community Council
The FBI says this man has robbed three Seattle-area banks this month.
The FBI has released these surveillance photos (below) of a man they say is responsible for three bank robberies in September, including one earlier today in Redmond.The bank robberies occurred Sept. 15 at the U.S. Bank branch at 1760 S.E. 272nd St. in Covington; Sept. 25 at a U.S. Bank branch at 17604 108th Ave. S.E. in Renton; and today at the Key Bank branch at 6401Redmond Way in Redmond
The man is described as white and in his 40s, 5-feet-7 and 160 pounds. He wears sunglasses and a white baseball cap. No weapon has been seen or implied during the robberies.
Anyone with information on the man is asked to call FBI Special Agent Larry Carr at 206-262-2063.
Story courtesy of the Seattle Times Blotter.
Another photo of the man the FBI says has robbed three Seattle-area banks this month.
By Highlands Community Council
Nearly three and a half a million dollars in federal money is headed to the Green River Valley to expand levees with these giant sandbags.
Short story continues at Renton.KOMONews.com
By Highlands Community Council
This is an editorial piece from the Seattle Times.
Kill the head tax
Seattle’s $25 annual tax per employee has to go. A “head tax” makes no economic sense.
In approaching its 2010 budget, the Seattle City Council should start with one assumption: The head tax has got to go.
We do not argue that an annual business tax of $25 per employee is a huge burden by itself. Of the two other King County jurisdictions that charge the tax, Renton charges $55 and Redmond, $90. But no business pays this tax by itself.
What counts is the stack of taxes. The total.
Story continues at the Seattle Times. Read what the true tax is.
By Highlands Community Council
By DEAN RADFORD
Renton Reporter Editor
Renton’s own EriAm Sisters received the key to the city Monday night, at an event that seemed more like a Hollywood gala than a City Council meeting.
The sisters, Lianda, Haben and Salina Abraham, are fresh off making the semi-finals of the NBC talent show, “America’s Got Talent.”
Story continues at the Renton Reporter.
By Highlands Community Council
By DEAN RADFORD
Renton Reporter Editor
Sep 18 2009, 2:29 PM
The King County Sheriff’s Office is asking that parents and students in the Maple Hills area east of Renton be alert for a woman and her newer grayish-blue pickup truck.
The Sheriff’s Office and the Issaquah School District issued an alert after the African-American woman in her 40s or 50s offered a ride to a 12-year-old Maywood Middle School student at about 6:45 a.m. Friday morning.
By Highlands Community Council
Courtesy of Northwest Hub.
By Jesse Piedfort
Published: September 16, 2009
King County Council approved on Monday the creation of three new demonstration projects on county-owned land that will incorporate green design elements into affordable housing developments.
The demonstration projects are intended to provide sustainable affordable housing and promote livable communities. They will include bicycle and pedestrian connections to nearby retail and commercial areas, connected street networks and a mix of housing types and land uses. The new ordinance allows modification to existing development codes to achieve these goals.
Story continues here.
