In the ten years since the 2% Voter Utility Tax ("the vut") was passed, the City of Olympia has added many promised sidewalks, but has acquired only 60 acres of the 500 acres of promised parkland. Now, the City has the now-or-never opportunity to acquire 150 forested acres behind LBA Park for wildlife habitat and parkland. But the city has been using the money elsewhere (park maintenance and debt retirement mostly) and is ignoring the terms of the agreement: 2% for 500 acres.
It's a breach of faith and city residents need to speak out. Read the shocking report on the VUT misuse here.
Please write to the Olympia City Council and let them know you voted for the tax and/or that you are paying an extra 2% tax on your phone, gas, and electricity to help fund the purchase of the remaining 460 acres by 2024. Let them know that the LBA Woods would meet nearly a third of their stated goal. They owe it to us!
E-mail Olympia City Council
Send a single email to the Council's central email box: citycouncil@ci.olympia.wa.us. Your email sent to this address will be forwarded to all members of the City Council.
Send e-mails to individual members. Click on Council-member name below to go to their biography page (hotlink contact at bottom of each page) or copy and paste the e-mail address provided below.
- Stephen H. Buxbaum - Mayor Email: sbuxbaum@ci.olympia.wa.us
- Steve Langer E-mail: slanger@ci.olympia.wa.us
- Nathaniel Jones E-mail: njones@ci.olympia.wa.us
- Cheryl Selby E-mail: cselby@ci.olympia.wa.us
- Julie Hankins E-mail: jhankins@ci.olympia.wa.us
- Jeannine Roe E-mail: jroe@ci.olympia.wa.us
- Jim Cooper E-mail: jcooper@ci.olympia.wa.us
You can also write a letter or postcard and mail it to the Olympia City Council, PO Box 1967, Olympia, WA 98507-1967.
Please forward this post to fellow Olympians who might be interested in taking a few minutes to help use the 2% tax for protecting our forests and open spaces.
The LBA Woods property is within the city limits, but would be used by many well-outside the city. We have more than 5,200 supporters within and outside the city. Everyone can write the city council to urge them to protect the LBA Woods as parkland--even if are not paying taxes in Olympia. Use the contact information above.
For more information on the efforts to Save the LBA Woods, click here.
Thank you!
