Statement Against
Vote NO on Initiative 123!
An Unfunded, Irresponsible Blank Check
I-123 claims to be a plan for an elevated waterfront park, but in reality the plan is largely undefined and doesn't even include cost estimates. What I-123 actually does is form an unelected interim board to develop a plan that the City will then be legally obligated to pay for, no matter what the cost.
I-123 hands over power to this self-appointed board to use undetermined millions in public funds to build a massive elevated structure running from the Pike Place Market to Century Link field to replace the Viaduct. It would have severe consequences for our City's budget and for our Waterfront.
An Unaccountable Power Grab
In an unprecedented act, Initiative 123's sponsors wrote their own names directly into the ordinance, appointing themselves the interim board and granting themselves the power to appoint their friends and supporters to the board. This is anti-democratic and is a dangerous parallel to the failed monorail board that wasted millions of taxpayer money and built nothing.
I-123 Will Defund More Important Priorities
Initiative 123 would legally require the City to make unlimited funds available from any source, including the general fund, to pay for this undefined project. This means that other city priorities - public safety, affordable housing and other vital city services - would be put at risk.
I-123 also requires the Council to hand over surplus city property to this board to use or sell as they see fit. These properties across Seattle should be used for affordable neighborhood housing, local parks, and other public benefits, not handed over to I-123's backers.
Takes us Backward
Planning and construction for a new revitalized, accessible and vibrant waterfront is already moving forward. I-123 would undo work directly based on years of public input, collaborative neighborhood meetings, and planning for an environmentally-responsible waterfront park.
The American Institute of Architects' Seattle chapter has come out strongly against I-123, saying it makes no sense to cut off the waterfront from the city. Even the designer of the elevated High Line park in New York - on which the I-123 idea is based - has come out against it, calling it "silly".
Join AIA Seattle, the League of Women Voters, Friends of Waterfront Seattle, the 34th District Democrats, the Seattle Aquarium, and the Seattle Parks Foundation in opposing I-123.
Please vote NO on I-123 on your August 2 primary ballot!
Submitted by:
Thatcher Bailey, Seattle Parks Foundation
Lisa Richmond, AIA Seattle
Lillian Sherman, Pike Place Market Foundation
www.voteno123.com
Rebuttal To Statement Against
Your YES vote on 123 will create an amazing legacy for Seattle's future.
Ignore special interests defending SDOT's lackluster downtown waterfront plan. They will say just about anything to try and stop Initiative 123's plan that is so much smarter and better for Seattle.
So, don't be fooled and don't settle for the booby prize. Remember, it's not Alki down there on Alaskan Way. The SDOT plan has us walking hand in hand with about 25,000 trucks a day.
Initiative 123's plan creates a healthy, level, safe and verdant elevated park from the market to the Clink with breathtaking public views and zero cars.
The Downtown Waterfront Preservation and Development Authority would join 8 other successful Seattle PDAs - including Pike Place Market - that are administered by the mayor's office and provide a layer of volunteer experts and citizen watchdogs to contain costs and protect the public's interest.
Vote YES.
Submitted by:
Kate Martin
206-579-3703
www.voteyeson123.org