I am troubled by what I saw as Kenmore Mayor David Baker’s evasive answers regarding the city budget and the financial impact that the new city hall is going to have on our ability to fund future public improvements. Baker admits that the city has been stashing away money for the last 10 years, but who determined that the primary goal for our savings was just city hall and a sidewalk on State Route 522? I thought our primary goal was to improve all our unsafe roads, traffic and parks.

The 2006 budget reported that the new city hall would cost taxpayers $5.2 million and SR 522 would cost us $6.3 million for a total of $11.5 million. Now the city tells us the new city hall will cost $17 million to $18 million and SR 522 will cost us $15 million for an actual total of $32 million to $33 million. In three years, the costs have almost tripled and all Baker has to say is that this was always the goal?

Evasive answers just serve to muddy the water and confuse the public. They also demonstrate a lack of regard for the taxpayers and the economic consequences being imposed on them.

Since we have to pay the bill anyway, why not just give us straight answers?

Carl Michelman, Kenmore