For good reason, the financial crisis that has hit our city has been widely and publicly debated. No one wants to see our city make drastic staff cuts or reduce much revered community services.

We know that a course correction is required if we are to prevent even more harm from occurring and, regardless of how the city got here, this financial imbalance must be corrected sooner rather than later. As the council has informed us in Resolution 1570, a no vote on the $14.5 million levy lid lift (Proposition 1) will result in even deeper cuts being necessitated. It is not hard to recognize, therefore, that such actions, while being assessed across the board, will have an adverse affect on our environment, an area that our organizations have always worked hard to protect.

We’re sure that the risk is not only of concern to us, but also to those of you who value our parks, open spaces, urban forests, creeks and streams, beaches, waterfront and the Edmonds Marsh. The level of maintenance these areas require is no doubt obvious to any resident who has enjoyed spending recreational time in these beautiful areas, and which provide us, within a short walk or drive away, some relief on hot summer days, or time to commune with nature and watch the wildlife that abound in these areas.

As Mayor Rosen and the City Council have stated, the cuts that will be acted upon will be austere should Proposition 1 fail. As an example, the Parks Department, which oversees the maintenance of all our city’s natural resources, will see its budget reduced by $1,870,000; however, should it pass, then Parks will receive 22% of available levy funds, which equates to $3.2 million, and will include support of environmental stewardship.

The impacts of budget cuts have already been keenly felt, and while we know there is much agreement that a long-term strategy be sought to preclude such an eventuality from being repeated in the future should Proposition 1 pass, there will still be time to plan for future solvency. The question is, will there be time to ensure that no regrettable harm comes to our fragile ecosystem if we fail to provide the needed resources — staff and funding — to continue the environmental stewardship upon which it depends? To curtail or abbreviate future maintenance and environmental projects will not come without risk.

As key environmental organizations in Edmonds and the region, we support a yes vote on Proposition 1.

Georgina Armstrong is writing on behalf of

Advocates for Justice – Environment EUMC
Edmonds Climate Advisory Board
Edmonds Marsh Estuary Advocates Leadership Team
Friends of Edmonds Trees
Interfaith Climate Action
Sierra Club Sno-Isle Executive Committee