Is South King Fire and Rescue lying this time too?

You trusted them last time when they promised to hire nine full-time firefighters with the $3.5 million per year excess levy.

They lied.

Both leading up to the election and afterwards. After you approved the measure, your fire district only hired two firefighters with your hard earned taxes.

They squandered the rest on what? Higher wages? More non-essential administrative staff? Generous benefits? Retirement funds? Bloated severance packages? Hiring puff-piece public relations officers?

Now they are back, using the word “safety” in the title to lull you. Or scare you.

Instead of responsible spending and using existing money for repairs, they want even more of your taxes, this time asking for $53.7 million.

At their three non-advertised exploratory meetings, they promised more informational public meetings about this ballot measure. None were held.

Fire stations, fire trucks and unnecessary perimeter fencing are all cited. But the fact remains that the union contract will be negotiated soon after this huge windfall is secured. And it promises to be a doozy.

The district is exclusively controlled by the firefighters seeking more money, administration who were all firefighters and most of the commissioners are ex firefighters, with their family members in the same business, seeking perks for their own, all single-mindedly anxious to line their pockets.

The “leadership” quickly wastes your tax dollars on “he’s looking at me” playground antics, disrespect any who oppose them and spends tens of thousands defending the chief’s son for a violation they themselves found him guilty.

Who is watching out for your money?

And let’s not ignore upper level administrators taking huge severance packages to double dip out of state jobs.

During a time of exceptional recovery, higher than expected revenues and steadily rising property values, this district is eager to get into your pocket for even more in increased taxes without responsibly using what they already have.

Are they lying again this time?

Demand open government and accountability before approving any new taxes.

Reject South King Fire and Rescue Proposition 1. For information, visit www.southkingfire.net

Jerry Galland, unincorporated King County