Women of Today and others made a great holiday
Congratulations to the Anacortes Women of Today for such a successful Fourth of July celebration. It was so amazing to have it start on time! (So therefore of course many of us old-timers missed the Town Photo!)

The parade (on time too), program, singers, sound system and games made a wonderful day in the park. One suggestion is to have two or three guiders along the parade route to avoid gaps or stopping.
Janet Knowles
Anacortes

Including R4 area would preserve affordable homes
Re: Old Town zoning and building restrictions.

Several issues are relevant to the debate over whether to include the R4 zoned blocks in the Old Town design guidelines, recently approved by the Planning Commission. One key issue is whether the citizens of Anacortes value their historic heritage — represented in the rich mosaic of housing in Old Town — and want to see it protected. A second, related issue is the need to protect and provide affordable housing.

Old Town, as most people define it, runs from 12th Street north to the Guemes Channel and from D Avenue east to the middle of O Avenue. This includes areas that are zoned R3, R4, Commercial and Light Manufacturing. Initially, for the purposes of the moratorium, the city chose to define Old Town as only the R3 zoned area.

I believe it is a mistake to define this historic area by zoning rather than by geography. Old Town is a seamless whole and should not be defined by 30-year-old zoning that was written in an era when few people were concerned with preservation.

The R4 zoned blocks in question — 10th to 12th streets between M and O avenues — contain houses that date back to the first decade of the last century. A number of these older houses are rented, which provides “affordable housing” to moderate income individuals or families, something the city says it values and wants to increase.
These “affordable” houses, however, are at risk. As we have already seen, it is highly profitable to raze older homes and build either multifamily units or mega-mansions, which would be allowed under existing R4 zoning.

This is especially true at a time of high gas prices, when living close to the commercial district becomes even more desirable. Replacement homes almost certainly will not be affordable to the moderate-income residents who have long lived here. You cannot build new and sell cheap.

For that reason, I believe the four blocks in question should be included in the Old Town design guidelines. It is imperative that we take these steps both to encourage the preservation of our older homes in the Old Town area and to maintain our stock of affordable housing.
Hal Rooks
Anacortes

Only extremists can’t find some common ground
I love America. Even with all our faults, I love the fact that folks with opposing views can assemble on the corner of Commercial and 12th.

What I don’t love is the extremist folks, both left and right.

Here’s a test for you. If you are a liberal or conservative who cannot find at least some common ground across the senate aisle... then you are an extremist. You are the problem.

Try becoming a centrist. That’s where the majority lives.
Gary Brown
Anacortes

Foreign buyout numbers add up to higher rates
Of the 39 counties in Washington, 23 get power from public utility districts, nine have PSE customers for electricity, two or three by other private companies, and the rest by municipal ownership. Those served by PSE pay the highest rates in the state.

Some entity of Macquarie Bank of Australia has just offered to kick in $100 million to help offset the higher rates requested. However, after all the miscellaneous fees are accounted for, only $88 million will be left for customers.

Since the $88 million is to be allocated over 10 years, and there are approximately 1 million electricity customers, each customer will get a rate cut of only 73 cents per month during the first year. In the ensuing years, inflation and increases in customers could easily cut this subsidy in half.

PSE is requesting a $2.98 monthly increase in the base electric power rate ($6.02 now) from the Utility and Transportation Commission. Also, they are requesting a kilowatt-hour increase from 8.53 cents to 9.29 cents.

Based on 1,000 kwh per month, a bill will increase from $91.27 to $101.91 (PSE’s numbers). Subtract 73 cents from $101.91 and your bill will still increase by around $10.

There are more numbers to consider. If the buyout is approved by the UTC, 51 percent of PSE will be owned by Macquarie with the remaining 49 percent by Canadian pension funds. The board will include three current PSE board members (five-year terms).

In anyone’s math, that’s a foreign majority that may enlarge after five years.

What happens if there are problems? As one PSE executive said in a public meeting when asked about deterioration of service, “Well, you can always sue!”
The PSE/Macquarie numbers do add up — to the rate payers paying more! Let’s take a close look at a public utility district and keep our money at home.
Steve Johnson
Rockport