Don't turn parks into turf war

Seattle City Councilmember Richard McIver raised an interesting question about King County parks this week.

The county has a levy on the ballot Aug. 21 that would raise money for parks, trails and green space. Seattle taxpayers support county parks, but McIver says people in the city aren't getting their due since the parks are outside Seattle. I've usually thought of the city and county as tied together. We can have spats, but generally what benefits one is likely to benefit the other.

Of course there is always room to ask whether the sharing is fair — not necessarily equal, but fair.

The Eastside is different politically and demographically from Seattle. South County has different issues and needs from the East.

McIver has a responsibility to ask whether his constituents are being treated well.

He says Seattle could use the money to add more police officers, or to keep its own parks in good condition. That's true, and don't forget fixing up bridges.

But regional parks matter, too.

Jessie Israel, partnership and enterprise manager for King County parks, says that in her experience the people out hiking on county trails and enjoying regional facilities are predominantly from Seattle.

"A lot of the reason people like to live in Seattle is because it is so close to going hiking or walking in the woods," she says.

After a budget crisis in 2002, the county has been concentrating on regional facilities that draw people from across the county. King County Budget Director Bob Cowan says the county's focus on regional services includes putting money into Seattle for facilities that are regional assets.

"King County government has contributed to construction of the aquarium, McCaw Hall, Benaroya Hall," Cowan says. "It's not like we ignore the city of Seattle. We put money into things we view as regional facilities."

Half the money the levy asks for would go for operations and maintenance of regional facilities, like Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park and the regional trail system.

The other half would mostly go for land acquisition and trails. Cities would divide part of the money among themselves for similar projects, and there is dedicated money for Woodland Park Zoo.

But McIver says what comes back to Seattle is too little. He believes that on transit, health care and other issues, Seattle pays more than it should.

I drove up to Cougar Mountain several times last week because my son was working there as a camp counselor.

The houses and cars I passed on the way up spoke of wealth. Seattle is the regional engine, but it's not the only thriving city. We don't need to subsidize wealthy suburbs any more than we want to prop up, say, the Sonics owners. But I don't think we're being taken to the cleaners this time. We have a stake in the regional parks.

It's like paying for schools or Social Security. A better community is good for me even when I'm not benefiting directly.

I don't know who lives in those big houses you see on the way up to Cougar Mountain, but the park is as much mine as theirs.

Jerry Large's column appears Monday and Thursday. Reach him at 206-464-3346 or jlarge@seattletimes.com.