Opinion

Letter to the Editor | What exactly are the ‘scare tactics?’

Apr 22, 2024 | By: Craig McLaughlin

This may surprise some people, but I am impressed with Heather Maher’s Letter to the Editor and with her dedication to our community.  I also agree with much of what Heather has to say, and I thank her for sharing her thoughts.  I have always been an advocate for everyone having their say on issues

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Letter to the Editor | How a Cultural Access program would benefit Gig Harbor

Apr 19, 2024 | By: Stephanie Lile

Edward Nadler’s recent letter brought up the potential Cultural Access tax, stating that “this tax supports the organizations that preserve our city’s charm, natural beauty, and historic heritage.” It seems a fitting time to explain Cultural Access in deeper detail. Cultural Access is a fairly recent piece of legislation (RCW 36.160) that allows municipalities in

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Letter to the Editor | Sales, B&O taxes are more equitable options

Apr 09, 2024 | By: Edward Nadler

Gig Harbor voters are being asked to approve a permanent levy lid lift on property taxes. We are told that there has been no levy increase in over forty years, that in the last decade our population has increased 65%, placing a strain on city services. We’re told that in the last decade the property

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Letter to the Editor | Anti-lid lift arguments inaccurate and misleading

Apr 09, 2024 | By: Dorothy Bailey

On the evening of April 2, 2024, I attended a meeting sponsored by Engage Gig Harbor to learn more about the Gig Harbor Proposition 1, the “Levy Lid Lift”. Passage of this measure would allow the City Council to Increase Gig Harbor Property taxes from the current rate of $0.70/$1,000 to a maximum of $1.10/$1,000.

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Letter to the Editor | PenMet is part of what makes Gig Harbor great

Apr 08, 2024 | By: Heather Maher

As a mom, constituent, and PenMet Parks district taxpayer, I feel compelled to stand up against the recent comments directed at our local parks department leadership. For the past three years I have jumped in with both feet with the goal of learning about the Peninsula Metropolitan Parks Department: how the organization is operated, its

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Letter to the Editor | City made its own spending problem

Apr 05, 2024 | By: Jack Kennedy

The City has a spending problem of its own making. That problem is at the root of the City’s complaint that it is experiencing a deficit in its General Fund. It reports that it is experiencing a 2 million dollar shortfall in its General Fund and proposes to solve this problem by burdening Gig Harbor

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Letter to the Editor | Kiwanis starts new service club for adults with disabilities

Apr 05, 2024 | By: Tina Shoemaker

Members of Kiwanis Club of Gig Harbor and volunteers from several community organizations are introducing a new club for adults with disabilities in the Gig Harbor area. It’s called AKtion Club, and it is a community service club for adults with developmental disabilities The purpose of AKtion Club is to enable service-minded people to volunteer

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Letter to the Editor | City general fund needs additional revenue

Apr 05, 2024 | By: Le Rodenberg

Like many of you, I’ve been talking with lots of folks in our community about the revenue shortfalls facing the city. I thought it was time to get the facts out more broadly than my many one-on-one conversations. I hope once you better appreciate the situation you’ll understand the importance of the vote April 23.

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Letter to the Editor | Is the DeMolay Sandspit really ‘developed’ property?

Apr 02, 2024 | By: Craig McLaughlin

The PenMet Board, at its last meeting, and Steve Nixon in an email to a resident living in the district both stated that the newly adopted Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit Nature Preserve Master Plan is a plan simply to improve on what is already “developed” land.  That seems to be contradictory to the property’s name (which

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Letter to the Editor | Concerns about PenMet leadership

Apr 01, 2024 | By: James H. Castino

As with many other folks in the greater Gig Harbor area, I am increasingly concerned about the direction of the current PenMet Parks leadership, with respect to the size & scope of recent levy proposals (reference the proposed 30% increase last November 2023 that fortunately failed), and now the most current proposal being studied for

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