Shoreline Council Supports School Levy, Adds Fines for False Fire Alarms

On Monday night, Oct. 10, the  Shoreline City Council unanimously supported  Proposition 1, the supplemental levy proposed by the Shoreline School District to help reduce class sizes.

Shoreline voters will vote Nov. 8 in the general election on the school levy.

Councilmembers Doris McConnell and Chris Roberts asked for the school measure to be placed on the Council agenda and be supported.

The three-year measure would raise $1.3 million in 2012, $1.4 million in 2013 and $1.5 million in 2014. The rate per $1,000 of assessed value would start at 9 cents in 2012 and 2013 and go up to 10 cents in 2014.

The average impact to a Shoreline homeowner will be $36 per year, according to city analyst Eric Bratton.

McConnell expressed her support for the measure and noted that many of the councilmembers moved to Shoreline for the strong schools.

“We don’t want to cut back on investments that will pay off in the future,” said Councilman Chris Eggen during the Council’s discussion.

In other Council action.

•The Council also voted unanimously to adopt Ordinance No. 612 which changes the penalty of false fire alarms from a civil infraction to a city penalty, at the recommendation of the Shoreline Fire Department.

This change applies a similar law to fire alarms as there already exists to electronic security devices and alarms.

The Fire Department reported that it responded to 105 false alarms from Dec. 4, 2009 to Nov. 27, 2010., according to city materials. Of those, 33 percent were the second or third false alarm in a consecutive six-month period.

The penalties are a $50 fine for a second false alarm in a six-month period and a $75 fine for the third and subsequent false alarms in a six-month period.

•The Council also voted unanimously not to take a position or have the Suburban Cities Association take a position on Initiative-1183, which would privatize liquor sales and close state-run stores. The city of Auburn asked cities to support the initiative and have the Suburban Cities Association support. The cities of Kirkland, Des Moines and Shoreline declined to take a position and asked the Suburban Cities Association not to take a position.

Councilman Terry Scott said it would be “inappropriate” for the Council to take a stand on the initiative which should be left up to the voters to decide for themselves.