Nickels: City should look at annexing North Highline, West Hill

Seattle should consider annexing two big chunks of unincorporated King County and adding 46,000 residents to the city, according to Mayor Greg Nickels.

In plans unveiled to City Council members yesterday, the mayor's staff said they were looking at bringing two areas into Seattle city limits. One is North Highline, which is north of Burien and includes the communities of White Center and Boulevard Park. The other is the West Hill area, west of Renton, that includes the Skyway and Bryn Mawr neighborhoods.

Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis briefed council members on obstacles, costs and public attitudes about such an annexation. Council members posed one question above others: Why would Seattle annex areas that would amount to a $7 million annual drain to an already tight city budget?

Because it would help financially beleaguered King County, which is struggling to provide services to these areas, and it would help residents in those areas, Ceis replied.

If the city didn't step up, social problems, including crime, in those areas would migrate north to Seattle anyway, Ceis said, so annexation could be a way to head off some problems.

No decisions will be made on annexation until late this year, but Seattle officials are meeting with community groups and citizens in the two areas under consideration. Under state law, residents of North Highline and West Hill would have to petition to be annexed or vote for it, before their communities could come into the Seattle city limits. Seattle City Council would also have to approve the annexations.

Council President Jan Drago said yesterday's meeting would also kick-start the debate in Seattle.

"This is a 100-year decision. I think it's important that citizens of Seattle are educated and participate as well," Drago said.

The main impetus for annexing, Ceis explained, was King County's prediction that it couldn't afford to continue providing services to the two areas. Last year, a county budget task force recommended that, starting in 2004, the county reduce service levels in unincorporated urban areas and encourage those areas to join adjacent cities.

But persuading people in North Highline and West Hill to become Seattleites could be difficult, Ceis noted.

Polling showed that voters in North Highline were satisfied with King County services and they believed their taxes would be higher if they were absorbed by Seattle. Voters also said they would rather be annexed by Burien than Seattle.

On the other hand, some believe they would receive better services, particularly police protection, and would have more political input in Seattle.

Polling also showed that about half the people surveyed work in Seattle, most have been longtime residents of the North Highline area, most are homeowners and most do not have children.

As for financial implications of annexation, Ceis provided rough estimates that showed the two areas, which have more residential than commercial property, would add about $25 million a year to the city treasury in tax revenues, while they would cost about $32 million in services.

The South Park Bridge over the Duwamish Waterway is considered a sticking point. The bridge, which is owned by King County and Tukwila, needs to be replaced. The estimated cost is $80 million, and council members said they would not take on that responsibility as part of annexation.

Ceis concurred. "Unless we find a resolution to the bridge, all parties agree that annexation would be off," he said.

Bob Young: 206-464-2174 or byoung@seattletimes.com