It saddened me to see that the Mukilteo City Council voted to start charging for parking at the Mukilteo Lighthouse Park. (Thursday article, “Nonresidents will pay fee to park at popular Lighthouse Park in Mukilteo.”) I have enjoyed the park since I was a child and it also holds many memories for my own family. Picnics and ice cream cones on the beach, hundreds of sunsets, searching for creatures among the rocks and a place to go to have a serious talk. To charge folks for access to one of few places we have in this area to enjoy the beauty of Puget Sound, without an entry fee, is a shame. A parking fee, no matter how modest, will keep many residents from visiting this regional treasure.
All of the excuses made by the Mukilteo City Council about controlling traffic or paying for improvements seem to me to be a smokescreen for the real reason. They see a way to take an asset that I believe was given to the city of Mukilteo by the state of Washington for free, along with a hefty cash balance for maintenance and improvements, and turn it into a cash machine. Where is the $215,000 to $441,000 per year net revenue the council projects going to go? I doubt all of it will be spent to maintain or improve the park.
Parks are a precious asset and should be free for all to enjoy. I suggest the Mukilteo City Council find other ways to balance their budget. If not, perhaps the next time a Mukilteo resident wants to spend some time at Everett’s Harborview Park, Howarth Park, Kasch Park or Forest Park, they should be charged for parking.
Jerry Dawson
Everett
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