This shouldn’t be a debate about how to fund the Kirkland ARC [Aquatics and Recreation Center], but whether to build it at all, especially lacking a financial commitment form any other Eastside city. Ask yourself why no other city is interested.

We have a nationally famous aquatics facility in Federal Way, and multiple Olympic-sized facilities in Seattle and the Eastside (Bellevue Club for one), for collegiate and Olympic hopefuls.

Let’s just maintain Kirkland’s downtown outdoor pool, and continue funding the Juanita High School pool for swimming lessons and recreation, even if that requires relatively low-cost and non-controversial City Council action. And YMCA’s are very reasonably-priced facilities for kids’ swimming lessons.

If the city decides it must have an ARC, at least reject Proposition 1, which creates a permanent taxing district under control of nothing but the City Council. No checks and balances, and nothing to prevent the Council from spending all the way up to 75 cents per $1,000 valuation ($375 per year on a $500,000 home). A bond issue would be better.

John and Beth McCaslin, Kirkland