ELECTION: We're selling off our quality of life

Although I’ve only been lucky enough to live in Gig Harbor for the last five years, my family has been in the area for more than 42 years. As we continue to pave Gig Harbor, it breaks my heart to see some of the emerging, unambiguous indications that we’re on the same path as many towns around Puget Sound.

We’re experiencing increasing congestion, crowded schools, more crime, more litter, and even short tempers and bad attitudes - much of it tied to rampant construction continuing without adequate infrastructure in place. It seems like we’re selling off our quality of life here very cheaply.

Regardless of who you vote for in the upcoming elections, let’s hope we come out of it with a City Council that doesn’t patronize, criticize, belittle or ignore citizens who don’t share their “vision” of Gig Harbor. Let’s elect a council that doesn’t go against the majority of voters because they assume they know what‘s better for us.

It’s been a long time since my last civics class, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how a democracy works.

This story was originally published September 30, 2015 at 11:03 AM with the headline "ELECTION: We're selling off our quality of life."