newcastlenews052013

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DECA students teach life lessons about big-budget decisions Page 12

Hazen, Liberty soccer teams ramp up for playoff run Page 14

May 3, 2013 VOL. 15, NO. 5

Mayor: State of the city is fiscally sound By Christina Corrales-Toy

Happy birthday

Historical society patriarch turns 95. Page 3

Pat Detmer Police blotter

Newcastle Mayor Rich Crispo assured residents that the city is in relatively good shape, with people clamoring to live in the quaint community, during his 2013 State of the City address. “We are the most popular place on the Eastside right now to live,” he said. “You look around and you find houses for sale, there aren’t many.” The speech, given before residents and the business com-

munity at the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce’s April 10 luncheon, addressed the city’s financial health, community events and Rich Crispo the council’s new Community Activities Commission. The city is in good financial

shape, with a balanced operating fund and a healthy reserve fund, Crispo said. Newcastle will also spend about $3 million this year on capital projects, including sidewalks and road maintenance. “Not too many cities can say that when you consider we’re a city of just under 10,500,” he said. “So, we’re doing really well from a financial perspective.” A financially healthy city pays dividends for its residents in the form of fewer taxes, he said. “That means we’re not jump-

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By Christina Corrales-Toy The Newcastle City Council unanimously passed a resolution urging the state Legislature to increase the gas tax in order to cover the $1.4 billion shortfall for the project to replace the state Route 520 floating bridge. The resolution, passed at the April 2 council meeting, offered an alternative to the proposed tolling of Interstate 90 as a means to finance the rest of the 520 bridge replacement. “My mind is, we tell

Game on!

New lacrosse program forms on Eastside. Page 14

You should know Locals can reserve the covered park shelters at Lake Boren Park for their events. The cost is $60 for residents and $120 for nonresidents. Reservations are available up to 90 days before an event. Learn more at www. ci.newcastle.wa.us.

50¢

See CITY, Page 7

City Council agrees gas tax should fund 520 bridge shortfall

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Contact us: newcastle@isspress.com 392-6434, ext. 239

ing out raising taxes. We don’t have a utility tax. We don’t have a business and occupation tax,” he said. “That’s not only a good thing for us as residents, but also for the businesses, because you don’t have to deal with that and you don’t have to pass those costs on to your customers.” The city has also become an attractive locale for developers, the mayor said, mentioning in particular the Mutual Materials

Judy Clibborn and the state Legislature to get on the stick and do what they should do, and pass a 10-cent gas tax and pay off the $1.4 billion that way and forget the tolling on I-90,” Councilman Bill Erxleben said. The City Council passed the resolution, 6-0, with Deputy Mayor Lisa Jensen excused. The state Legislature is currently considering a proposal to increase the gas tax by 10 cents over five years to help See TOLLING, Page 9

Election will bring change to City Council makeup By Christina Corrales-Toy

By Greg Farrar

Earth Day fish tales Aiden Marriott (left), 5, and his brother Iain, 4, crawl inside and look out the mouth of a large salmon replica April 20 at Lake Boren Park during the annual Newcastle Earth Day celebration.

The Newcastle City Council will have at least one new face in 2014. Councilman Bill Erxleben announced that he will not file for re-election this spring, guaranteeing that there will be one open seat during November’s election. Two other sitting council members could be challenged as well. “I believe that two terms is enough for any council mem-

ber,” Erxleben wrote in a letter to the editor. Erxleben was first appointed to the Newcastle City Council in 2002. He was elected to the council in 2003. After a few years away from local government, he was elected to the council again in 2009. In addition to Erxleben, Mayor Rich Crispo and Councilman John Dulcich will see their current terms expire

See ELECTION, Page 16


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