Roughly 18 months ago, my 10-year-old daughter, her elementary school principal and I stood up in front of Redmond City Council to bring their attention to the importance of improving visibility at crosswalks near school zones and improving and adding sidewalks on school routes. Whether you are a senior citizen or a young family with school-age children, living in a place where you can walk safely and easily from school, to a park or the local library makes all the difference. Walkability is a critical element of creating a successful and sustainable community.

I am pleased to say that council listened and agreed. They have included these critical safety improvements in the levy being put forward to Redmond voters on Aug. 4. I am proud to tell my daughter that our small action made a difference. As a young Redmond resident she has now seen first-hand how local government operates and how each of us can play a role in making our community a better place.

We have weathered the recession and Redmond is growing and thriving. We have a City Council that listens and a city government that makes community input in city planning a top priority. Having lived in a number of other cities over the years, I can say that this is not always the case.

As a 12-year resident of Redmond, I have loved our beautiful parks, our diverse and creative community and our excellent schools. To keep it that way we need to continue to invest in our city. The city has put forward Prop 1 (safety) and Prop 2 (parks), which will add a total of $174.50/year or $14.50/month to the median homeowner’s tax bill. The levy focuses on tackling pedestrian and street safety, fighting the recent increase in property crime and improving our neighborhood parks. I, for one, will be supporting Prop 1 and 2 in August. I hope you will, too.

Jane Wither, Redmond