A new Public Safety and Maintenance Facility will provide secure facilities for our police, public works, and emergency teams. These teams have been working out of a patchwork of temporary facilities and outdated end-of-life buildings since the decommissioning of City Hall in 2023. This temporary housing is inefficient and makes emergency response difficult to coordinate. Vote YES to secure vital facilities and a safer future for Mercer Island.
SCROLL
Why do we need a new facility?
Police officers who protect our neighborhoods and businesses are working out of temporary trailers, making accreditation impossible. Our Public Works Department is in failing and undersized buildings. These buildings can no longer support their intended purpose, and valuable city equipment and vehicles are left outside, exposed to the elements, reducing their lifespan.
​
​Many Islanders have looked closely at the facts and reached a clear conclusion:​
​
“I’ve read the arguments on both sides, and I just don’t see this facility as overbuilt. If anything, it’s on the modest side of what Mercer Island will need in the years ahead. With the pressures our city will face from growth, regional development, and future emergencies, this plan is both responsible and forward-looking.
The covered areas and modern facilities aren’t luxuries—they’re what will keep our police, emergency teams, and essential workers ready when we need them most.
I’m all in for the wise use of tax dollars. But in this case, it’s the absolute right thing to do now, for Mercer Island. Ten years from now, we’ll be glad we built it when we did.”
— Tom, Mercer Island resident
What does this facility do?
This facility will provide modern level IV earthquake-resistant workspaces for essential workers and equipment that is needed to keep utilities running, roads clear, and parks clean. It will co-locate our most essential public safety and city functions, supporting our first responders and allowing faster, more efficient, effective, coordinated emergency response across Mercer Island.
Who are the people in the Facility?
This facility is used by essential in-person staff who are responsible for ensuring the excellent services that residents deserve and expect. It will house the Police Department, Public Works Maintenance teams, the Emergency Operations Center, Information Technology, Geographic Information Systems, and Customer Service. It is not intended for hybrid teams who will move to a nearby existing building to save taxpayers money.
How much will it cost?
The proposal will cost a home with $2,000,000 assessed value about $55/month. The amount the city collects will not increase with inflation and will not increase with property values. The amount per household will go down over time as new construction adds to the tax base.
​​​
“Ignore the misleading math. The reality is simple: on my own tax bill, Proposition 1 would add about 5% to the property taxes I pay. For that, we get safe, modern facilities for police, emergency response, and public works. It is a responsible investment in our community’s safety and future, and every dollar benefits Mercer Island.”
- Salim Nice, Mayor of Mercer Island
Endorsements
-
The entire current MI City Council (Mayor Nice, Deputy Mayor Rosenbaum, Councilmembers Anderl, Becker, Reynolds, Weiker, Weinberg)
-
Mercer Island Police Union
-
"Pro​" Committee (Former Mayor Benson Wong, Russell Federman, Bobby Sulkin)
-
A wide range of former elected officials and community members
​Paid for by Mercer Island Strong: Islanders for Public Safety, Public Works, and Public Services - PO Box 343, Mercer Island WA 98040
​