Letter: Council member was playing devil’s advocate

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Editor,

I attended the Langley City Council meeting where the proposed utility rates for 2020 were presented by Langley city staff, discussed by the public, and negotiated by the council.

FYI: the staff proposed a 14 percent increase in sewer rates.

It is important to know that Councilwoman Kristy Korrow was the leading voice in the room for the lowest rate increase. She made the original proposal of a dramatically lower rate of 5 percent. After much discussion among the council and input from the public, a lower rate was passed at 8 percent.

Unfortunately, the subheading on the South Whidbey Record print edition is misleading. Kristy Korrow has a keen interest in affordable housing and her posing a question came from a “devil’s advocate” point of view, meaning that passing the proposed higher utility rates would say that Langley is not sensitive to the needs of those lower on the income scale — and in need of affordable housing.

Craig Cyr

Langley council member elect