Mercer Island Cancels 'Summer Celebration' Citing Prop 1 Failure

MERCER ISLAND, WA - Mercer Island on Friday evening revealed the latest victim of post-Proposition 1 budget cuts: the 2019 Summer Celebration has been canceled.

The city is in the midst of finding $1.2 million in cuts to avoid a projected deficit this year. So far, activities like Movies in the Park and the Spring Egg Hunt have been axed. The city has reduced hours at the community center (and is keeping it closed on Sundays) and ended the lifeguard program.

The city staff responsible for producing events like Summer Celebration left their jobs last year, and the city hasn't - and won't - fill the positions. The festival itself, which would've marked its 29th year in 2019, costs about $115,000, according to city officials. The event attracts about 25,000 people each year.

Proposition 1 would have allowed the city to increase property taxes to raise new revenue, but it failed in November by about 2,000 votes - 8,047 to 5,949. The city is projecting deficits approached $7.5 million by 2024 due to slow-growing property tax revenue and a slowdown in construction permit revenue.

If it had passed, Proposition 1 would've lasted six years and cost 24 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in 2019. That means the owner of a home assessed at $1 million would've paid an extra $238 in property taxes.

Parks Director Jessi Bon said the department is trying to focus on "core services" in the midst of the cuts.

"The maintenance and safety of our parks, playgrounds and trails remains our top priority," Bon said in a statement.

The city's Youth and Family Services Department is also experiencing post-Prop 1 pain. The city is eliminating two school mental health counselors and reducing the hours of a geriatric specialist.

There are two parks department events that survived the budget cuts: Shakespeare in the Park and Movies in the Park.

Caption: The 2011 Mercer Island Summer Celebration.

Photo courtesy Mercer Island Parks and Recreation