Honorable mayor and Federal Way City Council members:

We’re dying on the vine here!

As city council members, you direct the funds you receive from our city’s residents and businesses.

The council has consistently been dedicated to maintaining a fair-to-good level of service at a very reasonable cost. Eventually, though, there comes a time when more is needed — Federal Way must bring in more businesses to bolster our revenues. We’re in a very competitive market here; our neighboring South Sound cities are doing a great job of appealing to new businesses and to new customers. Are we?

It’s a domino effect: Businesses seek locations that appear to be thriving, where communities are vibrant. Being the cheapest place to live and being educated in King County doesn’t equate with being vibrant or necessarily healthy. As those in the know say when advising investments, you must diversify.

We’re not diversifying. We’re not drawing in enough higher-end businesses and higher-end residents and customers.

Businesses and new residents are drawn to healthy communities. ArtsFund defines that health in its Healthy Community Report, which is based on these components: Basic needs, health and wellness, education, economy, neighborhoods and communities, environment, and arts and culture. Those who have moved to Federal Way from another King County city are dismayed by the lack of arts and culture here. What culture? Who can see it?

How can we see that culture? How can we attract more businesses, new residents with more spending power and area visitors to Federal Way? A performing arts and cultural center!

You may scoff at the value of the arts to communities, but the facts speak the truth: King and Pierce county arts and heritage organizations generate $835 million in business activity annually, including $300 million in new money, money brought to our community from outside our community, according to an economic impact study by ArtsFund.

From another ArtsFund study: In 2008 in King County, 7,756 arts–related businesses employed 32,080 people. Growth of arts employees between 2007 to 2008 was 12.49 percent while the arts business grew by 11.87 percent. In other words, in a time of decreasing or stagnant employment growth, the arts are adding jobs to the local economy.

We’ve reached a time that each successful businessperson recognizes: A time to spend money to make money. I hope that each council member has the vision and courage to take the next step to improve Federal Way’s vibrancy, appeal and value, to its own and to local businesses’ long-term fiscal benefit.

Bring a performing arts and cultural center to Federal Way!

Thank you.

Sandy Pettit

Federal Way