Reading the article “Mall manager praises PACC’s potential,” I could have screamed.

First off, after the city council meeting on April 2, where Cindy Stanley-Lee spoke in glowing praises about the performing arts and conference center (PACC), I turned to a person on my left and said she doesn’t live in Federal Way.

So after the meeting, downstairs and outside, Cindy and some gentleman came out.  I approached her and asked if I could ask her a question. She was startled but said yes.

Question was, do you live in Federal Way? Answer: No, I work here.

Now a city council member had said at a council meeting that she had gone in the mall asking what they thought of the PACC.

I sent this council member an email asking if she had asked Cindy to speak at the meeting. So far, no reply. My concern is we, citizens of Federal Way, don’t even know how much this thing is going to cost, such as property taxes, upkeep, salaries of 30 people to run it and a director somewhere in six figures, $200,000 annual upkeep, etc.

And the citizens of this city do not get a vote on this. The mayor said at a meeting if it went to a vote and we voted it down, it would be dead. That’s what they are afraid of.

So somebody who doesn’t even have a tie to city wants a PACC. I smell a rat. Cindy should concern herself with 12 empty store spaces in the mall. And our city council should be concerned with what the people want, not several council members and one mayor using this to get votes in November.

Norma Blanchard, Federal Way