There are people who would like to see the proposed Performing Arts and Conference Center (PACC) put up to a vote of the people. I have two points to make in regards to this idea.

First, we have a representative form of government. The Federal Way City Council members that we elected have access to the most information and are expected to dig into the details of a project such as the PACC. They have regular public meetings to hear our input, but ultimately, they have the responsibility to make this decision.

Second, the people often do not make the best decisions. In 1889, the people of Paris hated the idea of the Eiffel Tower. It was considered “monstrous” and “useless.” If it had been put to a vote, it would have been rejected. Today, it is considered the defining icon of the city and has paid for itself many times over.

Closer to home in 1995, the voters of King County voted against Safeco Field. If Safeco had not been built, would CenturyLink Field, home of the Seahawks and Sounders, have been built? Did anyone anticipate that CenturyLink Field would become the home of a highly successful soccer franchise?

Also in 1995, the people of Federal Way voted against Celebration Park. Celebration Park is a valuable asset for our city, as are other facilities like the King County Aquatic Center, the Federal Way Community Center and Dumas Bay Centre. They add to our “quality of life,” making Federal Way a better place. Without facilities like these, our community is not as attractive to businesses and people.

Let our representative city government work as intended and do its job.

Mark Piennett, Federal Way