Here's my final words of testimony to the Council prior to their deliberation on this issue:

Dear Jan Weydermeyer, Members of the City Council, City Staff, and residents of Olympia and Washington State,

I have been vocal in my opposition to the rezone proposal. I oppose this rezone for a number of reasons, and I won't bore you with all of them again now! However, I do want to make it clear that my opposition is not simplistic. My opposition is based on good and solid reasoning. I strongly believe that the prudent, proper and appropriate action is to deny the rezone proposal.

As you're all no doubt aware, a great discussion about the rezone proposal has been taking place on OlyBlog (http://olyblog.net). I have tried to collect most, if not all, Isthmus building height rezone related "threads" into a collection, which can be found at this url: http://olyblog.net/isthmus-2008.

Please represent the will of the people, which is overwhelmingly opposed to the rezone - and which is also opposed to any further high-rise building on the isthmus (ref. mistake on the lake).

Of those who have expressed support of the proposal it is clear that many, if not most, have vested interests in the proposal going forward. Please put the public interest ahead of private gain.

The potential benefits and merits of the rezone (and the proposed Larida Passage) are very murky. What is clear is that Triway Enterprises will see the property value of its parcels increase as a result of the rezone. If Larida Passage is built however, the impacts on downtown are uncertain, but may indeed actually be harmful to many people (as enumerated very clearly during the course of the public hearing).

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to accurately represent the will, and true best interests, of the people of Olympia.

Your's Truly,

bert
[telephone number redacted]

Robert F. W. Whitlock
[address redacted]
Olympia, WA 9850[redacted]

One, I think it's important to view OlyBlog as an alternative to the incomplete and biased coverage that the Olympian has provided on this issue. Coverage in the Olympian has been biased toward development and private interests / private gain.

Also, I could have been more clear and direct on the conflict of interest argument. I still think that those council members, whose campaigns received contributions from interests that stand to benefit as a result of the rezone, should abstain from voting in order to avoid the appearance, in the case of a "yes" vote, of rewarding a campaign contributor.