It was nice to read that some of the 2008 Parks Levy projects are finally about to come to life. It seemed for a while that the levy money had been squandered and the promises had long been forgotten about.

But did I voice my concerns to the city? No I didn’t. What would be the point? They’d just nod and smile and go about their business anyway. Such is my perception of the city today.

It’s a problem that comes with growing at such a rate as Bellevue has. As our city has expanded, so has the gap between us and our government.

When the folks in City Hall seem more interested in development projects for potential residents than cleaning graffiti off the fences of existing tax payers, we distance ourselves from them. When they take forever to do something, we give up on them. Likewise, the city distances itself from us as more people voice more conflicting and often ridiculous opinions, and they are forced to go it alone for the sake of expediency. The long overdue West Sammamish Parkway project is a prime example of that.

And so, with the growing population, goes our democracy. There must be a better framework to involve those Bellevue’s citizens who live outside the current clique, but for now we shouldn’t give up on our civic institutions, since every now and again, they still do what they are supposed to do.

And after all, it’s OUR City anyway.

Lyndon Heywood, Bellevue