Did you know that the Fidalgo pool measure is broader that it looks? This November, voters in Anacortes School District No. 103 will see Proposition 1 on the ballot, asking whether to form a Metropolitan Park District (MPD) to support the Fidalgo Pool and Fitness Center. At first glance, the ballot language makes it sound simple: if approved, the MPD would operate the “Fidalgo Pool and Fitness Center Campus.” Many voters will reasonably assume this is about keeping the pool open and funded.
But here’s the catch: both the City of Anacortes and Skagit County resolutions that put Proposition 1 on the ballot go further. They state that the new MPD would not only take over the pool but could also manage “other park and recreation facilities and programs” across the entire Anacortes School District boundaries — which stretch well beyond the city limits to include Guemes, Cypress, and Sinclair Islands.
Why this matters
- No definition of “campus”: The term “Fidalgo Pool and Fitness Center Campus” isn’t defined anywhere in the resolutions. Could it mean the building only? The parking lot? Or could the MPD later declare other parks part of its “campus”?
- Broader authority: The resolutions clearly give the MPD the power to manage other parks and recreation programs, not just the pool.
- Tax implications: All property owners within the Anacortes School District boundaries would be taxed, even rural island residents who may not realistically use the pool or other facilities.
The bottom line
Proposition 1 may sound like a simple plan to save the Fidalgo Pool, but the legal framework paints a broader picture. The MPD could expand to oversee other parks and programs, backed by new taxes affecting every household in the school district.
Before voting, residents deserve clarity. Will the MPD stick to managing the pool, or does it have bigger plans? Contact Skagit County officials to ask about the MPD’s true scope and how it might evolve. Transparency is critical when creating a new taxing district that impacts us all.
Georgia Jelec
Anacortes, WA