The city of Bainbridge Island is trying to do too much. I’ve said it before, but it needs to be said again.

The most recent example involves the Wintergreen affordable housing project. The city has spent years on this—first fighting it then trying to help it along. But now, just as it nears the finish line, the city won’t help.

Wintergreen has seen costs rise in all areas of development since this project began. In trying to keep costs down, it planned to apply for an $890,000 state grant. It has completed 90% of the application, but it needs the city to finish it.

The city won’t do it. It says it doesn’t have the time. What? You’ve invested all this time and money, and now can’t finish it so potential buyers can get an even better deal? That makes no sense. It would have reduced the price of the 14 affordable housing units at Wintergreen $45,000 each.

At Tuesday’s council meeting, many councilmembers were concerned that process wasn’t being followed. But the council breaks process all the time. Even talking about it at the meeting broke process, but thankfully Ashley Mathews brought some common sense into the discussion by adding it to the agenda. Clarence Moriwaki and Kirsten Hytopoulos didn’t even want that to happen. Brenda Fantroy-Johnson, as is often the case, brought more common sense into the conversation, saying the need is more important than the process. But in the end the topic died. Some were worried about adding to city staff’s workload, but if you pay attention to council meetings that usually doesn’t seem to be a concern.

That’s just like the ineffective government that’s been going on here for decades that this council and city manager has been trying to change. Things didn’t get done in the past because studies and reports were done but never acted upon. With all that you’re doing, you obviously want to change that. So if you really don’t have time to help Wintergreen you’re involved in too much.

Finish the job, cross this off your list. And move on.

When building the Ted Spearman Justice Center and you had cost overruns you didn’t stop building it. You finished the job. You added to the budget. You weren’t too busy to do that.

Frankly, I don’t know what the hurry is all of a sudden. Government is famous for taking too long. Actually, that can be good sometimes because priorities change over time. Affordable housing is a great example. After years of inaction, the city is now involved in numerous affordable housing plans — including one of its own.

The city is getting a lot done. After talking about the need for a new police station for decades BI now finally has one in the Justice Center. And Councilmember Clarence Moriwaki talked just last week about the city working on an issue for 20 years, and it’s just now getting done. That’s not the first time we’ve heard that.

It’s admirable to have lofty goals, but when you try to do too much, what often happens? Something doesn’t get done right.

An example of that is just last week Councilmember Kirsten Hytopoulos said that city staff is making policy decisions in some cases that the council should be making. It’s not the first time we’ve heard that either. And townspeople have complained quite a bit that they are being left out of the decision-making process because the city wants to expedite things.

If you need proof that the city may be doing too much just look at this partial list: Comprehensive Plan, Winslow Subarea Plan, Climate Action Plan, Sustainable Transportation Plan, equity, affordable housing, etc.

There used to be little in the way of affordable housing. Now there are many. There used to be little in the way of nonmotorized transportation. Now there are many. The city used to spend $250,000 a year on road maintenance. Now the goal is $1 million as it has found out it costs a small fortune to reconstruct them compared with repairing them. It used to feel like BI did whatever it could to keep people and business away. Now it’s found out everyone else in Puget Sound has been dealing with those issues for decades, and now it needs to do its fair share.

Speaking of fair share, how does BI plan to pay for all of these lofty goals? So far, by nickel and diming everyone to death, which is unfair to those who are low-income. Car tabs could be raised equally $10 no matter if you drive a $100,000 or $2,000 vehicle. Sales tax would go up a little for everyone.

But if residents really want all this stuff done they should be willing to pay for it. The city plans to raise property taxes the state-allowed annual 1%. But that is going to leave the city very little in the way of extra if something comes up. There is little cushion in the two-year budget.

The city should consider asking voters if they would be willing to pay a 2% or more increase in property taxes to get stuff done. Put their money where their mouths are for those who can really afford it.

Steven Powell is editor of the Bainbridge Island Review.