A traffic jam that occurred across the country recently caused a political furor. It was in a small New Jersey community on a plateau. The governor spent two hours apologizing for a top aide that supposedly concocted this event.

But the big story was that this so-called political trafficgate may have caused the death of a person trying to get emergency help.

I couldn’t imagine how anxious, regretful, and guilty this once employed staff member felt, after realizing the consequences of a decision to snarl traffic and delay life supporting vehicles.

However, as a resident of Klahanie, I might one day collectively share that same feeling if a future delay in emergency services response time cause a similar event. This can be a possibility, if on Feb. 11 the majority of us do not vote “no” on annexation to Issaquah.

Police and road services can be provided more efficiently to the Klahanie residents from Sammamish than from Issaquah. Police services to Klahanie are provided by the King County Sheriff. In Sammamish, police officers are King County Sheriff deputies and provide backup in Klahanie.

If we don’t ensure the timely flow and centralization of Klahanie emergency services, our West Coast plateau can be an East Coast plateau.

Voting “no” on annexation to Issaquah will provide Klahanie with the opportunity to annex to Sammamish.

All safety is local.

Alan Mindrebo, Issaquah