The projected financial impact of annexation of the North Highline unincorporated area by Burien, according to numbers provided by city staff, doesn't provide an accurate picture of the real costs to the community.

This is the message of Ron Seale, a member of Burien Residents Against Annexation Political Action Committee, presented during an interview with the Times/News last week.

Although the city claims the "no annexation" option would be the most costly for Burien, that simply is not the case, Seale said.

The cost of services that North Highline will need, combined with the limited tax revenue this area is expected to generate, would be a financial drain on Burien, he said.

That could amount to a $180 million deficit over 20 years if Burien annexed only the southern part of North Highline, Seale said.

Although the city claims it would receive a sales tax credit of almost $1.2 million a year for 10 years with full annexation of North Highline, that credit "is a temporary incentive by the state to get cities to incorporate or annex," Seale said.

"It's not a guaranteed source of income."

Seale also noted that North Highline has the third highest number of major crimes in the county, including murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and arson.

"We would be annexing an area ... with a high crime rate and high maintenance costs," he said.

"It's a resource center for pornography. There are crack houses, meth houses in North Highline. We have enough problems of our own that we haven't dealt with."

Stating that Burien staff have not accounted for many things, Seale said the data he based his claim on "are the city's numbers. They're not my numbers. "I'm just going through trying to clarify some things."

In contrast to Burien, the Seattle City Council has reported it would cost $5.6 million to annex all of North Highline, Seale said. And "there are other sleeping liabilities that haven't been introduced."

Seale also questioned claims of pro-annexation advocates that North Highline's real estate is an asset.

"People are acting like this is some sort of jewel in the crown," said Seale.

Yet, he noted, a "Strategic Assessment of Economic Development Potential in North Highline" conducted by Berk and Associates predicted commercial development in North Highline would not match the pace of Burien.