Bt TIMES/NEWS News Services

Four groups opposed to annexation of North Highline by Burien have united their efforts against any attempt by the city to absorb part or all of the unincorporated area.

The Burien Residents Against Annexation Political Action Committee joined forces with three North Highline groups-Trusted Advocates, a community of over 200 ethnically diverse families, the White Center Homeowners Association, and the Boulevard Park Study Group.

In a press release announcing their united front last week, the organizations stated they took the action "as a result of the continued attempts by the Burien City Council to cut up North Highline neighborhoods for possible annexation....

"Political unrest and division in the Burien community [is] expected to grow" if the council keeps moving in that direction.

"Our partnership will work to defeat any attempts by the Burien City Council to annex any portion of North Highline," said Ron Seale of Burien Residents Against Annexation.

"The Burien City Council does not see that its actions are tearing the fabric of our community apart. Annexation is not worth the political divide that will continue to grow if Burien does not reverse course."

Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Homeowners association, noted, "North Highline residents have stated time and a gain that we do not want our neighborhoods to be cut up."

"Burien is proposing to divide our neighborhoods yet they cannot come close to providing the level of fire, police and neighborhood service that Seattle can provide," added Claire Henson, chairwoman of the Boulevard Park Study Group.

"We will fight this," she vowed.

The release stated that "members of these organizations have managed three successful Burien city council races, a school board campaign, ant two door-to-door petition drives that collected over 3,500 signatures in support of community programs."

Priorities listed by combined anti-annexation groups call for:

"Work to ensure that North Highline neighborhoods are not cut up."

Continuing a "Burien petition [campaign] against annexation."

Committing "over 100 volunteers to doorbell each residence twice in every North Highline area that the Burien City Council declares as a Planned Annexation Area ... working to produce a 'No to Burien' vote."

Organizing a precinct-by-precinct North Highline-wide voter registration and get-out-the-vote effort."