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More and more Seattle folks are biking to work. From Seattle Bike Blog:

Seattle rose to the number two spot among major US cities in terms of the number of people commuting to work by bike in 2010. The percentage of people using a bicycle as their primary mode of getting to work in Seattle increased 22 percent between 2009 and 2010, according to the annual American Communities Survey conducted by the US Census.

This data confirms the city’s 2010 downtown bike commute count, which measured an increase of 21.4 percent in the same time period.

Between 2005 and 2010, the percentage of people commuting by bike in Seattle increased 57 percent. Between 2000 and 2010, it increased 93 percent.

On top of what it says about the infrastructure improvements in the last decade or so, I think there is a cultural aspect that gets lost in the war on cars nonsense. And that’s that most Seattle drivers are perfectly willing to share the road with bikes.

Yes, there are asshole drivers. Yes, the recent spate of bicyclist deaths has been tragic. Yes, several media outlets have invested themselves in a story of a clash between driving and riding a bike. Yes, I’ve read the comment threads whenever there’s a bike story in the paper. But for the most part, drivers are willing to give you a bit of room and to slow down if they can’t. Speaking personally, I’ve had pleasant chats with people in cars with the windows down who just started talking to me when we were both stuck at red lights. Probably more than people yelling at me or honking their horns.

And while I don’t have any hard data, lots of Seattle drivers also ride bikes. There’s certanily some self interest for me when I’m driving and I see a bike. On top of wanting to make sure not to hit the person, I also feel that I’d better give room and slow down, etc. to put kindness to bicyclists out into the world.

1) Crime is down in the city, but we’ve seen some horrible incidents with the police in recent years. How do we ensure public safety and not have those sorts of things happen in the future?

We make certain the Office of Professional Accountability, and the related civilian Auditor and the seven-member civilian Review Board, have the tools and resources necessary to thoroughly investigate complaints of misconduct.

This may seem insignificant, but we should transform the public face of the OPA—printed materials that explain the process of investigations, notification and update letters and the office environment. The current OPA environment—website, printed materials, offices—express a strong police orientation. Instead, the OPA environment should be professional, neutral and welcoming. First impressions matter.

As we have heard from the past four civilian OPA Auditors, the quality and thoroughness of OPA investigations are not the issue. The real issue, as identified by current Auditor Anne Levinson, is what we don’t know. Some in the city believe that our police officers use force far more often than is reported. My office will soon ask the City Auditor and the OPA Review Board to examine this issue and conduct independent research of arrestees to determine whether force was used during their arrest and whether the arresting officers properly completed required “use of force” reports. This type of external, proactive examination will identify problems and will also help build public trust and confidence in the Police Department.

Turning to crime prevention, emerging evidence indicates that we should shift away from the policing of people, but not all people, to the policing of place. This would be a major shift in American policing.

This change is necessary because crime is geographically concentrated and anchored at micro places. Crime is not randomly distributed across a city. In Seattle, using 16 years of crime data, researchers have found that about 50% of reported crime is found at just 5% to 6% of our street segments. More than 20% of crime in Seattle is concentrated at just 1% of street segments.

Changing to policing place would have dramatic impact in reducing crime and improving police-community relations. Inherent in the “policing of place” is a strong community-based orientation; police officers working with the community to resolve problems, rather than police officers arriving to just arrest people or “enforce the law.”

This strategic shift would transform the Police Department. It would give officers a strong sense of mission. A spirit of innovation would take hold as officers digested crime data and worked with community members to design appropriate intervention tactics.

2) Now that the Viaduct is coming down, what should the waterfront look like?

The central waterfront should become a place that celebrates Seattle’s maritime and industrial history, honors our Native American heritage, reconnects the city with Elliott Bay along key east-west corridors, and provides a series of public places where individuals and families can enjoy parks, pedestrian promenades, outdoor restaurants and views stretching from Pike Place Market to the stadium district. Port of Seattle operations and jobs must be protected.

3) As the great recession drags on, the city budget is still hurt. What do we need to cut, what do we need to keep, and do we need to raise more money via taxation?

We should adopt an outcome-based budgeting philosophy so we understand why we are investing in particular projects and what we are achieving. Unfortunately, we don’t really know what many of our investments are producing, especially when it comes to human services, youth and family, and crime prevention expenditures. A much stronger performance orientation is needed in city government.

We should continue to protect human services and public safety programs as our highest priorities. For example, one of the best crime prevention programs in the country is the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP), a 30 year effort to link specially trained nurses with first time mothers living in poverty. Seattle currently provides funding to reach about one-third of the eligible moms in the city; two-thirds of those who qualify do not receive services. Yet, the NFP has consistently shown through high quality research that it can reduce criminal behavior, strength the families involved and save government tens of thousands of dollars. We should fully fund the
NFP.

I helped craft the renewal of the Families and Education Levy that is on the November 8 ballot. If passed by the voters, this measure will nearly double the amount of funding for highly targeted intervention efforts for our most at risk public school kids. This tax increase is justified because continuing to accept the status quo in public education where nearly half of our students are at great academic risk will only cost much more long into the future.

4) With its budget shrunk at least until the end of the recession what should Seattle parks look like?

We need to maintain our parks so they are inviting and accessible to all. Funding for parks maintenance has suffered in recent years because of the economic slump. In 2008, I worked with Councilmember Rasmussen to craft a Parks levy for the November ballot. That measure passed overwhelmingly.

There are discussions under way to identify other Parks funding options.

5) What is the Seattle’s role in education and public transportation given how important they are to the city, but that other agencies are tasked with them?

With regard to public education, our role is to make certain that Seattle students receive a high quality education. The City has many opportunities to influence the direction and policies of the Seattle School District— Families and Education Levy, joint use agreements for school playgrounds and parks, collaboration between the Council and the School Board.

City services should be aligned with the policies and outcomes of the School District. For example, we do this now with the Levy that is designed to provide academic and support services consistent with the District’s goals and with police services at specific District buildings.

SDOT is responsible for city streets and bridges and we work closely with King County and state agencies related to Metro bus services and state highways that traverse Seattle. We have good relationships with these other agencies; witness the new regional transit service principles for allocation of Metro service that eliminated the old and flawed 40-40-20 rules.

Update: As Richard Pope points out in the comment thread, the numbers in the post didn’t match the headline. The headline is correct. I screwed up typing Inslee’s number into a database, and the error spread from there. All fixed now.

A new poll is about to be released in the Washington gubernatorial race between Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA-01) and state Attorney General Rob McKenna. The poll surveyed 532 registered voters and was conducted on behalf of KING 5 by Survey USA. KING 5‘s Robert Mak gives a brief overview of the results.

0f the 532 surveyed, 404 436 had an opinion: 170 202 (32 38%) supported Inslee and 234 (44%) supported McKenna. The undecided group made up 24.1 18%. I did my typical Monte Carlo analysis using a million simulated elections at the observed percentages. Inslee “won” 11,474 136,028 times and McKenna “won” 987,293 856,218 times.

The results suggest that, if the election was held today, McKenna would win with a 98.9 86.3% probability. Note that since McKenna’s probability of winning is less than 95%, the lead is not considered “significant” by traditional statistical reasoning.

It is, of course, too early to panic over this poll, particularly with 24 18% undecided. Nevertheless, this poll puts McKenna in the lead. Last week a poll from Strategies 360, a Democratic consulting firm, showed a similar lead for McKenna, 46% to 39%. I generally ignore polls from partisan consultants or polls commissioned by campaigns, but the similarity in results is noteworthy. The previous “real” poll for this race was from Survey USA in late June and showed Inslee with a small, non-significant lead over McKenna, 47% to 44% (my analysis is here).

Mac points out for today’s poll:

McKenna’s early lead can be attributed in part to his strength in the Puget Sound area. In King, Pierce and Snohomish counties, he’s even with Inslee at 41% each, which is significant for a Republican candidate. As expected, McKenna picks up votes in more conservative eastern Washington with a 59%-25% advantage.

Inslee has, apparently, lost ground to McKenna on both fronts: in June he was up 49% to 42% in Seattle and McKenna was up 51% to 41% in eastern Washington.

This race is being touted as the hottest Governor’s race in the country, and the best G.O.P. gubernatorial pick-up opportunity in the nation. It’s certainly living up to the hype!

1) Crime is down in the city, but we’ve seen some horrible incidents with the police in recent years. How do we ensure public safety and not have those sorts of things happen in the future?

I believe that if the Seattle Police Department follows the recommendations of the City Council Public Safety Committee, real progress can be made to ensure public safety and public trust. Here are some of the key recommendations:

a. Establish a county-wide consistent approach to officer-involved deaths to avoid conflicts of interest;
b. Strengthen civilian oversight and increase public understanding and trust by implementing the recommendations of the civilian observer to the Firearms Review Board;
c. Review and enhance hiring standards and training as recommended by the Office of Professional Accountability Civilian Auditor including de-escalation training for all patrol officers with special emphasis on misdemeanor and other low-level encounters;
d. Monthly Office of Professional Accountability reports should summarize findings of misconduct; the nature of the discipline and changes to policy or procedure that have resulted from a complaint so that the public can see the actions taken by the department;
e. Expedite resolution of cases where there is a referral for possible criminal filing by referring the case file to both the King County Prosecutor and the City Attorney for review and recommendations;
f. Allow supervisors to use In-Car Video for instructional purposes;
g. Require mandatory and timely drug and alcohol testing of all officers involved in the use of deadly force regardless of whether a death has occurred and in all use of force incidents that result in the hospitalization or hospital treatment of a person;

2) Now that the Viaduct is coming down, what should the waterfront look like?

I would like the public places to be as beautiful and open and accessible and free from commercialization as possible. The waterfront should include great landscaping with many opportunities to gain access to the water and to view Elliot Bay and the Olympic Mountains. I would like the newly developed portions of the waterfront to be connected with and to extended to the walking and biking trails of Myrtle Edwards Park to the north and similar trails to the south.

3) As the great recession drags on, the city budget is still hurt. What do we need to cut, what do we need to keep, and do we need to raise more money via taxation?

We “need to cut” funding in areas where the City will not experience harm to public safety or deterioration to our infrastructure. I believe that all City Departments should be directed to find cuts and savings through efficiencies in operations and by reducing administrative and overhead costs. I would request department directors to engage their City employees and the public to identify where savings can occur and where budget reductions are possible with the least reduction in public services and with the least harm to our public facilities.

What we must ensure that we support is public safety: police and fire services; infrastructure maintenance and repair of our transportation system; our parks and other public facilities to avoid costly deterioration; public health and human service programs that are essential to the lives of the most vulnerable including the poor, children, seniors and people with disabilities.

I have proposed an increase in the vehicle license fee in order to help meet the maintenance and repair needs of our transportation system as well as to help improve its operations. This measure if approved by the voters would improve transit service; and would increase funding for repair of our roads and would fund bike and pedestrian safety improvements.

4) With its budget shrunk at least until the end of the recession what should Seattle parks look like?

Given the reduction in revenue the City will be cutting services. Of course I would like our parks to look beautiful and to be well maintained. But with reduction in staff that will be challenging. My preference and priorities are to minimize reductions to maintenance and repair staff and seek cuts in other areas of the Parks Department budget.

5) What is the Seattle’s role in education and public transportation given how important they are to the city, but that other agencies are tasked with them?

A strong and successful public school system and a good public transportation system both are fundamentally important to a thriving, healthy and successful City.

The role of the City in education is to support education both indirectly and directly. The indirect support can range from safe sidewalks and routes to schools to sharing of athletic fields and community centers. Direct support can and is provided through the City sponsored Family and Education Levy, which is up for renewal. The programs and services funded by the levy are designed to support, strengthen and ensure the success of students in the Seattle Public Schools. Other direct support should include support for arts and cultural programs that are affordable
and accessible to students.

Public transportation is funded, planned and provided for at the regional level with significant authority for planning and funding authorized by the state of Washington. The City’s role is to be an active and effective participant at all levels in public transportation advocacy and organizations.

Seattle City officials should be leading strong advocates for public transportation and for public transportation funding and expansion. Seattle officials must build strong relations throughout the region and the state to be able to be successful in creating and receiving support for public transportation.

1) Crime is down in the city, but we’ve seen some horrible incidents with the police in recent years. How do we ensure public safety and not have those sorts of things happen in the future?

I believe the Seattle Police Department is composed of very professional officers who take pride in protecting the well-being of our residents. But recent events have shown that there are indeed some “bad apples” in the bunch. The City Council should send a strong message to the Police Department that these types of incidents will not be tolerated, and that we should continue to support and strengthen the Office of Professional Accountability Review Board’s mission. I am certain with these actions, we will continue to have a police force that our Seattle residents will be proud of, and that unfortunate incidents such as these will become a thing of the past.

2) Now that the Viaduct is coming down, what should the waterfront look like?

I personally believe that the central portion of the Viaduct should not be torn down. As shown with the Highline in New York City, a fortified Viaduct (in conjunction with a rebuilt seawall and the removal of traffic from the structure) will allow the structure to remain in use for pedestrians for many years to come. In its existing state, the structure can connect all of the major attractions that bring visitors to downtown Seattle, including access to Safeco and CenturyLink fields, Pioneer Square, the Central Business District, and a possible connection to Pike Place Market and the Waterfront Sculpture Park.

An added benefit to the Viaduct is its double decking. The top levels could be used as a park, allowing City residents and tourists (both local and others) to enjoy an unparalleled view of Seattle’s downtown core, Puget Sound, and the Olympic Mountains. The bottom level could be used as a place for local merchants, including artisans and food vendors, to sell their merchandise. The top level would act as a covering, allowing the structure to be used year- round, allowing for increased usability and access throughout the year.

The street level beneath the Viaduct could be used as an alternative route to the Waterfront Streetcar, and would allow for a (reduced) number of parking spaces. This would allow the city to take much less of a hit on parking revenues, while allowing a place for cyclists to have an enjoyable trip along their waterfront.

3) As the great recession drags on, the city budget is still hurt. What do we need to cut, what do we need to keep, and do we need to raise more money via taxation?

Due to the Great Recession, many working people and families are struggling to make ends meet, and cannot afford to pay increased taxes. I believe that we should focus our efforts and available funding toward projects that will maintain our present infrastructure, while identifying areas of city government that need improvement and developing a plan to improve them. This way, projects that will be needed in the future will already be identified and can be executed when available funding can be secured.

Services that are vital to the well-being to residents’ livelihood, such as transit, neighborhood infrastructure improvements (like sidewalks and street repairs) should be maintained at their current levels, while additions such as streetcar extensions should be postponed until funding becomes available.

4) With its budget shrunk at least until the end of the recession what should Seattle parks look like?

Despite the shrunken budgets, I believe that there is no excuse for Seattle’s park maintenance to become lax. Although it is desirable to continue to expand the park system, the current economic situation requires that we continue to maintain our parks at the same level of care that Seattle residents have come to expect over the years.

5) What is the Seattle’s role in education and public transportation given how important they are to the city, but that other agencies are tasked with them?

Seattle’s role in education, although limited, should be to provide a safe environment free of crime and intimidation. Over the last couple of years, we have heard about a disturbing trend of violent crimes being committed near some of our schools. This reduces the safety of our students and creates an atmosphere that makes both parents and students reluctant to attend school. The City should work with school administrators and Seattle Police to ensure that crime and intimidation will not be tolerated at any of our schools. By doing this, we can provide a safe, caring environment for those who are working hard to make a bright future for themselves and become productive members of our society.

Seattle’s role in public transportation is also quite pronounced. Even though Metro is not directly funded or operated by the city, it is important that the City provide decent infrastructure. I believe many of our residents are inclined to take transit and reduce vehicle trips, but are reluctant to do so when it is unsafe or inconvenient to access them. We must work to maintain our roads and arterials, which, when properly maintained, provide the foundation for all safe forms of transit, and help Seattle achieve its goal of reducing transportation’s effect on the environment.

The Tacoma Teachers strike is still going on, and that’s the perfect excuse for Lynne Varner to act like a jackass:

By defying a judge’s order to return to work, Tacoma teachers are courting danger. This Seattle Times editorial sums up general public impatience: get back into the classroom and continue to hammer out a good contract.

The first link doesn’t say anything about the judge’s order (it may have at some point). But Judge Bryan Chushcoff did in fact issue a temporary restraining order (pdf). But given #9 “The parties are ordered to return as soon as practical to collective bargaining and shall continue to bargain in good faith throughout out the term of this temporary restraining order” perhaps Lynne will demand fines for the school board. After all, the union lays out clearly:

Tacoma teachers came to the bargaining table with a new compromise contract proposal today.

After keeping teachers waiting 2.5 hours past the scheduled 1:30 pm start time, negotiators for the Tacoma School Board did not offer a proposal. They also failed to offer a response to the teachers’ proposal.

Negotiations ended at 5 pm.

I look forward to Lynne’s post demanding a fine for the administration for not showing good faith. Since the district isn’t working to “hammer out a good contract” she should be upset.

Like a little boy running to his mommy, Rob McKenna is whining, “No fair!” over the fact that he is prevented from raising money during the legislative session. And Jay Inslee isn’t:

We have state rules that we have to follow. We have a fundraising freeze from 30 days before the (legislative) session, through the session, we have to spend a lot more resources in building our contributor list and raising money than a non-state candidate, who doesn’t face what we face under the law, but might want to follow to show they follow spirit the law,”

…McKenna’s spokesbaby, Randy Pepple, sobbed in a semi-incoherent run-on sentence. The PI adds some context:

As a state elected official, McKenna, like state legislators, is barred from seeking campaign funds during any legislative session. The Legislature will return in January for a 60-day session.

Yeah…sure, Rob. Inslee is going to voluntarily abstain from fundraising during the state legislative session. You know, just like Dino Rossi did against Gregoire:

Rossi made up serious financial ground during this year’s legislative session, when Gregoire was not allowed to raise money.

(Of course, the legislative session being in session will do nothing to prevent the Koch Brothers’ and friends from funneling money into the race.)

But, whatever. There is nothing stopping McKenna from raising funds during the legislative session. All he has to do is quit his job. You know, pull a Palin. Then he can raise funds just like Rossi did and Inslee will do. (And as a bonus, McKenna can engage in pathetic whining to his heart’s content…full-time, if necessary!)

But short of McKenna resigning, I can imagine one “remedy” in which Inslee might voluntary give up his fundraising during the state’s legislative session: If McKenna spends weekdays working out of an office in Washington D.C., and commuting back to Washington state on weekends….

A couple of months ago, State Auditor Brian Sonntag made the “difficult” decision to not jump into the gubernatorial race. At the time I wrote:

Sonntag is nominally a Democrat, with a track record that includes things like endorsing Republican King County Executive candidate Susan Hutchison, snuggling spooning blowing Tim Eyman, and participating in Teabagger events.

We can only hope that the buzz about a potential Sonntag gubernatorial bid has encouraged some talented people to think about running for the open Auditor seat. And with any luck, they’ll still run, but now against Sonntag. Otherwise, I’m afraid, Sonntag will maintain his grip on the State Auditor’s office…well, until it’s pried out of his cold, dead hands.

Sonntag remains amongst the living. But, apparently, he came up short on a self-performance audit. Today he announced his intention to retire from the position, leaving another statewide open seat—the fourth.

So let’s all follow Dwight Pelz’s lead and thank Brian and wish him well:

“Brian Sonntag’s 35 year record of public service goes nearly unmatched in Washington State. He has been a true state leader, an advocate for the people of Washington, and an independent voice in the Democratic Party. On his retirement from the auditor’s office, we wish him our heartfelt thanks and congratulations.”

I have no idea who will run for the open position. Perhaps Susan DelBene? DelBene has an MBA from the University of Washington. The former tech-sector CEO and Microsoft corporate VP ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Dave Reichert in 2010. She is currently director for the Washington State Department of Revenue. DelBene’s resume looks quite good for the position.

Republicans just don’t bother to put up candidates for the position anymore.

[S]tate GOP spokesman Josh Amato said Monday: “We liked what Brian was doing. We weren’t working on taking him out of office.”

With the office open, however, Republicans expect to have qualified candidates willing to run, Amato said.

Here’s an idea that will add some zest to the race: Republicans should draft Tim “Biggest Lie of My Life” Eyman. Tim should grow the fuck up and compete for a real job. He can then stop his continuous begging for (and occasional theft of) money from his supporters. And he can give up his whoring ways, “servicing” rich donors like Michael Dunmire and Kemper Freeman, Jr. Eyman can go all respectable on us.

On the other hand…maybe Republicans can repeat their 2004 strategy: putting Will Baker on the ballot for State Auditor.

The condescending anti-worker editorials are coming fast from The Trib. Today’s is about a possible strike by Tacoma teachers (who have already once agreed not to strike, and got nothing for that).

They have starkly different visions of what that is. Teachers want to hold the line on salaries, class sizes, and policies regarding displacements and transfers. School administrators, facing state and federal mandates to improve performance and the prospect of yet more budget cutbacks, want more flexibility from the teachers union so that they can deal with those challenges.

If it’s public or private, “flexibility” means management does whatever the hell it wants without any accountability.

Tacoma’s teachers should vote today not to strike, to keep teaching and to continue negotiating without a contract. If they do vote to strike, the administration should immediately seek a court injunction. Any judge that gets the case should assess daily fines on teachers who do not report to their classrooms.

However Tacoma teachers vote today, I oppose this anti-union strategy. A strike is a big deal, and I think it’s fair to say that they would prefer to be teaching. But the teachers know what’s at stake more than the ed boards, and if 80% of members are willing to strike, it says more about the administration than the union.

The Washington state Republicans have fallen into something of a mid-life crisis (via SeattlePI.com).

The Washington State Republican Party, splitting from many of its business backers, is endorsing Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1125, which would severely restrict use of tolls to pay for bridge and highway projects.

Republicans have separated from some of their long term partners to “take-up” with the babysitter initiative whore, Tim “biggest like of my life” Eyman.

Former partners are left disappointed, and with a recurring case of small blisters in their rectal region as a reminder of their past passionate relationship. Looking back, they’re deeply regretful of ever going beyond third base with the younger and less-reckless G.O.P. party.

As a coping mechanism, the former partners have joined forces:

…several leading business groups have thrown their support being Keep Washington Rolling, a group that is fighting I-1125. The initiative is on Washington’s November ballot.

Opponents of I-1125 include the Washington Roundtable, the Associated General Contractors of Washington, as well as the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce.
[…]

“I-1125 is a new attack on transportation and transit projects in Washington State,” Steve Mullin, president of the Washington Roundtable, said as Keep Washington Rolling announced his campaign.

a “nearly unprecedented coalition speaks volumes about just how much harm I-1125 would do to our economy and quality of life in Washington,” Mullin added. Keep Washington Rolling has brought together business, labor and environmental groups.

I’m pretty sure this marks the end of the long-struggling moderate wing of the Washington state Republican party.

– To sum up: a taxpayer-subsidized international conglomerate, which is operating on public property, is suing the public so it can avoid paying the area’s standard wages and undercut its competitors that do. (h/t)

– I keep hearing how McDermott and McGinn never get anything done.

– Obama is responsible for the negative job growth at the end of the Bush administration.

– RIP Brian Fairbrother

– Just one.

– My Kiva team is pretty amazing.

1) Crime is down in the city, but we’ve seen some outrageous incidents involving police in recent years. How do we ensure public safety and not have those sorts of things happen in the future?

I strongly believe that the SPD has many good officers and supervisors – but regret that there have been too many high-profile incidents that have, justifiably, cast a bad light on the department. We need to rebuild mutual trust between citizens and those who work so hard to protect and make our city a safe place to live and work.

I believe that our three-cornered system of police accountability has, for the most part, served us well, but it is clear that we need to work toward improving the system. For one, I support a pilot project to evaluate the use of body cameras for on-duty officers. If the pilot is successful, this may be the wave of the future. Second, we need better police training, most especially in the area of cultural sensitivity. To this end, I support the 11-step proposal of the Public Safety and Education Committee—including enhanced hiring standards and training of officers, expedited review of potential criminal charges against officers, monthly reports of findings of sustained misconduct, and drug-testing for officers involved in the use of deadly force. However, we do need to be cognizant that some of these measures must be negotiated with the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild.

2) Now that the Viaduct is coming down, what should the waterfront look like?

The waterfront should become the city’s front door, comprising a crescent of parks, walkways, bike paths, and a boulevard that stretches from the stadium district to the Sculpture Park. There should be ample sidewalks for outdoor dining, irresistible shops and romantic restaurants, a small boat harbor, trees, shrubs and flowers, and a beach where we can meet the water. I envision a Eurostyle plaza, a children’s spray park, a space for Summer Nights’ on the Pier, perhaps an amphitheater (Shakespeare on the waterfront). New housing opportunities would allow more people to live near where they work. Small businesses would flourish as patrons come from all over to visit our waterfront. The Pike Place Market would tumble down the hill to offer fresh vegetable and flowers, fresh-baked bread and hand-made crafts. Priorities would include a passenger-friendly redevelopment of Colman Dock, an enhanced waiting area for foot ferries, and ample space for Port of Seattle harbor activities.

3) As the great recession drags on, the city budget is still hurting. What do we need to cut, what do we need to keep, and do we need to raise more money via taxation?

As Budget Chair, my top priority has been ensuring that vital human services — such as community health clinics and domestic violence programs— are prioritized. When the Mayor tried to reduce human services, neighborhood programs, and libraries I said “No way.” In addition, I worked to restore funding for community centers and long overdue improvements to our city’s roads and sidewalks. My budget priorities—public safety and human services— have remained the same during both surpluses and shortfalls. These core services need to be our top priorities as we head into the 2012 budget process.

In addition, I recently co-sponsored a resolution to increase efforts to move homeless men and women into permanent housing. We must not forget that, even during these tough economic times, securing a warm bed for those without is a top priority. For example, as chair of the Council’s Budget Committee, I worked to ensure funding for a severe winter shelter at City Hall.

Regarding raising revenue—yes, we do need to raise revenue to pay for critical public services. Unfortunately, state law severely limits the city’s ability to impose taxes to raise revenue. As discussed below, I support two ballot measures (the Families and Education Levy and the Transportation Benefit District) that, if passed, will generate needed revenue to support our education and transportation systems.

4) With its budget shrunk at least until the end of the recession what should Seattle parks look like?

Parks are of great importance to our City, especially during this lingering recession as they are a “zero cost” place for people to relax and recreate. Unfortunately, the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department has taken a large share of the budget cuts. It is to the Department’s credit that, even in these lean times, parks’ grounds are for the most part still looking good and, although somewhat reduced, parks are still offering a variety of recreational activities. I will continue stretch every dollar of revenue so that we can provide our citizens with best parks possible, while also maintaining other critical services.

5) What is the Seattle’s role in education and public transportation given how important they are to the city, but that other agencies are tasked with them?

Although other government levels administer these services– the School Board (responsible for education) and King County and Sound Transit (public transportation), Seattle must continue to play a key role in providing the support necessary to ensure that citizens are being served in these critical areas.

Regarding education, one key role of the City is passing the Families and Education Levy this November. This levy, which the City Council doubled in size, will fund programs to improve children’s readiness for school, student’s academic achievement and reduction of the academic achievement gap, and student’s graduation from high school and preparation for college or a career.

I voted to put this levy on the ballot because of my strong belief that, especially in tough economic times, we must support our most at-risk kids (disproportionally children of color). The

Levy will support academic programs at schools with a high proportion of low-income students, as well as early-learning programs that improve academic success. To this end, even though I am in the midst of a reelection campaign, I have made sure to get out and campaign on behalf of this crucial measure. We must graduate all our students ready either for college or a career.

Regarding public transportation, I backed the Regional Transportation Committee’s move away from the rigid 40/40/20 formula for allocating Metro bus hours (under which 80% of new bus service hours were sent to the suburbs). The 40/40/20 allocation inhibited our ability to provide busses in Seattle, where demand is the highest and service is the most cost effective. I also lobbied on behalf of King County’s passage of a $20 car-tab fee in order to prevent a 17% reduction in Metro service in Seattle over the next two years.

At the same time, I voted to place on the ballot an annual Vehicle License Fee of $60 that, if approved by voters, will allow the City to make major improvements to our transit system while also providing safer roads for drivers and bicyclists, as well as safer crosswalks and sidewalks for pedestrians. It is the City’s duty to preserve and maintain the infrastructure that allows goods and services to move safely and quickly through our streets.

A few days ago I offered four hypotheses on why King County Council member Jane Hague is blocking the appointment of George Cheung to the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee:

1. Hague hates Chinese voters.
2. Hague’s own insecurity over Cheung’s impressive credentials.
3. Because Cheung is a Democratic PCO.
4. Because she’s just too goddamn drunk to get around to it.

Cheung has outstanding credentials by any measure: a B.A. from Brown University in Political Science; a Master in Public Policy from Harvard; current Executive Director of the Win/Win Network, a get-out-the-vote nonprofit; founder and past Board Chair or Interim Executive Director of Equal Rights Washington; a past intern with the Organization of Chinese Americans to lobby for the Justice for Wards Cove Workers Act; a stint as a project director for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination; a civil rights investigator for Rhode Island and Washington; a consultant for APIAVote, United Way of King County, Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and Seattle Public Utilities; a board member of Equal Rights Washington and the Western States Center.

Cheung was recommended by King County Elections director Sherril Huff to fill an open committee position designated to represent the Chinese-speaking community.

So…which hypothesis is correct? Today Jane Hague responded to Publicola‘s queries with a copy of her letter to Cheung:

I believe that it is in the best interests of King County citizens and our elections division for the appointment to go to someone who is neither an active partisan for the Republicans or for the Democrats.

Unfortunately, I do not believe you are qualified for this particular position because of your
long-standing work as a Democrat [sic] Precinct Committee Officer and campaign activist.

Yes…Hague overlooks a stellar resume and dismisses a life of highly relevant achievement…because Cheung is a Democratic PCO.

Unbefuckinglievable!

A PCO? Hell…I hear that people have been blackmailed and threatened at knife-point to force them to run for PCO. Numerous PCO positions go unfilled or end up being appointed (instead of elected). PCO doesn’t even qualify as a gateway-drug to activism.

Cheung has also committed the “crime” of publicly supporting some Democratic candidates. But a web search of his activism on behalf of candidates reveals that Cheung supports candidates who are strong on the issues he has spent his life supporting. As it happens, many of Cheung’s issues—fighting discrimination, promotion of citizen activism and involvement in government, get out the vote, etc.—are bad issues for many Republicans. But they are precisely what the position needs.

One must wonder if Hague realistically believes there are similarly qualified candidates—degrees in political science & public policy, experience promoting civic engagement, strong anti-discrimination creds, get-out-the-vote activist—who are politically chaste, and therefore eligible (in her eyes) for the position? I don’t think so.

There may be one other reason Hague is stonewalling: Cheung contributed $100 to her opponent, Richard Mitchell.

Hell hath no fury like a Republican scorned. And Hague is a Republican hack, something she betrays with the phrase “Democrat Precinct Committee Officer” in her letter.

Hauge’s hypocrisy is evident by other members on the committee. One of the non-partisan committee seats (see 2.53) is to represent “an independent research and policy institute.” That seat is held by Paul Guppy of the Washington Policy Center. Mr. Guppy has great credentials for the position. Hague not only voted in favor of appointing Guppy, she sponsored the motion.

But Guppy has his own partisan baggage. He currently holds a partisan appointment, made by the Senate Republican Caucus, to The Citizen Commission for Performance Measurement of Tax Preferences. Guppy has made political contributions to Dino Rossi and John Carlson. And he writes partisan essays, like this one against King County Executive Dow Constantine.

If Paul Guppy is acceptable as a non-partisan member of the King County Citizens Election Oversight Committee by virtue of his credentials and experience in policy analysis, then so too is George Cheung acceptable by the strength of his credentials and experience.

And so the committee remains without the representative of the Chinese-speaking community required by the King County Code.

All this leads me to say, “Jane, you ignorant hack, sober-the-fuck-up, and quit hating on Chinese voters!”

We’re all teabaggers now.

As you probably know, today the Washington state Supreme Court ruled to allow state Attorney General Rob McKenna to continue his humiliation of Washingtonians. The Court ruled that McKenna has the right to thwart the will of the legislature, the Governor, and the people, and participate in the Florida et al. lawsuit against the health care reform law.

Since McKenna is running for Governor in 2012, a natural question to ask is, “What will McKenna’s replacement do?”

The 2012 general election match-up for AG is likely to be between King County Council members Reagan Dunn (R) and Bob Ferguson (D). Where do the candidates stand?

Publicola’s Erica C. Barnett gives Ferguson’s unambiguous statement:

“I have been clear that on my first day in office, I will withdraw Washington State from that lawsuit. Instead, the Attorney General should focus on protecting Washington consumers, our environment and ensuring public safety.”

And Washington State Wire’s Erik Smith lays out Dunn’s position:

Dunn says he supports McKenna’s most controversial decision – to join the national lawsuit filed by Republican governors and attorneys general in 26 states against the Obama Administration’s health care reform initiative. And just in case that one hasn’t been resolved by 2014, Dunn says he’ll keep right on pressing the case.

So…there you have it: A sharp, unambiguous difference between Ferguson and Dunn for our next Attorney General.

Pretty fucking bad!.

The law:

The attorney general shall also represent the state and all officials, departments, boards, commissions and agencies of the state in the courts, and before all administrative tribunals or bodies of any nature, in all legal or quasi legal matters, hearings, or proceedings

Rob McKenna’s own argument why he doesn’t really have to follow the law (my emphasis throughout):

“The Constitution, state law and case law interpreting the powers and duties of the Attorney General affirm that the AG is more than just a passive observer of state agency action and grant this office authority to determine whether or not to appeal cases of interest to the state,” McKenna said.

Goldy’s assessment:

Huh. Really? […] Because the Constitution affirms absolutely nothing except that “The attorney general shall be the legal adviser of the state officers, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by law.” There is no other mention in the Constitution about the AG’s powers and duties.

As for state law, we’ve already gone over that exhaustively, and I don’t see anything in there explicitly giving the AG’s office the authority to determine whether or not to appeal cases against the wishes of his client. I see RCW 43.12.075 defining a traditional attorney-client relationship between the AG and the Commissioner of Public Lands, mandating that it shall be the AG’s duty to defend the Commissioner when requested so to do, and explicitly stating that it is the Commissioner who represents the state in any proceedings relating to public land. But I see nothing in state law granting McKenna the broad powers he claims.

As for case law, well, I’ve already admitted that there is some case law on both sides of this argument, although absolutely nothing […] in Washington state…. I believe the case law I’ve previously discussed is pretty damn persuasive that the AG does not have the authority McKenna claims….

The court’s decision:

None of the case law cited confers on the attorney general the discretion he seeks to refuse to pursue an appeal despite his client’s directive that he do so. Nor does the attorney general’s constitutional role counsel otherwise. Given the mandatory language of the statute and the prohibition of hiring outside counsel, no discretion is involved, and representation is required. Therefore, we grant the writ.

So bad, in fact, that McKenna was out-lawyered by a fucking blogger!

Now, that Goldy…. He should have gone to law school…if only for his mother’s sake.