Thursday’s update from King County Elections on Proposition 1 – the King County Library System “Library Levy,” has increased its “Yes” lead to 3.5%, up from 2.26% yesterday:

KING COUNTY RURAL LIBRARY DISTRICT”

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 224,563 / 647,133 • 34.70%

Proposition No. 1:

• YES: 115,269 • 51.75%
• NO: 107,477 • 48.25%

We’ll post further results as they are released (usually weekdays around 4pm), and the final tally won’t be official until Feb. 24th.

The language for Prop. 1, according to the Voter’s Pamphlet:

The Board of Directors of the King County Rural Library District adopted Resolution No. 2009-11 concerning an increase in the District’s regular property tax levy. In order to provide continued funding for the normal operation and maintenance of the King County library system, this proposition would authorize the District to restore regular property tax levy rate to $0.50 per thousand dollars of assessed value for collection in 2011, and to increase the levy in each year thereafter as allowed by chapter 84.55 RCW. Should this proposition be approved?

King County Elections released an update for Tuesday’s election results, and it looks like Proposition 1, the King County Library System “Library Levy,” has increased its “Yes” lead to 2.26%, up from just over 1%; as of 4:15pm Wednesday, Feb. 10th, the totals are:

KING COUNTY RURAL LIBRARY DISTRICT:

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters:
200,780/647,133 31.03%

Proposition No. 1

• YES: 101,858 • 51.13%
• NO: 97,344 • 48.87%

We’ll post further results as they are released (usually weekdays around 4pm), and the final tally won’t be official until Feb. 24th.

The language for Prop. 1, according to the Voter’s Pamphlet:

The Board of Directors of the King County Rural Library District adopted Resolution No. 2009-11 concerning an increase in the District’s regular property tax levy. In order to provide continued funding for the normal operation and maintenance of the King County library system, this proposition would authorize the District to restore regular property tax levy rate to $0.50 per thousand dollars of assessed value for collection in 2011, and to increase the levy in each year thereafter as allowed by chapter 84.55 RCW. Should this proposition be approved?

We’re not quite to the point of voting over the internet, but last week, King County Elections announced that it is now offering audio versions of its voters’ pamphlet at its website, meaning you can now rock out to ballot descriptions on your iPod.

Voters can now download the King County voters’ pamphlet as a FREE MP3 file or do air guitar to to it online. King County Elections has provided a limited number of audio recordings of voters’ pamphlets in the past, but now this feature is available for everyone, 24/7/365 at their website.

“We’re trying to improve services to voters who need them in order to vote privately and independently,” said Sandy McConnell, Elections Operations Manager. “This new service also provides convenience to many voters who prefer to listen to an audio version of their pamphlet.”

The audio voters’ pamphlets, along with the text versions, are located on the Elections website here. Audio ballots are also available to support voting at all three accessible voting centers.

Here are direct links to the rockin’ MP3s, with pertinent ones boldfaced:

• A Letter from the Director
• Ballot drop boxes and accessible voting centers
• Voter information
• Reading your voters’ pamphlet
• City of Renton Proposition No. 1
• King County Rural Library District, Proposition No. 1
• Seattle School District No. 1, Proposition No. 1
• Seattle School District No. 1, Proposition No. 2
• Federal Way School District No. 210, Proposition No. 1
• Vashon Island School District No. 402, Proposition No. 1
• Tukwila School District No. 406, Proposition No. 1

Election Day is Tuesday, Feb. 9th.

Burien’s Angelica Alvarez began the first term for a Latina on the Highline School board this month after being elected in November and sworn into office in December.

According to a press release:

Alvarez says she brings a passion for academic success for all children, regardless of the ethnic and social backgrounds. She is also interested in improving the transition from early childhood education to school, and in building collaborative, inclusive partnerships with parents.

Angelica works for the non-profit organization Child Care Resources where she promotes equity for children, building community stability, and encouraging school readiness. Her work often brings her into contact with King County’s low-income families in an effort to serve the basic needs of children. She says it is her goal is to bring these same values and skills to her work with Highline Public Schools.

by Ralph Nichols

City councilwoman Joan McGilton was elected to a third consecutive two-year term as mayor of Burien at the council’s first meeting of the year Monday night, Jan. 4.

Councilwoman Rose Clark was elected deputy mayor, a position she has held twice before.

McGilton was elected on a 5-1 vote with new Councilman Jack Block Jr. casting the lone dissenting vote. Block offered no reason for opposing McGilton’s election.

Clark was elected on a 6-0 vote.

No other nominations were made for either office. Councilwoman Lucy Krakowiak was absent during the voting, but arrived at the meeting a short time later.

The meeting marked Block’s returned to the council after a two-year absence. In 2007, he chose not to seek re-election to his Burien council seat to make what proved to be an unsuccessful bid instead for Port of Seattle commissioner.

This was the first council meeting for political newcomer Brian Bennett, who ran unopposed last fall to replace retiring Councilwoman Sally Nelson – the last member of the original Burien council still serving at that time.

Monday afternoon (Jan. 4th), the King County Council appointed former Seattle City Council President Jan Drago to fill the District 8 seat, taking over from when Dow Constantine became Executive.

Drago won by a unanimous vote after Rep. Joe McDermott’s election stalemated in a 4-4 tie and Councilman Larry Phillips suggested a vote for her.

There were four finalists for the position: McDermott; state Rep. Zack Hudgins, D-Tukwila; Drago; and Rep. Sharon Nelson, D-Maury Island.

Drago, who failed to make the general election for Seattle Mayor, claims that she will not run for re-election in November 2010.

At one time, four of the 11 original candidates for this vacancy were from the Burien area (Dr. Arun Jhaveri, Lucy Krakowiak; Kathleen Quong-Vermeire, and Shawn McEvoy), as well as two members of the original selection committee (Joan McGilton and Doug Osterman), but in the end none of our peeps got very far.

According to Drago’s Seattle City Council website bio:

Jan Drago has been a member of the Seattle City Council since January 1994, following her election in November 1993.

Prior to her election, she had been a small business owner (Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Shoppes franchise owner, (1980-1991) and a school teacher (1973-1978).

She is a graduate of Douglass College, Rutgers University (B.A., Psychology).

She and her husband Noel are the parents of four sons and two grandsons.

Here’s the council’s official press release:

The Metropolitan King County Council today gave its unanimous approval to the appointment of former Seattle City Council President Jan Drago to fill the vacancy created in County Council District 8 when Dow Constantine was sworn in as County Executive.

“I am honored to be selected to serve the people of District 8,” said Drago shortly after her swearing-in by Superior Court Presiding Judge Bruce Hilyer. “I look forward to working with the Council and the communities and neighborhoods that make up the district on the challenges that we face this year.”

Drago will act as a caretaker in District 8, serving until the certification of the Nov 2010 general election when the new Councilmember for the district will be sworn in.

“Jan Drago is an experienced public official and policy-maker, and I look forward to working with her,” said Council Chair Bob Ferguson.

“Jan will make a wonderful addition to the King County Council,” said council Vice Chair Jane Hague. “She knows the issues facing District 8 and will hit the ground running to serve her constituents well.”

“Jan Drago has a distinguished career serving our community, having been elected to serve Seattle residents four times,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “I am confident she will represent the citizens of District 8 well until they have the chance to elect their permanent representative this fall.”

“The residents of King County will benefit from Jan’s experience, especially when it comes to addressing the 2010 budget,” said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer.

Drago served on the Seattle City Council from 1994 through 2009, having served as Council President for four years and as Chair of the Council’s Budget Committee from 1999-2003. Drago, a graduate of Rutgers University, was a small business owner and school teacher prior to joining the Seattle City Council.

“I was looking for an independent minded person who could work with all of my colleagues,” said Councilmember Reagan Dunn. “With Jan Drago we get that and a wealth of local government experience as well. I’m pleased to welcome her and look forward to working with her between now and November.”

“Jan Drago is an experienced local leader and I look forward to welcoming her as a colleague on the King County Council,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson.

“I look forward to working with Jan Drago on the many complex issues facing King County, “ said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “I am sure that Jan will serve her constituents well over the next 11 months.”

“All the candidates we considered were very qualified,” said Councilmember Kathy Lambert. “We are fortunate to have such talented, informed leaders to choose from. After working with Councilmember Drago at the City of Seattle, I am confident that she can hit the ground running and offer her considerable government and business experience to the County. We appreciate her budget expertise and familiarity with the issues facing King County.”

Drago was selected out of the 11 applicants who applied to replace Constantine. All of the applicants were interviewed by a 12-member advisory committee of community leaders and elected officials who live or work in Council District 8. The advisory committee sent the Council Drago as well as the names of three other candidates:

· Rep. Zack Hudgins—State Representative from the 11th District
· Sen. Joe McDermott—State Senator from the 34th District
· Rep. Sharon Nelson—State Representative from the 34th District

The committee stressed Drago’s proven ability in budget, transportation and labor matters, her strong regional relationships and the potential to strengthen partnerships with the city of Seattle because of her time on the city Council.

UPDATE 5:45pm 1/4/10: Late this afternoon, Councilmember Larry Phillips released this statement, chock full of political irony:

“I made it clear on December 14th with my vote for Senator Joe McDermott that I strongly support him as the best representative to fill the District 8 vacancy. He has an impressive show of support from the people of District 8, has demonstrated leadership as a state senator tackling many of the most pressing issues for our community, and is a historic choice as the first openly gay person to serve of the County Council. I hope to have the opportunity to serve alongside Senator McDermott this fall.

“The council deliberated for many hours over Senator McDermott’s appointment, but—despite having my vote and the vote of three of my colleagues—Senator McDermott was unable to garner the five votes on the Council needed to secure the appointment. Councilmember Jan Drago, who along with Senator McDermott was endorsed by a group of District 8 citizens who vetted the potential candidates, was supported by four other Councilmembers on December 14th while I remained loyal in my support of Senator McDermott.

“The Council has remained at an impasse for the three weeks that followed, with no end in sight. The bottom line is that four votes plus four votes equals zero representation for District 8, and that is unacceptable. It’s is time to end the impasse and end the disenfranchisement of District 8 citizens. They deserve representation as the Council begins taking up business in 2010.

“Councilmember Drago has been elected by the citizens of this community four times, has strong Democratic credentials, and is willing to represent District 8 as a caretaker until the November election. So although Senator McDermott remains my first choice to represent District 8, today I joined my colleagues in supporting Jan Drago for the District 8 appointment.”

Late Thursday (Dec. 3rd), the King County Council announced that its Advisory Committee has chosen four finalists seeking to fill the King County Council seat vacated by Dow Constantine upon his election as King County Executive.

Despite the fact that four of the 11 candidates were from the Burien area (Dr. Arun Jhaveri, Lucy Krakowiak; Kathleen Quong-Vermeire, and Shawn McEvoy), and that two members of the selection committee were also local (Joan McGilton and Doug Osterman), the committee recommended these two non-Burienites who intend to run for the seat in the November 2010 general election:

• Rep. Zack Hudgins—State Representative from the 11th District
• Sen. Joe McDermott—State Senator from the 34th District

The committee also recommended two others who intend to serve in a caretaker capacity until the general election in November 2010:

• Jan Drago—A member of the Seattle City Council who is leaving the Council this year
• Rep. Sharon Nelson—State Representative from the 34th District

All four candidates recommended by the Committee will be interviewed on Monday, Dec. 7th at a 9:30am meeting of the Council’s Committee-of-the-Whole in the council chambers of the King County Courthouse.

The advisory committee was chaired by former Seattle Deputy Mayor and Municipal Court Judge Anne Levinson and Mark Okazaki, Executive Director of Neighborhood House, a human service agency with facilities in High Point and Greenbridge. They were joined on the 12-member advisory committee by community leaders and elected officials who live or work in Council District 8:

• Aileen Balahadia, Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association,
• Steve Daschle, Executive Director of Southwest Youth and Family Services,
• Tom Dean, Executive Director of the Vashon/Maury Island Land Trust,
• David Johnson, CEO of NAVOS, a mental health care facility that provides housing,
• Joan McGilton, Mayor of Burien
• Patti Mullen, CEO, West Seattle Chamber of Commerce
• Behnaz Nelson, co-chair of the King County Coalition of Unions
• Kathy Nyland, chair of the Georgetown Merchants Association and chair of the City Neighborhood Association
• Doug Osterman, Normandy Park City Councilmember
• Chris Porter, business owner and a nurse practitioner who is active on park and recreation issues.

Co-Chairs Levinson and Okazaki said the committee represented a diversity of perspectives and experiences and took to heart the charge from the Council to forward a slate of candidates who would best serve the needs of the County and District 8.

“We had a remarkable pool of applicants and appreciated the number of people willing to step forward to serve. The finalists each bring experience and understanding of the complex array of issues facing the County. Each would hit the ground running and be a very effective addition to the Council,” said Levinson and Okazaki.

The committee’s criteria for evaluation of candidates included:

• Knowledge of the functions of King County government;
• Knowledge of the issues and challenges facing King County government;
• Knowledge of the issues affecting the constituents of Council District 8;
• A demonstrated ability to develop a responsible budget;
• A demonstrated ability to respond to public concerns; and
• Demonstrated leadership skills.

The County Council has final authority for making the appointment, and is expected to take action by Monday, Dec. 14th, the last Council meeting of 2009.

Four Burien-area politicians have thrown their hats into the ring to replace King County Councilmember Dow Constantine’s vacant seat, including: Burien’s first Mayor Arun Jhaveri; current City Councilmember Lucy Krakowiak; Kathleen Quong-Vermeire, Commissioner, Highline Water District and former Mayor of Normandy Park, and Shawn McEvoy, current Mayor of Normandy Park.

Constantine was sworn in as King County Executive on Tuesday, Nov. 24th, which means there is now a vacancy in Council District 8. The King County Council received a total of 11 applications from individuals who are seeking to replace his vacant seat on the County Council.

The replacement appointee will serve in office until certification of the next general election in Nov. 2010.

Of the four local candidates, two (Jhaveri and Quong-Vermeire) have stated that they would not seek re-election, while the remaining two (Krakowiak and McEvoy) have stated that they would.

The finalists will be determined by a 12-person panel that includes Burien Mayor Joan McGilton and Normandy Park Councilmember Doug Osterman, who were appointed on Nov. 16th.

So with any luck and perhaps a touch of local favoritism, we just might see one of our neighbors on the King County Council, at least for about a year.

The selection process for making the appointment will begin Monday, Dec. 3rd, when the 12-member advisory committee created by the Council will conduct interviews with the 11 who submitted their applications by the Nov. 23rd deadline, listed below in alphabetical order:

• Jan Drago—A member of the Seattle City Council who is leaving the Council this year
• Helen Howell—Former Director of the state Department of Financial Institutions, served as Deputy Chief of Staff under Governor Locke
• Zack Hudgins—State Representative from the 11th District and Tukwila resident
• Jake Jacobovitch—Engineer in the Road Services Division of the King County Department of Transportation
• Arun Jhaveri—Former Regional Technology Manager with the Federal Energy Management Program and former Mayor of Burien
• Lucy Krakowiak—Burien City Council Member and a member of the King County Library Board of Trustees
• Joe McDermott—State Senator from the 34th District
• Shawn McEvoy—Mayor of Normandy Park
• Sharon Nelson—State Representative from the 34th District,
• Vlad Oustimovitch—A partner at VoKa Incorporated, and a former Development Program Manager for the Seattle Housing Authority
• Kathleen Quong-Vermeire–Commissioner, Highline Water District, former Mayor of Normandy Park

The advisory committee will interview all of the applicants and send to the County Council for its consideration three to six candidates who meet the qualifications.

The committee will then use the following criteria to evaluate candidates, including:

• Knowledge of the functions of King County government;
• Knowledge of the issues and challenges facing King County government;
• Knowledge of the issues affecting the constituents of Council District 8;
• A demonstrated ability to develop a responsible budget;
• A demonstrated ability to respond to public concerns; and
• Demonstrated leadership skills.

Council Chair Bob Ferguson and Councilmember Reagan Dunn, chair of the Committee of the Whole, said the Council is ready to act quickly on filling the vacancy

“The Council is acting quickly to ensure representation for the nearly 200,000 residents of District 8,” said Ferguson. “Timely appointment will also allow the new councilmember to transition into the position, hire staff and hit the ground running in the new year.

“The process is in place to quickly review the applications we’ve received,” said Dunn. “With input from the advisory committee, I expect the Council to make the appointment before the end of the year.”

The panel’s recommendations will include at least one candidate who intends to run for election as Councilmember in 2010, and one who does not. Drago, Howell, Jhaveri, Nelson and Quong-Vermeire have stated they will not run for election. Jacobovitch, Krakowiak, McDermott, McEvoy and Oustimovitch said they would run for the position. Hudgins has not made a final decision.

The King County Council has final authority for making the appointment. The interview of the finalists will be done in the Council’s Committee of the Whole. Dunn said the Committee will interview the finalists on Monday, Dec. 7th.

The Council is expected to take action by Monday, Dec. 14th, the last Council meeting of 2009.

Burien Mayor Joan McGilton, and Normandy Park Councilmember Doug Osterman were named Monday (Nov. 16th) to a 12-person panel that will recommend candidates to be considered for Dow Constantine’s seat that he’ll vacate when he takes over as King County Executive.

Constantine’s new gig starts next week, and it’s expected that the replacement will be chosen by the Council on Dec. 14th.

“The Council is acting quickly to ensure representation for the nearly 200,000 residents of District 8,” said Council Vice Chair Bob Ferguson, prime sponsor of the ordinance. “Timely appointment will also allow the new councilmember to transition into the position, hire staff and hit the ground running in the new year.”

The motion adopted today names a 12-member advisory committee of community leaders and elected officials who live or work in Council District 8, and who represent the geographic, economic, and ethnic diversity of the district.

Under the legislation, applicants for the impending Council vacancy must submit application materials to the Clerk of the Council by 4:00 p.m., November 23, including a resume, a brief written explanation of how they meet the criteria for appointment, and a statement of whether they intend to run for election as the Councilmember for District 8 in November 2010.

The advisory committee will meet no later than December 3 to interview qualified applicants and recommend three to six candidates for consideration by the County Council. The committee’s recommendations will include at least one candidate who intends to run for election as Councilmember in 2010, and one who does not.

The King County Council has final authority for making the appointment, and under the legislation will take action by December 14. The appointee would serve in office until certification of the next general election in November 2010.

“I am pleased with the composition of the advisory board,” said Councilmember Larry Gossett. “I am confident they will forward the County Council a qualified pool of applicants for the next representative of District 8.”

Along with Mayor McGilton and Councilmember Osterman, others named to the advisory committee include:

• Co-Chair Anne Levinson, co-owner of the Seattle Storm, former Seattle Municipal Court Judge, former chair of the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission
• Co-Chair Mark Okazaki, Executive Director of Neighborhood House, a human service agency with facilities in High Point and Greenbridge
• Aileen Balahadia, Executive Director of the White Center Community Development Association
• Steve Daschle, Executive Director of Southwest Youth and Family Services (and brother of former Sen. Tom Daschle)
• Tom Dean, Executive Director of the Vashon/Maury Island Land Trust
• David Johnson, CEO of NAVOS, a mental health care facility that provides housing
• Patti Mullen, West Seattle business owner
• Behnaz Nelson, co-chair of the King County Coalition of Unions
• Kathy Nyland, chair of the Georgetown Merchants Association and chair of the City Neighborhood Association
• Chris Porter, business owner and a nurse practitioner who is active on park and recreation issues

“I have a lot of confidence in this stellar group of citizens, led by co-chairs Anne Levinson and Mark Okazaki who have made so many outstanding contributions to our community,” said Councilmember Larry Phillips. “They will no doubt conduct a careful vetting process and offer thoughtful recommendations about the next representative for Council District 8.”

“I support the appointment process and its expedited timeline,” said Councilmember Julia Patterson. “The longer we wait to appoint a replacement, the longer the nearly 200,000 residents in District 8 are without a representative and advocate on the King County Council.”

Under the legislation the advisory committee would use the following criteria to evaluate candidates, including:

• Knowledge of the functions of King County government
• Knowledge of the issues and challenges facing King County government
• Knowledge of the issues affecting the constituents of Council District 8
• A demonstrated ability to develop a responsible budget
• A demonstrated ability to respond to public concerns
• Demonstrated leadership skills

The process is similar to that adopted earlier this year to fill vacancies in the offices of County Executive and County Assessor. Previously, the political party of the Council member vacating the office would submit nominees for an appointed successor, but voters last year amended the King County Charter to make most countywide offices non-partisan, including Council district seats.

Council District 8 encompasses Burien, Normandy Park, West Seattle, North Highline, Vashon/Maury Islands, SoDo, the International District/Chinatown, Pioneer Square, East Beacon Hill, and portions of the cities of SeaTac and Tukwila.

And yes, YOU too can apply to this position if you qualify – application materials can be sent by mail or electronically.

The mailing address is:

Clerk of the Council
516 Third Avenue, Room W-1039
Seattle, WA, 98104

E-mail applications can be sent to the Clerk at anne.noris@kingcounty.gov. Her phone number is 206-296-0364.

Goodspaceguy, are you reading this?

by Ralph Nichols

The effective date for annexation is now all but official. At their next meeting on Nov. 23, Burien council members are expected to approve March 2 as the day that some 14,100 residents of the North Highline unincorporated area become residents of the city.

With the annexation of the southern part of North Highline, Burien will become the 21st largest city in Washington – just above Olympia – with a population of about 45,000. Currently the city ranks 31st in the state.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin recommended to the council members on Monday (Nov. 9) that March 2 be set as the effective date, the timing of which will allow the city to get the maximum amount of road tax revenue from King County.

“It’s finally before you,” Martin told the city council. “We’ve been waiting for this moment until the outcome of (Initiative) 1033 was known.

I-1033, which was soundly defeated in the Nov. 3 general election, would have established a baseline for spending by all levels of government in Washington and restricted how much new revenue they could spend each year.

Both Martin and council members had suggested that if I-1033 were to pass, its impact could delay the annexation process by Burien.

There was no detailed discussion of the annexation process at Monday’s meeting. However, some lawmakers did have questions about its impact on the city’s 2010 budget during a public hearing and review of adjustments to the city’s biennial budget and yearly property tax levy.

Almost 59 percent of North Highline voters approved annexation to Burien in the Aug. 18 primary election.

“The North Highline (Unincorporated Area) Council represents the people of North Highline and we are very happy to see annexation take place,” said Greg Duff, president of the council. “This is something that the people of North Highline have been hoping for for a long time.”

The annexation area extends north from South/Southwest 128th Street to a line that zigzags west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila. Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien.

Left in the remaining unincorporated area between the new Burien city limits and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.

Emphasizing the fact that he was speaking for himself only, and not for the council, Duff added, “Personally, I hope to see the rest of the area annexed eventually into Burien.”

Burien’s proposed vehicle license fee went down to a resounding defeat (75% voted no) NOT because voters don’t think sidewalks and bike routes are good things.

It went down because it was wrong-headed.

Regardless of the resounding defeat, the city council still has the power to impose a $20 annual license fee without voter approval. Will the council defy the voters to impose this fee anyway?

And don’t forget, any neighborhood in need of improvements can form a Local Improvement District (LID) to assess itself for street improvements (the city will help with that). Broad improvements are obviously a responsibility of the larger community (check your City Light bill for the costs of undergrounding utilities in the First Avenue improvement area).

I believe the residents, voters and taxpayers (not always the same people) of Burien want a shiny, people friendly community. I believe Burien voters and taxpayers (often the same people) are not selfish, stingy, or mean-spirited. I believe the taxpayers (including those most able to pay) of Burien appreciate their obligation to the greater good of the community. We are not all about ourselves.

Later this year, the city council may be talking about a possible general property tax increase in 2010. Perhaps it was thoughtless to schedule that discussion with a revenue increase lurking on the current ballot. Having lost the current measure, the council should take some time to reconnect with the community. With 3 of 4 council seats uncontested in this election, there is a disconnect.

I am confident the people of Burien are supportive of maintaining quality public services; provided the council is clear about the need, has implemented noticeable and substantive cost-reduction and efficiency strategies, and sticks to the basics like the rest of us.

Everyone who lives in Burien is our neighbor and we are our brother’s keeper. We should all pitch in to make sure we have the community we want. Please get out and sweep the streets to keep the drains clear. Thank you.

- Stephen Lamphear

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review (for libel, etc.), we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]

Lots of interesting news this last week in the Burien area, from Day of the Dead to Election Day to the Day of a Massive Police Response in Tukwila and more.

Here are the stories we covered between Nov. 1 and Nov. 8, 2009:

by Ralph Nichols

Jack Block Jr. declared victory late Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 4th) in his race for election to the Burien City Council.

Block, who served on the City Council from 2003 to 2007 and then made an unsuccessful bid for election to the Port of Seattle Commission, challenged first-term incumbent Councilwoman Sue Blazak for her Position 1 seat.

After Wednesday’s update was posted by King County Elections (with Block at 55% and Blazak at 45%), she said of her chances to overcome his lead of almost 10 percent, “It doesn’t look good.”

Blazak, who has served as deputy mayor for the past two years, indicated that she would call Block later in the day to congratulate him.

“I want to thank the voters of Burien for their confidence in me, and I will work hard to fulfill their expectations,” Block said.

With Wednesday’s update, Block now has 2,413 votes (54.61%). Blazak has 1,981 votes (44.83%). There was virtually no change in the gap between them from Tuesday’s initial vote.

Mayor Joan McGilton and Councilwoman Rose Clark, along with Brian Bennett, who will replace retiring long-time Councilwoman Sally Nelson, were not opposed in their election bids.

Soundly defeated was Proposition 1 on Burien’s ballot to create Transportation Benefit District No. 1, which would have funded sidewalks, curbs, bike paths and trails with a $25 motor vehicle license tab fee.

With Tuesday’s update, the transportation district proposal was going down to defeat by a 76.23 percent margin (3,647 votes) to 23.77 percent (1,137 votes).

Blazak was also a leading advocate for the transportation district.

Block said he “worked hard on the campaign and that’s reflective of what I’ll do in office.”

The city, he continued, needs “to refocus energy on being more active. We need to re-energize our community. There is a growing apathy and we need to engage our citizens to become more involved.”

As an example, Block noted that only one City Council race in Burien was contested this year, adding that more citizens need to run for office and work on city programs.

“Without that, we won’t grow and prosper as a community,” he said.

Block also wants the city to do more to “involve all of our citizens” in the community. The Nov. 1 “Day of the Dead celebration shows what can be done” to get various ethnic groups involved. “We need to do more of this.”

On the question of annexation, he said the city “botched the job” when it failed to take advantage of “an excellent bargaining position” to get funding from King County for capital projects in North Highline as part of the process.

Block said he will insist on this if there is any move by Burien to annex the rest of the North Highline unincorporated area.

Blazak attributed her loss to the fact that “he sent out three mailers and I sent out one. And he had a lot more yard signs out there.” [EDITOR'S NOTE: Jack Block Jr. also advertised on The B-Town Blog; Blazak did not.]

The proposition for a transportation district was defeated because “we didn’t inform the public well enough,” she added. I think it’s a great idea … when I talked to people they were usually pretty supportive. I hope we try again.”

UPDATE WED. 11/4/ 5pm: The second round of election returns has been released by King County Elections, and with between 28-30% of the votes counted, Dow Constantine still leads with 58%, Jack Block Jr. with 55% and 76% voting NO against Burien’s Transportation Benefit District (sidewalks & bike paths) proposal.

Also, Initiative 1033 is still failing with 67% voting “No,” and R-71 is still passing with 67% “Yes.”

Here are the updated results culled from the King County Elections website as of 4:19pm Wed., 11/4/09:

KING COUNTY EXECUTIVE:

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 308,650 / 1,079,842 • 28.58%

• Susan Hutchison: 125,607 • 42.26%
• Dow Constantine: 171,006 • 57.53%
• Write-in: 621 • 0.21%

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 308,650 / 1079842 • 28.58%

Initiative Measure No. 1033:

• YES: 92,654 • 33.28%
• NO: 185,721 • 66.72%

Referendum Measure No. 71:

• APPROVED: 202,125 • 66.59%
• REJECTED: 101,403 • 33.41%

CITY OF BURIEN:

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 5,006 / 16,617 • 30.13%

Council Position No. 1:

• Sue Blazak: 1,981 • 44.83%
• Jack Block, Jr.: 2,413 • 54.61%
• Write-in: 25 • 0.57%

Council Position No. 3:

• Joan McGilton: 3,214 • 97.01%
• Write-in: 99 • 2.99%

Council Position No. 5:

• Rose Clark: 3,212 • 96.69%
• Write-in: 110 • 3.31%

Council Position No. 7:

• Brian Bennett: 3,363 • 98.22%
• Write-in: 61 • 1.78%

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 5,006 / 16,617 • 30.13%

Transportation Benefit District No. 1 Proposition No. 1:

• YES: 958 • 23.50%
• NO: 3,118 • 76.50%

CITY OF NORMANDY PARK:

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 1,553 / 4,676 • 33.21%

Council Position No. 2:

• Clarke Brant: 1,025 • 97.99%
• Write-in: 21 • 2.01%

Council Position No. 4:

• John L. Rankin: 972 • 96.05%
• Write-in: 40 • 3.95%

Council Position No. 6 short and full term:

• Marion Yoshino: 995 • 98.03%
• Write-in: 20 • 1.97%

Proposition No. 1:

• YES: 680 • 47.16%
• NO: 762 • 52.84%

HIGHLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 401:

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 13,664 / 57,961 • 23.57%

Director District No. 2:

• Angelica M. Alvarez: 10,372 • 98.47%
• Write-in: 161 • 1.53%

Director District No. 3:

• Susan Goding: 10319 • 98.53%
• Write-in: 154 • 1.47%

KING COUNTY

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 254261 / 1079842 23.55%

Sheriff:

• Sue Rahr: 220,802 • 97.96%
• Write-in: 4,597 • 2.04%

Assessor unexpired 2-year term

• Graham Albertini: 52,192 • 20.91%
• Gene Lux: 12,175 • 4.88%
• Lloyd Hara: 82,864 • 33.20%
• Bob Rosenberger: 72,525 • 29.06%
• Bob Blanchard: 29,041 • 11.63%
• Write-in: 806 • 0.32%

If you haven’t yet mailed your ballot in, since today (Tuesday, Nov. 3rd) is election day, King County has drop boxes throughout the county that provide voters with a way to securely return ballots without the cost of postage.

These drop boxes are open 24 hours a day, and will close at 8pm tonight (Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3rd).

Of course, you can also just make sure your ballot is postmarked Nov. 3rd by going to the post office before it closes, but that’ll cost you 42 cents; plus, ya never know if your ballot will be lost…

Here’s more info on the ballot drop boxes from King County Elections:

How do I use a ballot drop box?
Carefully follow the instructions on the ballot envelope. Place the ballot in the security envelope, seal all envelopes, sign the outer envelope, and deposit your ballot packet into the box.

How do I know my ballot is secure?
Ballots are collected regularly from each drop box by King County Elections. Two official elections workers will use a chain of custody process to transport all ballots.

Ballot packets are delivered to the Elections facility where they are processed with other returned mail ballots. The signature on every ballot is checked against the voter’s registration file and if it matches, the ballot moves forward.

Here’s the list of nearby drop-off boxes (more are listed at the King County Elections website):

• White Center Library: 11220 16th S.W., Seattle, 98146
• Tukwila, King County Elections Headquarters: 9010 East Marginal Way S, 98108
• Des Moines Library: 21620 11th Avenue S., 98198
• Federal Way Library: 848 S 320th St, 98003
• Delridge: 5405 Delridge Way SW, 98106

If you’ve mailed your ballot in and want to check on its progress, you can do so online by clicking here and following instructions.

[Original Artwork by Danielle Burton.]

Please welcome the latest addition to The B-Town Blog – our newest intern, Bryan Charles, of Big Picture High School!

Bryan is a budding artist, and has a passion for comics, cartoons and even creating his own Flash animations.

We’re very happy to have him on board, so be sure to look for more of his work soon.

In the meantime, here’s his debut comic “3 Frog Bros.,“, perfect for this Election Day:

This is our second year serving as mentors to a student from Big Picture High School, part of the Highline School District, and described as such on their website:

At Big Picture, we believe we are doing our best work when each student is an active participant in his or her education, when his or her course of study is personalized by teachers, parents and mentors who know him or her well, and when school-based learning is blended with outside experiences that heighten the student’s interest.

By these means we help students take responsibility for their own learning and prepare for success in college and beyond.

To The Editor of the B-town Blog:

On October 29, 2009; The Seattle Times ran a story on the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1 that is currently on the November ballot. When the reporter asked why a vehicle tax was being used, the mayor of Burien (McGilton) said that “A property tax wasn’t considered out of respect for Burien’s relatively conservative voters, less affluent than in levy happy Seattle”. However, eight days prior to that story, McGilton and the city had done the opposite and sent a news release to the local newspapers and the B-town Blog announcing a Public Hearing on Nov. 9th to solicit public comments on a proposed, increased property tax (of up to 1%) for Burien. Before voting on Tuesday, November 3rd, every citizen in Burien should question what the heck is really going on.

When I attended the July City of Burien Council Meeting/Public Hearing on the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1 (for sidewalks and bike paths), I didn’t plan on writing the statement against the $25 Burien Vehicle Tax/Proposition 1. However when no information was presented to the public about: the project costs, the amount to be collected from this tax, what other grants/sources could help with the projects, how much these project streets were actually used, I was frustrated. There were no sketches/diagrams of what the finished work might look like. The City quoted statistics from a 2008 Burien Citizen Survey that were inaccurate.

Citizens asked questions. The City didn’t answer. After the Public Hearing, the Council immediately voted to put the Vehicle Tax on the November ballot. In depressed economic times, the City was asking citizens to rubber stamp a new tax.

The City stated at the Hearing the tax will last two years. That is not true. Under the rules for Transportation Benefit Districts, the tax remains in place until the project is completed and paid for. The City does not have the authority to promise otherwise.

The City had not surveyed the use patterns of the project areas. Both 8th Ave and South 136th have light use by both pedestrians and bikes. Only 13% of the respondents to the 2008 Burien Citizen Survey who live in these areas thought there was a need to improve sidewalks and bike paths.

Some of the endorsers/supporters of the tax can’t answer basic questions about the tax. Many of the endorsers do not live in Burien and will not be paying the tax. The campaign signs are being funded by a legislator from Vashon Island and her aide. In the Seattle Times article, McGilton referred to this vehicle tax as a “good test case”. So, what’s up?

Joe Fitzgibbons suggested on the Transportation Choices Coalition website that this is a trial balloon to see if Burien can get residents to vote for this type of a tax. Other cities in the state are watching to see if they can use the same strategy to get new taxes from their residents. I’m not happy to be part of this trial balloon experiment. What am I being tested for? Is it to see if the City of Burien can get a $25 Vehicle Tax and then impose a property tax increase as well on its citizens?

Burien is one of the highest taxed cities in King County. I strongly urge the citizens of Burien to vote “NO” against Proposition 1/$25 Burien Vehicle Tax or other new taxes until Burien improves how it presents the need for new taxes to its citizens.

- Chestine Edgar

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us your "Letter to the Editor" by clicking here. Be sure to include your real name and a way to contact you, and, pending our review (for libel, etc.), we'll most likely post it. Otherwise, feel free to leave a Comment below...]

With the deadline to mail ballots for the Nov. 3rd general election just days away, we here at The B-Town Blog have created our own online forum which consists of answers to five relevant questions we asked each candidate for the Burien City Council.

Here are the answers from candidates for Position #1 – Sue Blazak and Jack Block, Jr.

Please note that we have made no alterations to their text, so the words used are purely theirs, including any typos or other errors.

Each candidate is identified by their names and headshots, then initials:

1.  What is the primary objective you hope to accomplish for Burien if you are elected to the council?  What qualifies you to lead this effort?

SUE BLAZAK: I will continue to advocate for a safe and sustainable Burien that is a great place to live, work, shop, and play. I am committed to the bright future I see for this city.

It has been an honor to serve the residents of Burien for the past four years as a councilmember and Deputy Mayor. I have drawn upon citizens’ input and my community service, education, and job experience to make tough decisions for Burien.  These include maintaining a balanced budget, improving public safety, major street improvements, revitalizing downtown, a new city hall, and a re-awakening of our arts and culture.

Our city doesn’t have the size of Seattle or Bellevue, yet we’re able to effectively compete for state and federal dollars for large capital projects.  This is because I and other councilmembers serve on regional committees to make sure our needs are addressed in the four-county planning process.  It’s imperative to be at the regional tables where decisions are being made. We also partner with other jurisdictions to strengthen our position, so that when opportunities arise, we are ready to act on them.  On regional transportation committees, I have worked to keep the Transit-oriented development on track, which will provide affordable housing and retail next to our new Transit Center.  I’ve expedited funding for improvements to commuter bus service.  And I will continue to work toward the critical extension of light rail to Burien.

I have also fostered relationships with representatives from medical and educational organizations toward the goal of establishing Burien as a “Wellness” center.  In addition to achieving improved comprehensive health and wellness services, this effort is leading to an educational pipeline for residents to improve job skills that will lead to family-wage job opportunities – all right here in Burien!

JACK BLOCK, JR.: I have two primary objectives: A. Restart Burien’s rebirth and revitalization efforts. Without a strong business core the city will be unable to derive enough tax revenue to fully fund essential services. B. Expand noise insulation efforts to offset the impact of third runway operations and also receive mitigation funding to offset the social and economic impacts placing a regional facility on our doorstep creates.

I believe the best measure of future success is past success.

A partial list of accomplishments during my 2003-2007 city council term:

• Made Burien’s government more accessible by televising work sessions;
• Opened four new parks, two in low income areas;
• Restored 1/2 mile Seahurst Park shoreline;
• Secured $50,000 in pre-kindergarten preparedness
• Brought my experience and contacts as an officer in the ILWU and Teamsters to negotiations, government relations, and outreach.
• Served as transportation coordinator for Burien’s Katrina efforts, overcoming logistical challenges to deliver supplies to the San Antonio Katrina evacuation facility.

I will meet Burien’s challenges: rebuild downtown; build a multi-service center with safe pedestrian and transit access; increase noise insulation efforts; obtain Port and Federal funding offsetting the 3rd Runway’s social and economic impacts; remove zoning restrictions that have created disincentives to rebuilding our older apartment buildings, causing slum-like conditions; and shift Police services from reaction to crime prevention.

2.  Burien tax revenue is down sharply. What will you do to increase revenue for the city without negatively impacting city residents and businesses?

SB: I will increase the focus on support for a more robust business community, retaining current businesses and exploring innovative ways to attract new businesses.  Our city has successfully partnered with other south King County jurisdictions in order to provide support to small businesses in our area.  The Chamber of Commerce has played an integral part in promoting Burien’s business community.  Discover Burien is the fabric that connects our businesses and community events.  The Burien Business and Economic Development Partnership provides feedback and advises the council on economic policies.  The Parks Department and Arts Groups play key roles in providing activities that enhance the vitality of downtown.  The wonderful folks who live and work in Burien, our great location and beautiful appearance – all are huge assets in supporting a vibrant economy.   Each of these must be encouraged along with increased volunteerism, creatively increasing police presence, effective code enforcement, realistically addressing downtown parking needs, and actively engaging in public/private dialogues to find innovative solutions.  Currently, this includes re-visiting the possibility of a multi-screen cinema as an anchor for Town Square as well careful planning for development of the Northeast Area of Burien impacted by the 3rd Runway.  Excellence in education, preserving precious natural resources, and pedestrian and bike friendly streets also play key roles in attracting and supporting a vibrant economy.

JB: This is the type of issue that conventional political wisdom tells officials to run from; to dodge and scramble better than the Seahawks backfield. But because I am not a conventional politician, I get things done. Like them or not, taxes are the way city services are funded. That said, I think our whole tax structure including the way Burien obtains tax revenues and other funding should be re-examined. We need to explore ways to fund city services that are not regressive (like utility and sales taxes, which hit lower and fixed income people hardest) and don’t burden one group over another. We also need to create a tax structure that is consistent and is independent of economic forces that the city has no control over. Taxing alternatives that I would discuss with our citizens include (note: these are proposals to start a discussion): Implementing a beverage tax on all beverage sales of $ .25 cents per drink. This type of levy would generate revenue from those outside Burien (50%) who patronize our restaurants and coffee shops. The revenue on an unnecessary but nice purchase could replace the tax our citizens pay for essential heat and light (utility taxes), the regressive B&O tax that burdens our small businesses, and could still provide enough additional revenue to restore cuts to city services and increase police protection.

Another alternative that I would examine is a rental unit licensing fee of $15 per unit a month, ($.50 cents per day). At present the biggest burden of Burien’s property tax levy falls on single family homeowners. Apartment dwellers use a tremendous amount of city services, yet such rental units are assessed at, and pay, only one-fourth the property tax of a single-family home. Revenue from this source should be dedicated towards police services and an additional code enforcement officer whose duty would be to inspect rental housing units for health and safety of residents.

3.  A lot of commercial space – including in the new Town Square – is vacant.  What will you do to position the city to encourage business growth and activity, both downtown and elsewhere?

SB: Using a quote in the B-Town Blog: “We have a trickle of new businesses coming in here,” Burien Economic Development Manager Dick Loman told The B-Town Blog recently. “We’re gradually filling up our vacant (commercial) spaces, and it’s happening in the worst economic climate in decades……You’d think it would be very quiet, but it’s not,” he said. “It’s very amazing and we’re very fortunate to have this happening.”

I am working to enhance this “trickle.” These tough economic times require the city of Burien to re-evaluate how we do business.  Talking with business owners, there is much work to be done.  Areas of focus include re-evaluating our commercial and mixed use zoning, creatively planning for the Northeast Re-development Area, integrating our new annexed businesses and residents, realistically assessing our parking needs, continually improving our customer service and developing innovative partnerships such as the Wellness Cluster.

Continued updating of policies and procedures to ensure the most efficient and practical system is a wise investment in keeping a vibrant downtown.  Our staff is constantly looking at ways to improve customer service.  We are eager to work with businesses and other jurisdictions to get more done with less.  We have successfully partnered with surrounding cities on emergency preparedness, stream restoration of Miller Creek, and with King County on the Transit-oriented development.  We have a reputation as a can-do city which will help us through these tough times.

JB: Burien has too many empty storefronts; economic development efforts must be refocused. We must shift Burien’s economic development efforts to attract and retain small businesses, the lifeblood of a healthy community, by showcasing Burien’s competitive advantages: low rent and an ample, educated workforce. Filling empty storefronts helps all business prosper and also meets Burien’s sustainability goals – Burien residents shop in Burien rather than Southcenter.

We need to restore confidence in Burien’s ability to complete large projects.   Burien’s current leaders have mismanaged stalled projects such as 1st Avenue and Town Square; I will finish them. With the recession, Town Square is a special challenge.  Burien could establish a housing authority, leveraging lower interest rates and ability to attract HUD funding to complete the project and increase downtown parking. Burien could then sell completed condominiums at both market and senior rates, attracting downtown residents and boosting the business district.

4.  What kind of development would you like to see in the Northeast Redevelopment Area?

SB: I support development that is of the best and highest use for the residents of Burien.   This area has been one of Burien’s priorities since incorporation in 1993.  Currently, the City of Burien, working with the Port of Seattle, is preparing a strategy for redevelopment of the area.  The goal is to transform these acres of residential, vacant, public and small commercial land, which have been negatively impacted by the 3rd runway, to uses that are more compatible with Sea-Tac Airport operations and existing and planned surrounding land uses.  One of the goals of the strategy is to include flexible and market-responsive scenarios with policies and regulations to guide long-term development in this area.  A public workshop and stakeholder meetings were held in the fall of 2008.  Those sessions provided feedback that included a desire for public open space, retail, commercial, industrial and improved roads within the area.  At our most recent council meeting, there was also a proposal for a creative blend of residential and small businesses as a transition to more commercial and industrial uses.  Starting with this input, I will advocate for re-development that is smart, compatible, and appropriate for our city.

JB: I feel that two types of development would be ideal in the NERA area: an auto mall that allows our auto dealers to expand and prosper, while directing customers and their traffic to one area; and distribution-oriented businesses with a high ratio of employees to revenues, such as the ‘Boeing Parts Distribution Center’. A crucial component to any future NERA development is the construction of new off-ramps at the 518-Des Moines Way interchange. When I served Burien on the City Council 2003-2007, I championed this item for Burien’s 2006 legislative agenda. The city council is just now getting around, 3 years later, to making this issue a priority.

5.  Do you support taking steps to annex the rest of North Highline after the current annexation process is completed?  Why or why not?

SB: Burien has moved carefully on annexation, taking years to collect and review data as well as seek extensive public input.  I believe we have taken a manageable step in moving forward with the annexation of the southern portion of the North Highline annexation area.  Now we need to thoroughly assess the needs of our new and current residents and give ourselves time to get comfortable with this growth.  There are a number of nuts and bolts pieces, such as staffing, looking at zoning, etc. that will take time to process.  I believe that we need to work through these priorities and ensure that Burien’s public services provide effective support for the needs of our residents and businesses before considering further annexation.

JB: I am a supporter of annexation. However, I feel that the present council botched the recent North Highline annexation. Due to taxing authority differences between the county and a city, King County is currently running a nearly $8 million annual deficit serving the North Highline area. This put the city of Burien in an outstanding bargaining position that Burien failed to capitalize on. As a consequence, King County will be able to walk away from millions of dollars of capital projects that they failed to complete, leaving them for you and me to pay for.

Before the City of Burien proceeds with any future consideration of annexation, it must ensure that services are provided to Burien’s present citizens and those of the newly incorporated area first. I do not think that we should consider additional annexation for at least another 5-7 years. Future annexation must be contingent on the county providing incentives and offset funding.

Story by Ralph Nichols
Photos by Scott Schaefer

Police chiefs from King and Snohomish counties voiced their concerns at a press conference in Burien Wednesday morning (Oct. 21) about potential impacts of Initiative 1033 on public safety – especially in smaller cities.

But they stopped short of opposing the revenue-limiting ballot measure. Public officials are prohibited by state law from campaigning for or against ballot proposals as well as candidates.

Instead, said Scott Kimerer, Burien police chief and chairman of the King County Police Chiefs Association, “People have a right to make their own decisions on how to vote. But they need to be informed….

“We are encouraging citizens to ask their city governments what effect I-1033 would have on their ability to provide services if it is successful.”

Kimerer and Des Moines Police Chief Roger Baker represented Highline cities at the press conference.

I-1033 would limit future growth in the revenue cities, counties and the state could take in, based on annual growth in inflation and population. Revenues above the limit would be used to reduce property taxes.

“Already reeling from tough economic times that have seen 15 to 20 percent reductions in revenues, the financial analysis indicates that police services, many of which have already experienced budget cuts this year, could be further restricted to the point of struggling to meet the needs of their citizens’ public safety concerns,” Kimerer said.

“Police budgets generally represent half or more of cities’ general fund expenditures,” he added. And there has been “a 30 percent drop in cities’ anticipated enrollment of new hires in the (state) police academy” in Burien.

The impact of I-1033, if approved in the November election, Kimerer said in response to a question, also could delay North Highline annexation by Burien, which now is expected to take place in late March. Residents of the southern part of the unincorporated area voted 56 percent to 44 percent in August to become part of the city.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin, who attended the press conference, concurred with Kimerer’s assessment.

“If people want less government, they will get less government,” Martin said. “There will be fewer departments and less people (police officers) on the street.”

Kimmerer said “the easily discernable impacts of I-1033 can be found by examining the general funds and budgets of the 82 percent of suburban cities in King County having a population of fewer than 50,000. These cities function with a small margin to provide all the needed services and are very transparent in their budget process and revenues.”

Statewide, 94 percent of all cities have populations less than 50,000.

Marysville Police Chief Rick Smith, chairman of the Snohomish County Police Chiefs and Sheriffs Association, said his department experienced sharp cuts due to the recession this year. Further cuts, should I-1033 pass, “could impair our ability to provide services to our city….

“The whole criminal justice system (including prosecutors, courts and jails) would be impacted, maybe significantly,” Smith said. “We just don’t know. The bottom line is for citizens to ask officials what impact 1033 would have on their city.”

Any cuts in the budgets of local law enforcement agencies “minimizes our response,” he added.

One problem with I-1033, said one police chief who spoke on condition of anonymity, is that it “targets state government, large counties and large cities” without taking into account the different circumstances of smaller cities and counties.

RELATED STORY:

• LETTER TO THE EDITOR: King County Police Chief’s Association On I-1033

In Normandy Park, Proposition #1 is aimed at creating a Metropolitan Park District, and, if passed, would take parks “off the chopping block” from closures and budget cuts, and create a revenue to continue funding the city’s parks.

Although if passed, NP’s Prop. #1 will support the funding of it, is not to be confused with neighboring Des Moines’ version, which deals with the potential closure of the Mt. Rainier Swimming Pool.

Proponents of the Proposition are holding a rally on Sunday, Nov. 1st, and here are the details:

WHAT: Normandy Park Prop. #1 “Save Our Parks” Rally

WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 1st, beginning at Noon

WHERE: Marvista Park

INFO: From their website:

“In response to revenue shortfalls for the year 2009, which have reduced available funds for Parks & Recreation spending, the Normandy Park City Council has adopted Resolution 817, placing Proposition 1 on the November 3, 2009 ballot. Proposition 1 asks voters to decide if a Metropolitan Park District should be formed for the purpose of operating and managing parks, natural areas aquatics and recreation programs.

In 2010, the City will face a $400,000 deficit, unless new revenue sources are identified. Cuts to be considered will reduce the level of services provided in public safety, parks and recreation, and maintenance of streets, storm drainage and public facilities.

Metropolitan Park District
Proposition 1 would create a Metropolitan Park District, which would have boundaries coterminous with the boundaries of Normandy Park. The Park District would be governed by the City Council serving as the Ex-officio Board of Directors. The Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District would have authority to levy property taxes to enhance and maintain the Normandy Park Parks and Open Space System as well as provide aquatics, cultural and recreation programs.”

Here’s a flier from supporter’s website:

Here’s the language from the Voter’s Pamphlet:

City of Normandy Park
Simple Majority (RCW 35.61.040)

Proposition No. 1
Metropolitan Park District

The Normandy Park City Council passed Resolution No. 817 in order to allow voters to decide whether to create a Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District with boundaries coterminous with the boundaries of the City as now or hereafter established and to be governed by the Normandy Park City Council as the ex officio board of commissioners to support parks, aquatics, and recreation programs. Shall the Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District be so created and governed?

FOR THE FORMATION OF A METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT TO BE GOVERNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF NORMANDY PARK AS THE EX OFFICIO BOARD OF THE METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS

AGAINST THE FORMATION OF A METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

If approved by the voters, this proposition would create a metropolitan park district to manage, control, improve, maintain, and acquire parks, parkways, boulevards, and recreational facilities, and to provide recreation programs. All property in the City of Normandy Park would be in the metropolitan park district.

The City of Normandy Park currently owns five destination parks, one neighborhood park, one low-intensity nature preserve, and twelve mini-parks. Most City parkland consists of passive parks and open space, but approximately eighteen acres are developed for active recreation. The City also owns and operates a recreation center and provides recreational programs. All expenses for these facilities and activities are currently paid from the general tax revenues of the City. In recent budget years, rising costs of providing other City services has limited the City’s ability to adequately fund parks and recreation.

If this proposition passes, acquiring, improving, maintaining and operating parks and park and recreation programs would become the responsibility of the separate metropolitan parks district. The Normandy Park City Council would act as the metropolitan park district’s board of commissioners but the district would acquire, improve, maintain and operate its facilities and programs separately from the City. To pay the cost of doing so, the metropolitan park district would have the authority to levy a general property tax of up to 75 cents for each one thousand dollars of assessed valuation. All revenues generated by this tax would be used to acquire, improve, maintain and operate parks and park and recreation programs.

Statement For Normandy Park residents live in a distinctly unique community intertwined with wonderful parks and green spaces that enhance our quality of life. The current economic climate presents our City with an approximate $400,000 budget shortfall. Our City’s situation is similar to many other municipalities. We must make tough choices by reducing services, including maintaining parks facilities and infrastructure. Approval of Proposition 1 will allow us to keep our parks open as well as improve, maintain and expand our City’s park system, NOW! • Improve hiking/walking trails throughout the City, remove invasive ivy, and enhance salmon and wild life habitat. • Increase capacity and improve safety for existing play fields, outdoor sport courts, maintenance and operation of existing recreation facilities. • Support continued community and arts events, youth, adult and senior recreational programs. • Maintenance and operations of and improvements to the Mt Rainier Pool. If approved, the estimated cost to a homeowner of a property with an assessed value of $500,000 about $225 per year, or 45 cents per $1,000 of assessed value. The Park District levy would be subject to the 1% cap for any future increases. Please support Proposition 1. Keep the “Park” in Normandy Park! Rebuttal of Statement Against Proposition #1 is providing residents with fiscally responsible choices: PROTECT EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE, PAST INVESTMENTS, PROPERTY VALUES • Keep Open Mount Rainier Pool, ball fields • Fix and Complete existing or approved infrastructure improvements: Marvista, City Hall, Brittany, Nist Parks, Walker Preserve • Take Care of existing, but degraded parks, forests, streams, beaches, green spaces • Finish trails for seamless walking/running/biking. Please invest in our children’s neighborhood! Dedicate funds to keep the “Park” in Normandy Park!!! STATEMENT PREPARED BY: Linda Peterson Hughes, Walter Hunt, Earnest Thompson

Statement Against The new Parks District isn’t about parks, it’s about revenue. It’s about creating another taxing district “pocket” for the City, with the revenue being controlled by the same elected officials and administration, and for the same purposes. It’s really all about creating a larger tax base for city government. Unfortunately, that’s not the whole story. The current administration wants more city staff and facilities. A new city hall, a new rec center, a new maintenance facility and commensurate additional staff have all been under discussion at the city, and all can be at least partially funded by this new Parks District levy. Complicating this is the apparent inability of our administration to appreciate the dangerous state of the economy, with plummeting revenues and skyrocketing personnel cost, and a state and county government which will be continually pushing large portions of their deepening budget shortfalls down onto us, making our financial situation even more precarious. This is a time for fiscal restraint, not expansion. A “Yes” vote without an individual commitment from the voter to vigilantly work to restrain city spending will result in much higher taxes and an unmanageable deficit in our immediate future. Tread carefully. Rebuttal Of Statement For No rebuttal submitted. STATEMENT PREPARED BY: John Rankin

Complete Text of Resolution

CITY OF NORMANDY PARK RESOLUTION NO. 817

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF NORMANDY PARK, WASHINGTON, PROVIDING FOR THE SUBMISSION OF A PROPOSITION TO THE QUALIFIED VOTERS OF THE CITY OF NORMANDY PARK AT THE NOVEMBER 3, 2009 GENERAL ELECTION, FOR THEIR APPROVAL OR REJECTION, PROVIDING FOR AUTHORITY TO CREATE A METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 35.61 RCW TO BE GOVERNED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMANDY PARK SERVING AS THE EX OFFICIO BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF SAID METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT; AND PROVIDING FOR OTHER MATTERS PROPERLY RELATED THERETO.

WHEREAS, the city of Normandy Park is an Optional Municipal Code City, located in King County, Washington, duly organized and existing pursuant to the laws of the state of Washington; and,

WHEREAS, Chapter 35.61 RCW authorizes a city to create a metropolitan park district wholly within its boundaries; and

WHEREAS, the City’s General Fund is facing a shortfall in excess of $0.40 million for calendar year 2010; and

WHEREAS, across-the-board reductions in expenditures paid from the General Fund could require a 15% or larger cut in individual departments or services; and

WHEREAS, Parks and Recreation services and programs are substantially funded by the General Fund. Additional funding is received in the form of gifts and user charges; and

WHEREAS, the City Council has taken steps to increase user fees and charges for Parks and Recreation facilities; and

WHEREAS, the City’s General Fund cannot support ongoing operation, maintenance and repair required for Mt. Rainier Pool; and

WHEREAS, in order to minimize the impact of cuts in services to people using Normandy Park Parks and Recreation facilities and services the City Council has directed City staff to prepare a proposition to be placed on the November 2009 ballot authorizing the creation of a metropolitan park district pursuant to Chapter 35.61 RCW; and

WHEREAS, a metropolitan park district has additional and independent authority to tax property to raise funds restricted to parks and recreation purposes provided for in Chapter 35.61 RCW; and

WHEREAS, Normandy Park Parks and Recreation are an essential element to the livability, public health, safety and welfare of Normandy Park residents; and,

WHEREAS, the City of Normandy Park does not have available sufficient moneys to sustain and maintain the facilities and services of Parks and Recreation departments of the City; and,

WHEREAS, in order to provide and maintain the Parks and Recreation facilities and services an additional source of funding is necessary; and,

WHEREAS, it is necessary that the funds needed for such expenditure be raised by an additional regular taxes levied in accordance with the law.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMANDY PARK, WASHINGTON DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:

Section 1. Election. Pursuant to RCW 35.61.020, the Normandy Park City Council hereby calls for submission of a proposition to the qualified electors of the City asking whether the Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District shall be created. The Director of the King County Records, Elections and Licensing Services Division, as ex officio supervisor of elections in King County, is hereby requested to call the election in the City of Normandy Park on November 3, 2009 in conjunction with the general election to be held on that date.

Section 2. Ballot Proposition. The proposition to be submitted to the electorate of the City of Normandy Park shall read substantially as follows:

CITY OF NORMANDY PARK

PROPOSITION NO. 1

METROPOLITAN PARK DISTRICT

The Normandy Park City Council passed Resolution No. 817 in order to allow voters to decide whether to create a Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District with boundaries coterminous with the boundaries of the City as now or hereafter established and to be governed by the Normandy Park City Council as the ex officio board of commissioners to support parks, aquatics, and recreation programs. Shall the Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District be so created and governed?

[ ] For the formation of a metropolitan park district to be governed by the City Council of Normandy Park as the ex officio Board of the metropolitan park district commissioners.

[ ] Against the formation of a metropolitan park district.

Section 3. Boundaries of the Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District. The boundaries of the Normandy Park Metropolitan Park District shall encompass the City of Normandy Park, as fully described in Attachment A, attached hereto and incorporated by reference.

Section 4. Effective Date. This Resolution shall be in full force and take effect immediately.

PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMANDY PARK, WASHINGTON, THIS 14^th DAY OF JULY, 2009; AND SIGNED IN AUTHENTICATION OF ITS PASSAGE THIS 14 ^th DAY OF JULY, 2009.

by Ralph Nichols

Burien City Manager Mike Martin is concerned – very concerned – about the likelihood that Initiative 1033 will pass in November’s general election. So much, in fact, that he’s exploring the possibility of a local referendum that could exempt Burien from the requirements of this tax-limitation ballot measure should it win approval statewide.

“If I-1033 passes, it will stop the city cold in its tracks,” Martin told The B-Town Blog. “The progress we’ve been making will just plod along if we no longer have the tools to build on what we’ve done so far. They’ll go away and that’s a fact.”

According to the ballot measure summary, I-1033 “would limit growth in state revenues … and limit growth in county and city revenues. The limit would be adjusted based on annual growth in inflation and population…. The limit would exclude voter-approved revenue increases. Revenues above the limit would reduce property tax levies.”

Burien City Council members voted 3-1 on Oct. 5 to oppose I-1033, with three opponents of the initiative absent.

Earlier, city Finance Director Tabatha Miller told them that restrictions imposed by I-1033 would be “problematic for Burien” because “it does not take into account commercial growth like that envisioned in the Northeast Development Area…. In essence, any commercial growth in the NERA or elsewhere which increased the City’s revenues could not be used to provide the supporting city services, but instead would decrease the next year’s property taxes.”

“If people want smaller government, we can give them that,” Martin said. “But that will have consequences in the way we serve our residents…. It’s safe to say that we would slow down or stop major projects in the works” – including new development in the Northeast Redevelopment Area, street and sidewalk work, and discretionary programs from parks to senior services.

“There’s a real potential for closing the city down for all or part of one day a week,” he added. “That is not being punitive, it is being responsive” if the ballot measure passes.

To sidestep these impacts of I-1033, Martin is considering proposing to the council “a referendum that would allow the city to opt out” of its requirements.

While this proposition allows voters to approve property tax levy lid lifts locally, Martin noted it also could impact grants and other sources of funding not covered by a levy lid lift.

That, he explained, is why he’s exploring the possibility of a referendum – despite the fact he isn’t sure whether a city legally can exempt itself from a voter-passed law. Currently he’s investigating the legality of such a move.

“If it’s possible for the city to opt out, I will propose to council that they place such a referendum on the February (special election) ballot.”

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We're now publishing "Letters to the Editor," and encourage all Readers to email us their opinions or thoughts (another option of course is to Comment below each story). Below is a letter from longtime Burien-area resident and former city councilmember Stephen Lamphear:]

Dear Editor –

The city of Burien is proposing a new $25 yearly vehicle license fee. Looking at your Voters Pamphlet, you won’t find this proposal connected to the city of Burien. In fact, you have to thumb all the way to page 100 — end of the Voters Pamphlet — to find it. You will not find the word Burien anywhere in the ballot title. Instead, you will find Transportation Benefit District No.1, Proposition No.1 — yet this is strictly a city revenue proposal. A stealth move if ever I saw one.

For two reasons I cannot support this measure.

First of all, the $25 license fee is a regressive tax that, like utility taxes, hits our working families and lower income people the hardest. Since this is a “fee” — not an excise tax — it is not even deductible on federal income taxes.

If these bicycle and sidewalk improvements are necessary at a time of broad personal economic hardship, there are fairer ways to raise the money. The most obvious, fairer way to raise public money is a voter-approved special property tax levy. At least property taxes are deductible on federal income taxes and more directly affect people of means — also, it calls a duck a duck.

Secondly, having the Transit Benefit District boardmembers the same as the city council is merely “left pocket, right pocket”. I might support a TBD if we were also electing independent commissioners, as is being done for the proposed Des Moines Pool District. I’d rather have independent input on special projects and taxes. However, the interlocking board of directors/councilmembers makes this little more than a work-around for the city council to raise taxes without their name on the price tag: “The council didn’t raise taxes, the TBD did it.”

While, I can afford the $25 for this ill-conceived proposal to improve the community, the working family down the street with 4 cars (everyone works) will have to pony up $100 — money they can ill-afford and not deduct on income taxes. Businesses will also pay this fee and pass it on in higher prices.

Yes, we totally need safe streets: safe for children to walk to school, safe for bicycles. This is not the way to do it. Vote NO on Transportation Benefit District No.1, Proposition No.1. When doing the right thing, you also have to do the thing right.

Stephen Lamphear
North Shorewood

(Stephen Lamphear is a longtime Burien resident, former City Councilmember and frequent Contributor to The B-Town Blog. Read more of his writing here.)

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Have something you'd like to say? Then email us a Letter to the Editor by clicking here, and pending our review (for libel, etc.), we'll most likely post it.]

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a Guest Editorial by Joe Fitzgibbon, Planning Commissioner for the City of Burien:]

by Joe Fitzgibbon

The residents of Burien will have the opportunity this November to vote YES for investments in bicycle and pedestrian facilities. For the price of a half tank of gas, we can make our city safer for our kids and families walking and biking.

As The B-Town Blog has previously reported, a YES vote on the Transportation Benefit District and the proposed $25 vehicle license fee will enable the City of Burien build bicycle lanes, provide safer connections to schools, and repair inadequate sidewalks to increase the mobility of our seniors. I hope you will join me in voting YES to approve this levy to make our city safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Over 400 Burien residents helped shape what we want our city to look like through the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plans. All agreed that our city would be a better place if people could easily get around on two feet or two wheels. Since then, the city has completed some projects, but our progress has slowed because of the competing demands on the city budget — roads, parks, and public safety.

A YES vote on the Sidewalks and Bikes Levy will enable the city to keep moving ahead with some of the highest priority projects from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities Master Plan–specifically, improvements to S and SW 136th St and 8th Ave S.

This is a great time for us to tackle these improvements. Construction projects are coming in under budget because demand for residential construction has declined. It is likely that we won’t ever be able to build these projects more cheaply than we are able to right now.

The benefits of better pedestrian and bike infrastructure are numerous and include improved home value, making students safer, and saving school districts money that can instead be used for teaching. It can save you money too. It reduces emissions and makes our air cleaner. It encourages healthy and active lifestyles.

Opponents suggest the cost of improving pedestrian and bicyclist safety is too high and this is not the right time to make our streets safer for walkers and bikers like students at Kennedy High School and Cedarhurst Elementary.

I disagree. The cost of this investment is less than seven cents a day, per vehicle. We must not sacrifice the safety of our children and our quality of life here in Burien.

And our community partners all agree; organizations including the American Heart Association, Washington Conservation Voters, and the 34th District Democrats have all endorsed the Sidewalks and Bikes Levy.

If you have any questions, please email me at safesidewalksnow@gmail.com. Let’s vote YES for a healthier and safer Burien!

(Joe Fitzgibbon is helping lead the Safe Sidewalks Now campaign and is the chair of the Burien Planning Commission).

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We welcome all viewpoints, and will print those that do not contain libel and that pass our standards. All we ask is that Contributors use their real names, not lie or libel/slander anyone. Please email your opinion/letter to the editor by clicking here.]

The Normandy Park City Council, in a unanimous vote, adopted Resolution No. 819, stating the council’s opposition to Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1033 on the Nov. 3rd General Election Ballot.

The City Council’s action followed a presentation by City Manager Doug Schulze, which explained how Initiative 1033, if passed, will reduce future revenues generated by the City by a projected amount of $500,000 annually.

City Manager Schulze reported that due to revenue shortfalls in 2009, approximately $400,000 has been cut from the budget and additional cuts of $500,000 may be necessary in 2010 before any further reductions required by Initiative 1033 are considered. The City of Normandy Park has an annual operating budget of $4.3 million.

I-1033 is intended to reduce property taxes over time. Property tax is a regressive tax, which means the amount paid increases as the value of property (wealth) increases. As a result, if passed, I-1033 shifts the tax burden to progressive taxes (sales and utility), which is paid equally by everyone regardless of income or wealth. Based on the projected $500,000 annual impact to the City of Normandy Park, the benefit of I-1033 would be approximately $180 for the owner of an average home in Normandy Park. However, the owner of a $6.0 million commercial property in Normandy Park would see a benefit of approximately $1,200 annually.

And as you may recall, Burien’s City Council also voted to oppose I-1033.

by Stephen Lamphear

On Tuesday (Sept. 29th), I saw my first “Reject 71″ yard sign in Burien at First Ave South and SW 148th. In addition to the racial/cultural hate that runs just under the surface in most suburban communities, we have the religious/lifestyle haters coming out of the closet.

When I moved to this community in 1991, the big local news story was Nazi skinheads targeting Jews in the neighborhood I’d chosen. Oh, great — not only am I gay, but Jewish, too!

Burien incorporated in 1993 and we lost all the equal rights protections we’d had as part of unincorporated King County. When I was elected to the city council in 1997 (openly gay), I protested that I could be fired from a job in a town where I made the laws. I was not going to take that as fact.

So, I set a goal of equal rights and equality in my town. In 2001, Burien became the first suburban city to provide domestic partnership benefits to all partnered city employees (only str8s signed up). Then in 2004, Burien adopted a comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinance that is stronger than state law. No one can be discriminated against, for no reason — period.

After all that work to bring equal rights and fairness to my city, it angers me to see haters plant their flag in my town. Treat your neighbors like family, because they are — Approve R-71.

For those of you unfamiliar with this issue, here’s the language that will be used on the Nov. 3rd ballot:

The legislature passed Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5688 concerning rights and responsibilities of state-registered domestic partners and voters have filed a sufficient referendum petition on this bill.

This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage.

Should this bill be:
[ ] Approved
[ ] Rejected

(Stephen Lamphear is a longtime Burien resident and former City Councilmember. Read more of his writing here.)

[EDITOR'S NOTE: We welcome all opinions, and publish pertinent ones at our discretion. As always, all Readers are encouraged to either email us their thoughts, or Comment below. What do YOU think of "Referendum 71"?]

As a recognized news organization, we here at The B-Town Blog get emails and press releases from all over the place, including a daily one called “What happened at the council?” (link here) from the King County Council.

Here’s an actual sentence that was included in Tuesday’s (Sept. 8th) update:

“Approved an ordinance implementing the District Court Redistricting Committee’s amendment to the districting plan implementing provisions to increase the number of judges in the District Court. (Ordinance 2009-0453)”

We’ve never been one to particularly enjoy politicspeak, and this here sentence will now go down as Exhibit A in our prosecution of the abuse of technical, wonky jargon usage.

Your witness.

UPDATE 9/9/09: The schedule for public input on the city’s response to Initiative No. 1033 has changed: The Burien City Council will hear Pro and Con statements on Sept. 14th, then discuss it on Sept. 28th and consider a resolution on Oct. 5th.

PREVIOUSLY: The City of Burien is seeking public input at 7pm on Monday, Sept. 28th Monday, Sept. 14th considering a resolution regarding Initiative Measure No. 1033, the Tim Eyman-sponsored measure that would “limit growth of certain state, county and city revenue to annual inflation and population growth, not including voter-approved revenue increases. Revenue collected above the limit would reduce property tax levies.”

Voters will choose to approve or deny this initiative on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd.

Opponents call 1033 the “Jobs Killing” Initiative because they allege it will cause thousands of public servants to be laid off from their jobs.

The City of Burien wants to know what its citizens think of this, pro or con, and are inviting all to come speak up at a public meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 28th, at 7pm. The meeting will be held at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, 1st Floor.

According to the description prepared by the Washington Secretary of State:

This measure would limit growth in state revenues deposited in funds subject to the state expenditure limit, and limit growth in county and city revenues deposited into the county and city current expense funds. The limit would be adjusted based on annual growth in inflation and population. The limit also would apply to revenues transferred out of these funds. The limit would exclude voter-approved revenue increases. Revenues above the limit would reduce property tax levies.

The “Voters Want More Choices” website argues “For” I-1033 with these arguments:

• In the state of Washington, “property taxes are completely out-of-control” wiht “huge levy increases, skyrocketing valuation increases, massive rate hikes. It’s obscene and unsustainable. Struggling working families and fixed-income senior citizens are being taxed out of their homes.”
• “We don’t want Washington to be a state where only rich people can afford to buy and own a home.”
• “Citizens desperately need property tax relief, especially during these tough economic times.”
• “The overall tax burden imposed by state government, counties, and cities is growing exponentially.”
• Currently, “there is no cap, no ceiling, no lid, no maximum, no limit on how much they can take from us. There’s simply no way that citizens can afford to have government continue to grow at an uncontrolled rate.”
• “The Lower Property Taxes Initiative I-1033 puts a reasonable cap on our overall tax burden, requiring excess tax revenues collected about the cap used to substantially reduce property tax bills.”

Arguments made “Against” I-1033 by its opponents include:

• The concern that it could reduce critical public services at the state and local levels.
• Arguing that the historical cost increase of public spending in areas such as health care and education has exceeded the consumer price index, opponents of I-1033 say that if I-1033 passes, spending in these areas will not be able to grow at the levels they have historically grown at.
• The belief that government services will be reduced each year from the previous year.
• It is problematic because “The initiative is designed to lock in all the budget cuts that state and municipal governments are currently making, thus potentially killing thousands of jobs in the years to come.”
• “[T]his initiative is exact opposite of real reform. Instead of fixing what’s broken, it would make all of our lives worse. Much worse. We need real tax reform that improves stability and fairness in our tax system”.
• “Property taxes already have strict limitations on growth and levels. The result of these has been particularly hard on local governments, who have limited ability to raise other taxes.”
• “Shifting from the property tax to other tax sources makes our tax system less stable because property taxes are one of the least volatile revenue sources we have.”
• “The reality is that the whole concept of contrived, artificial limits on revenue is completely unreasonable to begin with. In practice such limits have been utterly unworkable. Other states, like Colorado, have imposed them and seen their quality of life suffer drastically as a result.”

Here’s the official release from the Burien cityfolk:

CITIZENS INVITED TO SPEAK FOR OR AGAINST INITIATIVE MEASURE NO. 1033 CONCERNS STATE, COUNTY AND CITY REVENUE

The Burien City Council will be considering a resolution regarding Initiative Measure No. 1033 concerns state, county and city revenue, on September 28, 2009. All interested parties who are for or against the ballot measure are invited to speak at the Council Meeting on Monday, September 14, 2009, at 7:00 pm. The meeting will be held at Burien City Hall, 400 SW 152nd Street, 1st Floor.

###

The City of Burien strives to provide alternate communication opportunities. Please contact the City Clerk’s office, 206/248-5504, twenty-four hours prior to the meeting for assistance.

This is a great opportunity to come share your thoughts with your elected officials, so be sure to mark you calendars for what will surely be a lively discussion.

To read I-1033 in its entirety, click here for a PDF.

UPDATE 4:30pm WED. 9/2/09: King County certified the Aug. 18th election results today, and the final tally for Burien’s annexation bid for the North Highline Area has the following returns, from over 39%% of the 6,384 ballots sent out – 55.56% “For” and 44.44% “Against”:

“North Highline South Annexation Area Proposed Annexation to the City of Burien”

Ballots Cast/Registered Voters: 2521 / 6,384 39.49%

• FOR ANNEXATION 1380 55.56%
• AGAINST ANNEXATION 1104 44.44%

It was pretty obvious from even the earliest returns, but now that it’s official, the cityfolk can pop open the champagne (‘cept for a certain city manager), breathe a sigh of relief and get to work for their new residents!

And all new Burienites should contact their new city councilmembers here and let them know what they need!

by Mark Neuman

Former KIRO-TV reporter and anchor Susan Hutchison spoke with The B-Town Blog recently. She and County Council Chair Dow Constantine are going head-to-head to become King County’s next Executive.

PRIMARY RESULTS & ELECTION STRATEGY:
As of August 27th, the most recently updated election results show Susan with about 33% of the primary votes. The results also show the four office-holding Democrats in the primary race (including Dow) with a cumulative 62% of the vote.

How will you go about attracting some of that 62% your way? we asked Susan.

“Dow is so partisan. He just sees everything from the filter of his Democratic point of view. (Primary opponents) Fred Jarrett and Ross Hunter represented outsiders, as I did, and they did rather well,” she said.

“Most people looking at the vote results would say that the bulk of the votes went to outsider candidates. I would suggest that in fact the vote was very clearly for an outsider candidate.

“I think the way the voters divided us up was ‘insider versus outsider.’ And the outsiders won big.”

THE BUDGET:
“I think a ‘rainy day fund’ is absolutely prudent government management,” she said.

“In a (private sector) company, what you have is something called a cash reserve, and the finance department or board of directors is always looking at that cash reserve.

“It’s understood that you are going to have good days and bad days. Good years and bad years. You’ve got to have the capability to cover using that cash reserve. That is just a basic principle of good accounting and money management in a company. And that’s why it’s essential in government as well,” Susan said.

“We are in a budget crisis. We can project now that between this year and next we’re going to have a $110 million budget shortfall. We have to go back to first principles. That is ‘what is the county’s job?’ And the county’s job is to provide safety and protection to its people.

“It is really essential that we keep that in mind as we go through this process of trying to figure out how to make ends meet.

“This budget crisis we are now in falls directly at the feet of the county council and its chair, Dow Constantine, because the council carries the power of the purse.

“We cannot trust a politician who helped get us into this mess to get us out of it,” Susan said.

COMMENTS ABOUT BURIEN?
“Oh, absolutely. I was there recently for two (campaign) forums. Burien has that ‘Main Street USA’ feel,” she said. “It’s terrific. Oh, and there’s great access to the airport when you’re in Burien!”

Susan says she supports annexation efforts.

“I just think it’s important that the choice be given to the people. There’ve been some efforts throughout the county to annex without the residents (of the unincorporated area) weighing in on that decision and I think that’s wrong.

“I’m always with the people.”

THE KIRO YEARS:
Susan spent 20 years with the KIRO-TV News department.

“Certainly one my most treasured memories of the job I did there was to write and produce a documentary on Chinese culture and history called ‘Son of Heaven’. I spent a lot of time in China doing the shooting and research. It won several Emmy awards and had a year-long run of attention.”

Susan recounted the course of events that led up to her coming to KIRO:

After attending the University of Florida, she was working in television in Hawaii in the late 1970’s. Lloyd Cooney, who ran KIRO at the time, was visiting Hawaii and happened to see her delivering the news on a local channel. Cooney sent her a letter inviting her to consider working in Seattle.

“It was months before I actually met Lloyd, but I eventually came to work at KIRO. I just loved Lloyd when I met him. He’s an amazing fellow.

“I still have the letter he sent me. It’s very precious.”

NOTES:

• The General Election is November 3, and, like the primary, will be an all mail-in election.
• The B-Town Blog interviewed Dow Constantine the night of the August 18th primary and ran the interview the next day – click here to read it.

by Mark Neuman

We spoke with King County Council member Dow Constantine, who, along with Susan Hutchison, will advance to the general election in November in the race to become the next King County Executive.

As of Wed., Aug. 19th at 4pm, partial vote count totals showed Dow in second place with just over 23 percent of the vote compared to Susan Hutchison’s 36 percent.

“We are in a very strong position to win the general election,” Dow said from his victory celebration Tuesday night (Aug. 18th). “I am very happy with our numbers.

“The four office-holding Democrats in the (primary) race were really splitting up the vote. And now we have a chance to consolidate that.”

We asked Dow Tuesday evening: Are you, generally speaking, having a good time tonight?

“Generally? Yes. It was pretty nerve-wracking leading up to the announcement of the vote totals. My girlfriend, Shirley, and my mom and dad and I were sitting and waiting for the results to come over. And when it happened it was a big relief.”

We asked Dow about his strategy for his general election campaign.

“There are two distinctions between the two remaining candidates,” he said. “One, Susan Hutchison has a philosophy which is way out of synch with the people of King County.

“And two, there’s also the issue of experience. Susan Hutchison has zero experience at solving the kinds of problems that we’re facing in our economy (and) in our county.

“I have served in the private sector as well as the State House and Senate and the King County Council. I have a strong record of reform legislation of exactly the kind that’s going to be needed as we weather this economic crisis,” Dow said.

“The four Democratic elected officials in the primary, including myself, had a robust exchange of ideas during the campaign. These are all bright, capable people. We raised a lot of great ideas.

“We need to throw open the doors of this county to everyone’s ideas and everyone’s proposals for innovation.

“I have had conversations on several occasions with (primary candidate and State Representative) Ross Hunter about how we can work together in the future between the state and the county to solve some of these structural problems. I’m very excited about that opportunity,” Dow said.

Thoughts about Burien?

“Burien is a good example of the way in which the county has changed and how the old structures need to be retooled to reflect that change,” Dow said.

“Burien’s leaders and business community set about to really reinvent the place and make it into an urban hub that is readily served by transit and is vibrant with multi-family and commercial and job opportunities.

“There are perhaps a dozen such hubs around the county now so King County is no longer just one big city surrounded by low density suburbs,” he said.

An invitation for an interview with the B-Town Blog has been extended to the Hutchison campaign.

King County Executive election results as of 4pm Wed. 8/19/09:

• Larry Phillips 25073 11.95%
• Fred Jarrett 26045 12.41%
• Stan Lippmann 2634 1.26%
• Alan Lobdell 5397 2.57%
• Susan Hutchison 75382 35.92%
• Dow Constantine 49109 23.40%
• Ross Hunter 23222 11.07%
• Goodspaceguy 2646 1.26%
• Write-in 345 0.16%

by Ralph Nichols

With North Highline voters approving annexation to Burien by a comfortable margin, Mayor Joan McGilton declared Wednesday morning (Aug. 19th), “I’m pretty excited about having a whole historic part of our community brought together again in the city.”

Burien City Manager Mike Martin added, “I’m very pleased with the results and welcome our new residents. We’ll do our best to serve them well.” He said “in recent weeks, people expected it to go this way.”

After the first two reports from King County Elections on the results of yesterday’s primary election – the county’s first all mail-in election – votes “For” the annexation issue led with almost 59 percent of the ballots cast, compared to just over 41 percent to those “Against” the move.

Ballots counted on election night represent slightly more than 23 percent of registered voters in the part of the North Highline unincorporated area that will be annexed – 1,491 ballots out of 6,384 registered voters – with 862 yes votes and 603 no votes. Election officials predicted that about 35 percent of registered voters would cast ballots in the primary.

When annexation becomes official, probably sometime in late winter or early spring, Burien will be the 21st largest city in Washington with a population of approximately 45,990, surpassing Olympia. Currently the city ranks 31st in the state. Some 14,100 new residents will come into the city as Burien takes in an area extending north from South/SW 128th Street to a line that zigzags west to east along SW 112th Street in north Shorewood, So. 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila.

Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between the new Burien city limits and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.

“City staff will be working really hard to make this transition as seamless and as welcoming as possible,” McGilton assured the future new city residents.

The first step will be a special City Council meeting on annexation on Monday, Aug. 24, at 7pm, to discuss “how in general to do this whole thing,” Martin said. “In the immediate future, we plan on listening to that community to find out how their vision fits with that of our existing Burien residents. There seems to be a strong feeling that something was torn apart when Burien incorporated in 1993 and this starts to put that back together again.”

Addressing “those who didn’t want to join Burien,” he stressed “there is room in this city for dissenting voices. We welcome that, and hope we will win them over in the future and they will feel comfortable in our city.”

Not sharing their enthusiasm over the annexation vote was Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Homeowners Association and a member of White Center Residents for a Secure Future, and a leading opponent of the proposition who argued before the primary that “Burien is the least best choice” for North Highline.

“All I can offer is that they’re predicting a 35 percent (voter) turnout and last November there was an 80 percent turnout. Would the election outcome be different if everybody participated? My contention all along was that Burien wanted a low turnout and they got it.”

But Greg Duff, president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council disagrees. Approval of annexation by Burien is “not a surprise because NHUAC did a survey and it showed that people wanted to go to Burien rather than Seattle. At that point, the council began working on annexation and supported the people’s wishes. I had a good idea based on the response to our survey they would vote to support annexation.”

Duff noted that survey results reflected a preference by a majority of all North Highline residents to become part of Burien – including those residing in “north” North Highline, which will remain unincorporated for now.

He extended thanks to Martin “and the Burien City Council for having the vision that North Highline is an asset. And I thank the citizens of North Highline who worked so hard to make this possible. This was a real grassroots effort.”

Ufkes, who lives one block north of the annexation area, said what happens to the remaining unincorporated area is not for him to decide. “It’s up to the community members.” But, he said, “Seattle has expressed interest in moving ahead (with annexing that area) next year with a vote – in November.”

Duff questioned Ufkes’ claim. “I belief this annexation to Burien is going to be successful,” he said, adding that would increase the interest of residents outside the city in becoming part of Burien, too. The unincorporated area council needs “to sit down and decide what’s our next move. We can’t wait. But it’s really up to Burien.”

He also said he is unaware at this time of any interest by Seattle in the remaining North Highline area, and that that city’s mayoral and council races could affect its future position on annexation.

A resident of the area that will be annexed, Duff will resign soon from the unincorporated area council.

McGilton repeated her earlier statement that Burien’s annexation of “south” North Highline needs to be given time to settle in. Then the council can “look at it. I’m a phase one, phase two person … if this is a success, then that will give us credibility to move on north.”

She acknowledged “the tremendous work that Mike Martin and Jennifer Ramirez-Robson, who set up the community meetings, and (Community Development Director) Scott Greenberg, who worked on this for so long compiling the numbers so they came together and will not increase cost to the city. Many others were instrumental as well, but these three were out in front.”

At Monday’s council meeting, “we will bring a resolution to modify the municipal code so North Highline residents in the new annexation area can serve on city advisory boards and commissions now” – through the regular appointment process as positions become open,” Martin noted. That “will give folks in that area a direct say in advising the city council.

“In the next few weeks we will be hiring staff and taking inventories of capital needs (in the unincorporated area). We will need to start figuring out planning and zoning issues up there.”

Martin repeated that “south” North Highline will not become part of Burien immediately. The process of bringing the unincorporated area into the city will take several months, with annexation becoming official sometime in late winter at the earliest.

The city’s primary focus on bringing the annexed area into Burien will be planning and zoning, streets and storm drains, and code enforcement, as well as adding staff to work on these matters. In addition, Burien, which adopted a two-year budget for the first time this year, will need to modify it for 2010 to allow for both increased revenue and spending.

The city’s contract with the King County Sheriff’s Office will be modified to hire more deputies as city police officers, many of whom already work in North Highline. All special districts – fire, water, sewer, library, and Highline schools – will continue to provide services in the newly annexed area without interruption or change.

by Ralph Nichols

If you’ve not yet voted and mailed your ballot, remember, tomorrow – Tuesday, August 18, primary election day – is the deadline to do so. And if you live in the southern part of the North Highline unincorporated area, voting in King County’s first all mail-in election carries added significance. Your vote will help decide whether this area becomes part of the city of Burien.

If a majority of these voters says yes to annexation, Burien’s population will increase by some 14,100 residents with the addition of an area from South/Southwest 128th Street north to a zigzag line that extends west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila.

Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between Burien and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.

And if annexation is approved – growing Burien by 44% and making it the 21st largest city in Washington with a population of approximately 45,900 (surpassing Olympia in population) – what happens next?

The first public action will be a special City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m., “to discuss the path forward, to determine how in general to do this whole thing,” says Burien City Manager Mike Martin. “In the next few weeks we will be hiring staff and taking inventories of capital needs (in the unincorporated area). We will need to start figuring out planning and zoning issues up there.”

At that council meeting, “we will bring a resolution to modify the municipal code so North Highline residents in the new annexation area can serve on city advisory boards and commissions now” – through the regular appointment process as positions become open. “This is kind of a big deal,” Martin says. “It will give folks in that area a direct say in advising the city council.”

He adds, “We want (the annexation process) to be seamless.” That is “the overarching theme … we don’t want people to be jolted by this, either the new residents or existing city residents.”

Another initial step, says Mayor Joan McGilton, is a citywide “visioning project. We need to ask those residents and existing residents what the new 45,000 population city should look like.”

“Even if annexation is approved on Tuesday, this area of North Highline will not become part of Burien on Wednesday,” Martin notes emphatically. The process of bringing the unincorporated area into the city will take several months, with annexation becoming official sometime in late winter at the earliest.

City staff already “has taken a cursory look at a lot of these things. We’re not operating in the dark,” he says. “But not a lot will be involved until voters say yes. We wouldn’t want to have spent a lot of time if voters told us they didn’t want to become part of Burien.”

The city’s primary focus on bringing the annexed area into Burien will be planning and zoning, streets and storm drains, and code enforcement, as well as adding staff to work on these matters. In addition, Burien, which adopted a two-year budget for the first time this year, will need to modify it for 2010 to allow for both increased revenue and spending.

The city’s contract with the King County Sheriff’s Office will be modified to hire more deputies as city police officers, many of whom already work in North Highline. All special districts – fire, water, sewer, library, and Highline schools – will continue to provide services in the newly annexed area without interruption or change.

And when the annexed area finally is inside the city, what then? Will Burien consider annexing the remaining North Highline unincorporated area between its new northern city limit and Seattle?

There is, says McGilton, “definite interest on the part of four current council members … to aggressively look at that. Two council members say the city has done as much as it needs to do. My personal preference (if the current annexation proposal is approved) is to settle in and then look at it. I’m a phase one, phase two person … if this is a success, then than will give us credibility to move on north.”

State law requires a simple majority vote of residents in an area designated for annexation before the merger can take effect. Residents of the annexing city do not vote on the question.

by Mark Neuman

We spoke recently with Ross Hunter, candidate for King County Executive.

Ross, a Medina Democrat, managed a political miracle, if you will, seven years ago.

The 48th District (Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland) had not sent a Democrat to the House in over 100 years. Ross got himself elected.

“That was back when it wasn’t fashionable to be a Democrat on the east side. It was hard work. I raised and spent about a quarter of a million dollars. I knocked on eight thousand doors. I worked pretty hard.”

Was there a particular selling point?

“Sure. I’m competent. And I care about public education, the paramount duty of the state legislature.”

We asked Ross about one of his opponents for King County Executive, Susan Hutchison. In a recent direct mail piece Susan said she, if elected, would establish a transportation czar.

“Susan seems to be confused about the powers the King County Executive actually has.

“For her to come in and say she is going to have a czar that takes over the functions of the cities and the state is a fundamental misreading of what the King County Executive is actually allowed to do.

“The job of Executive is a complicated one with a lot of moving parts and a $5 billion budget.

“Unless we coordinate our transportation with our land use we are making the problem worse.”

Ross recently received the endorsement of the Seattle Times.

“Of course it makes you feel good that they (the Times) share your belief that you are competent to do the job.

“Next to the Seattle Times endorsement, I am most proud of the endorsement of the Eastside Business Alliance. This is a group of various chambers of commerce who know their business doesn’t succeed if they don’t have quality education for their kids, or if they don’t have roads.

“Our economy and quality of life depends on us making the wisest use of limited transportation dollars. We are one county, one region, and we should act like it.

“The solution to improving the business climate isn’t always to cut taxes. Making the system fairer and easier to comply with could have much more impact. More service, less overhead. Simplifying and regionalizing how King County does business with its businesses is one way the county can potentially save businesses thousands and thousands of dollars.

“We can simplify the permitting process for builders and contractors. Instead of making a business owner waste time traveling throughout the county to revisit city permitting offices, King County can provide a regional office where businesses can manage their permits at one location.

“Many cities in King County are already doing this and there’s no reason we can’t provide such a service countywide.”

“I propose that King County provides a simple web service for businesses to apply for licenses and calculate and pay business taxes. One tax return, one tax bill.”

Regarding recent budget cuts Ross said “I think we probably need more prosecutors. It’s not a place I would have cut. I also wouldn’t have cut into the public defenders.

“There are normal times and there are special times. This is a special time, because of the unprecedented downturn in the economy.”

Ross said he expects voters of North Highline to approve annexation on August 18.

He supports annexation because with it “There will be somebody to answer residents’ phone calls.”

by Ralph Nichols

It’s been a long time coming – years of meetings, studies, surveys, and wars of words – but in less than three weeks residents of the southern part of the North Highline unincorporated area finally will have their say on the following question:

“Shall that area of unincorporated King County known as the North Highline South Annexation Area as legally described in City of Burien Resolution No. 292 be annexed to the City of Burien?”

A simple majority vote in the Aug. 18th primary election for this ballot measure, King County Proposition 1, will bring approximately 1,700 more acres into the city, increasing its population by some 14,100 residents.

The south part of the North Highline unincorporated area that will become part of Burien if annexation is approved is defined by a zigzag line that extends west to east along Southwest 112th Street in north Shorewood, South 116th Street, South 112th Street, and South 107th Street in Boulevard Park, ending at Tukwila:

Much of Beverly Park and Boulevard Park, including the Rainier Golf and Country Club, will be absorbed by Burien. Left in the remaining unincorporated area between Burien and Seattle will be the North Highline fire station, Evergreen High School and Pool, and the Top Hat neighborhood.

The August primary will mark King County’s first all mail-in election. Ballots were mailed by the county elections office on Wednesday (July 29th). State law requires a simple majority vote of residents in an area designated for annexation before the merger can take effect. Residents of the annexing city do not vote on the question.

A community informational meeting on annexation will be held August 6 (Thursday) from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Boulevard Park Baptist Church, 11659 First Ave. S. – the last scheduled public forum on the issue before the election.

Burien City Manager Mike Martin, responding to questions posed recently by the B-Town Blog, said the City Council has supported this partial annexation of the unincorporated area because it will unite historic neighborhoods, and because Burien is smaller than Seattle – which at one time also considered annexing North Highline – it will give annexed residents a more responsive city government.

“I am the one who first proposed the idea that we reunite neighborhoods” through annexation, Burien Deputy Mayor Rose Clark added. Just as the city and the North Highline area are both part of the Highline School District, “they were part of our community even before we were a city.”

But, argues Mark Ufkes, president of the White Center Homeowners Association and a member of White Center Residents for a Secure Future, “Burien is the least best choice” for North Highline. Although Ufkes lives one block north of the proposed annexation area, he says if it becomes part of Burien the value of his property will be impacted.

Property taxes are about the same in both Burien and Seattle, “but you get so much more (services) in Seattle, and a Seattle address is a very positive asset to home values,” he says. “We will lose our legal Seattle address with annexation to Burien.”

And, Ufkes claims, “Burien doesn’t have the resources for our complex community,” from public safety to social services. “Annexation is supposed to make our lives better. If it doesn’t, then annexation is not a good thing.”

He adds that, in three years of monitoring Burien’s annexation process, “not once have I heard anyone say that annexation is about North Highline. It’s about Burien … in reality.”

But Greg Duff, new president of the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, says with less than a month before the election, “it looks very good” for annexation. “From surveys that we’ve done, people want to annex to Burien….

“We’re really not hearing much opposition. The people opposed don’t want annexation because they have property to sell and they think that by going to Seattle property will increase in value, which is ridiculous.”

Duff suggests, “It is better to be a part of Burien because we will have a bigger voice in government – 14,500 people will have a much stronger voice in Burien with a (current) population of about 30,000, than in Seattle with a population of more than 500,000.”

And, he continues, “I’d much rather have Mike Martin and the Burien City Council as my governing body than (Mayor) Greg Nickels and the Seattle City Council. Mike wanted to annex North Highline from the beginning, regardless of whether the Legislature provided funds for annexation. But Nickels wavered. He was after money from the Legislature, it was not about the people.”

Two other key reasons that Duff says support annexation by Burien are, “I don’t want to be part of all the silly rules and regulations in Seattle like the tax on plastic bags,” and “Seattle sees the south end of King County as the slums … I really feel that’s the way (Nickels) feels.”

He believes annexation by Burien “will be a simple transition” and that the city can provide all services needed by its new residents despite opponents’ claims to the contrary.

More information about the proposed annexation, both pro and con, is available in the King County Voters Guide, which can be accessed online here.

Martin notes that if annexation is approved by North Highline votes, the area won’t become part of Burien overnight. “We will have a lot of work to do…. It’s not like the vote takes place on August 18 and annexation happens on the 19th.”

Burien city staff will have to do “a whole lot of work in between” to reach out incorporate the annexed area. He thinks the annexed part of North Highline officially would become part of the city “probably in March.”

Proposals to annex North Highline have generated controversy in both Burien and North Highline – and between Burien and Seattle after Nickels claimed the White Center area and beyond for his city – ever since Countywide Planning Policies, a regional offshoot of Washington’s Growth Management Act, called for King County’s unincorporated urban areas to be included in cities by 2012.

The county also targeted North Highline for annexation in 2003 in the wake of the first in a succession of severe budget shortfalls, and offered financial assistance to cities that annex unincorporated urban areas.

In 2006, Burien, Seattle and King County agreed to work cooperatively for annexation of the entire unincorporated area by one or both cities. But despite their Memorandum of Understanding to resolve the issue, Seattle never responded to offers by Burien to settle competing claims on North Highline. This inaction led Burien to adopt independently early last year its plan to annex the south part of the unincorporated area.

Seattle objected to Burien’s annexation plan and challenged it before the Boundary Review Board. Following a public hearing in March, the board formally approved Burien’s request on April 16th.

So…what’s your vote regarding annexation?

Please take our poll, or leave Comments below…

(EDITOR’S NOTE: B-Town Blog Editor Scott Schaefer, and Mark Neuman, Reporter, first met Bill Hoffman back at James Madison Junior High School in West Seattle, when Richard Nixon was president and Jim McDermott was a freshman in the Washington State House of Representatives.)

We took some time recently to sit with our “old” buddy, Bill Hoffman.

Bill’s raising a family in West Seattle, where he grew up, returning from California where he delved into filmmaking.

And now he’s going to see if he can make lawmaking his next vocation.

“I am running to unseat Jim McDermott,” Bill told the B-Town Blog at the Burien Farmer’s Market, referring to the 7th District congressman who was first elected to the position in 1988.

Bill is getting a head start, in a way (the general election is not for another sixteen months), and he’s quite serious. He’s hired a political veteran, Bob Stout, who is a professional fundraiser, having worked on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign and also a successful Congressional race in Idaho.

Bill, who has already met with Washington State Democratic Party officials, has indicated he’s willing and able to supply some of his own money to fund his campaign.

“All the research we’ve done so far tells us that a lot of McDermott’s support is not support for him,” Bill said. “He has  a core group of 15% to 20% who simply like Jim. The rest vote liberal.

“Our strategy is to make it through the August 2010 primary and take McDermott on head-to-head in the general election.

“In a place where a Democrat gets 75% to 80% of the vote, he should be running against another Democrat.”

We asked Bill: It’s January, 2011. You’ve won the election. You’re sworn in. You’ve moved in to your new Washington, D.C., office. Excluding finding out where the cafeteria is, what are you going to focus on first?

“Health care and global warming,” he said without delay.

“(The) current (environmental) legislation in front of Congress is not enough. We need to change the way we do things. We need to change the cars that we drive. We need to change the fuel that we use.

“It will be one of my absolute primary goals to do everything I can to help the country move in that direction.

“I have a strong interest in science. The (earth’s) poles are warming faster than the equator is, consequently the total amount of wind around the world has dropped ten percent in the past decades. So wind turbines are losing their ability to produce maximum power.

“Let’s create tax incentives for living near where you work.”

We also asked Bill: Who is more liberal, Bill Hoffman or Jim McDermott?

“I think in the classic definition, I am. I think (using) the definition conservatives use today, McDermott is.

“I do believe in big projects to a point. I think we have to use some fiscal responsibility.”

Bill was at one time the youngest licensed real estate agent in the state of Washington. He earned a BA in Sociology specializing in social psychology at the University of Washington.

He moved to Los Angeles where he attended USC, earning a Masters of Professional Writing degree in screenwriting.

He went on to write, produce and direct a few feature-length motion pictures, in addition to his employment in IT support and graphic design.

While living in Los Angeles Bill was elected to the South Robertson Neighborhood Council.

Unrelated to that responsibility, Bill’s next door neighbor down there for a while was Dallas Taylor, best known as the drummer on Crosby, Stills and Nash’s debut album, Crosby, Stills & Nash and their follow-up with Neil Young, Déjà Vu.

“Let’s just say that living next door to Dallas was interesting. Also, sometimes I’d see Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk) jogging past my house.”

Bill and his wife, Elena, moved back to West Seattle about six years ago.

They have two kids, Naum and Sirma, both of whom attend Schmitz Park Elementary in West Seattle.

“Schmitz Park is an outstanding school,” Bill said.

Bill will soon be serving as vice-president of the school’s PTA.

Elena is not only very skilled with software (she is an analyst for PACCAR), she’s also quite a proficient writer of Haiku, the classic five-seven-five form of Japanese poetry.

Going to introduce any Haiku into the campaign? we asked Bill.

“Not a bad idea.
I’ll have to give it some thought.
I’ll get back to you,”

Bill said, unwittingly delivering Haiku in thoughtful response.

Upon further reflection perhaps his next Haiku will read:

Twenty years of Jim
Enough already says Bill
Now is time for change

To contact Bill Hoffman, here you go:

Hoffman for Congress
PO Box 99458
Seattle, WA  98139-0458

Email: bill.hoffman@hoffmanforcongress.org

Website: www.hoffmanforcongress.org

Burien’s next Annexation Informational Open House will be Tuesday, July 14th at the Glen Acres Church of Christ in White Center.

Here are the details:

WHAT: City of Burien’s informational open house to provide information about what annexation will mean for the people within the proposed annexation area.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 14th from 6:30pm – 8pm

WHERE: Glen Acres Church of Christ, located at 11401 10th Ave South in White Center

CONTACT: 206-436-5555; Email: annexation@burienwa.gov

King County Elections is scheduled to mail out ballots to registered voters on July 29 for the August 18 vote. Residents of unincorporated King County who live in the southern portion of the North Highline community will have a chance to decide if they want to join the city of Burien.

City of Burien staff will present information and answer questions at three upcoming informational open houses.  If you would like city staff to come and talk with your community group please drop us a line at annexation@burienwa.gov.

Registered voters in the proposed annexation area will see this language used in the measure on the mail-in ballot that they receive at home:

North Highline South Annexation Area

Simple majority (RCW 35A.14.080)

Proposition No. 1: Proposed Annexation to the City of Burien

The Burien City Council passed Resolution No. 288 which would authorize annexation of that area of unincorporated King County known as the North Highline South Annexation Area which annexation was approved by the Boundary Review Board with a modification to the boundaries as legally described in Resolution No. 292.  Shall that area of unincorporated King County known as the North Highline South Annexation Area as legally described in City of Burien Resolution No. 292 be annexed to the City of Burien?

FOR ANNEXATION

AGAINST ANNEXATION

by Ralph Nichols

Crime – including a high level of gang activity – is an ongoing concern in the Highline area, along with the rest of King County, especially at a time when multi-million-dollar budget deficits have forced staff reductions in the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices.

And not surprisingly, all five major candidates for King County executive told the King County Police Chief’s Association on Thursday that public safety is the primary responsibility of county government. They spoke at a forum at the Criminal Justice Training Center in Burien.

Former King County Executive Ron Sims, who resigned earlier this year to become President Obama’s number two man in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, sought in 2008 sharp cuts in the staffs of both the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices. The county council lessened the impact of Sims’ proposed reductions by reinstating some of the funding he wanted to eliminate. But interim Executive Kurt Triplett now wants Sheriff Sue Rahr to cut an additional $7 million from the budget for her office next year.

Although Rahr is unopposed in her bid for election to a second full term, any attempts to make additional cuts in public safety to balance the county’s 2010 budget could make the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices a key issue in the race for county executive.

The county executive candidates who spoke at the Burien forum are King County Councilman Dow Constantine, D-West Seattle, State Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, a former Microsoft project manager, Susan Hutchison, executive director of the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences and a former KIRO-TV news anchor, State Sen. Fred Jarrett, D-Mercer Island, a Boeing project manager, and King County Councilman Larry Phillips, D-Seattle.

Also on the Aug. 18 primary election ballot for King County executive, which now is a non-partisan position, but who did not take part in Thursday’s candidate forum are Stan Lippmann, Alan Lobdell, and Goodspaceguy.

Here are the highlights of what each candidate, listed alphabetically, told the police chiefs:

Dow Constantine, whose district includes Burien and North Highline, said the primary role of county government is public safety – the sheriff’s, prosecutor’s and public defender’s offices, the courts, and the jails.

“Unfortunately, the general fund is in a period of decline” and the county council has “struggled mightily” to protect public safety from severe cuts, including the sheriff’s gang unit in Burien and White Center and its community storefront office in Boulevard Park.

Detention facilities continue to be a problem for the county, which needs to be a provider of jails for the region, he added.

(Note: Constantine had to leave after making these introductory remarks to keep a previous commitment.)

State Rep. Ross Hunter noted that 70 percent of the general fund budget goes to public safety. “That’s what we do as a county.” Now, to improve efficiencies, “we need a new regionalism,” especially in the management of jails.

“The county is not an autocrat,” he said. “We need sound financial decisions, fair accounting, for county cities and for taxpayers….

“We have to get a handle on (county) labor costs. We have to have an executive who is willing to sit at the bargaining table and bargain hard.”

Susan Hutchison said the paramount “responsibility of government at every level is the protection and safety of its citizens.” And reducing crime doesn’t happen by accident. “Your hard work,” she told the police chiefs, “in collaboration with the prosecutor’s office means we are living safer.”

Describing citizens as “fed up with the county not living within its means,” she charged that “there is waste and overspending. The first think I will do is cut out waste before we cut out other spending…. People just want the services they pay for…. Citizens don’t trust government to get anything done unless it’s cutting something that’s a benefit to them, like deputies or prosecutors.”

She would impose a hiring freeze on all county agencies, and attempt to negotiate county employee benefits down to national averages. “That’s what people in this county are demanding.”

Fred Jarrett said King County “needs to come into the 21st century” in its management of government operations and finance. The county’s primary responsibilities are public safety, criminal justice and civil justice, and these can be addressed more effectively if the county executive becomes a partner in justice system.

Sustaining the criminal justice system “has to be a budget priority,” he said, describing not prosecuting property crimes below $5,000 as “not a good idea….

“Total King County spending is up by three times the rate of inflation,” he noted. “We have to get our costs under control as a county.”

Larry Phillips noted that he was instrumental in moving major county programs, including parks and social services, out of the general fund “so they would not compete with public safety.”

Citing a “good working relationship” with Rahr, he added, “It is important that the executive and the sheriff get along.” Phillips said he worked with her to restore from Sim’s cuts in the sheriff’s budget funding for “all 10 of her top priorities.”

Moving forward, public safety will be maintained as the top priority by finding efficiencies and new revenue sources. “We may have to go the public … for some sort of approval (to increase taxes) in the future.” He blamed Tim Eyman initiatives that imposed tax limits on local government as part of the current budget problem.

Problems with county jail space can be reduced by providing non-custodial programs for the mentally ill and the drug dependant under strict guidelines and enforcement, he said.

Sally Nelson, an original city councilmember since the city incorporated in 1993 announced that she will not run again for reelection.

In a statement, Nelson says she is “proud of the strong record of leadership she has provided at the local, regional and national level for advancing the many positive changes that have marked her service to Burien since she was first elected to position #7.”

She also said that she “remembers that the original interim city council met in a dingy, cold community center room for its first meetings and then moved to a rented space before acquiring the vacated bank building on SW 151st for its first official city hall.”

Councilmember Nelson is also “most proud of the positive transformation that has occurred in Burien in so many ways and in so many areas of the city. At the heart of the change is the new beautifully designed Town Center which she has championed from the beginning and has helped shepherd through years of complex challenges and seemingly endless barriers.”

Noting that “Burien has changed its main street from a dingy 4 lane highway cluttered with empty store fronts, broken sidewalks and dangerous crosswalks to a pedestrian friendly, vibrant downtown and that’s a remarkable achievement” she said.

Sally has supported new and improved parks, roads, sidewalks, art, the new transit center and numerous public safety improvements throughout the city. From the creation of the Skateboard Park to the funding for improvements to the First Avenue corridor, she has embraced positive change and encouraged broad participation of the citizens in helping shape the future of Burien.

She supports future funding for the Highline Historical Society building at the corner of SW 152nd and Ambaum saying it “would add a significant addition to our committeemen to the history of the region and make Burien a destination city adding interest and strengthening our economic base in a creative way.” The Burien Oriented Transit Center, incorporating housing and much needed parking in the downtown, is another project she has championed and is hopeful much needed funding will close the financial gap so the building can be constructed.

Sally Nelson served as the first Deputy Mayor, as Mayor from 2000-2001, and has been recognized at the regional, state and national levels.

Sally serves as a representative of the Suburban Cities Association at the Puget Sound Regional Council, was appointed by the Board of The Association of Washington Cities to serve this year on the Federal Legislative Subcommittee, was the Vice-Chair of the Equity and Opportunity Panel for the National League of Cities and is currently the Chair of the Public Safety Crime Prevention Steering Committee for the National League.

“I am grateful to the citizens for their continued support throughout the years. I have valued their creative energy, positive spirit and dedication to volunteering in so many amazing ways. What a difference those contributions make to the success of a city. I will always remember what a privilege and honor it has been to represent the wonderful City of Buren.”

More information on Sally Nelson is available at the city’s website.

Burien attorney Brian Bennett has thrown his proverbial hat into the local election ring, announcing that he’s filed to run for the Burien City Council.

He has been endorsed by Councilmember Sally Nelson, who has chosen not to run for re-election.

Bennett joins former councilmember Jack Block Jr. as new hopefuls in this year’s race, which we’ll be covering extensively.

Bennett serves as chairman of the Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee, and has not indicated yet whether he will file for Nelson’s position.

“I am truly honored to receive Councilmember Nelson’s endorsement. She has established a strong foundation for Burien and worked effectively to achieve a vibrant downtown and improve our city in many positive ways. I want to continue moving our city forward,” said Bennett.

Bennett, an attorney for a local technology company, is the Chair of the City of Burien Shoreline Advisory Committee.

According to a campaign statement:

He cares deeply about good stewardship of our parks, shorelines, and open spaces, he said. He also serves on the Burien Planning Commission and was appointed to that position by the City Council. He recognizes the importance of careful zoning and building a strong and robust economic base for Burien, he said.

His family has lived in the Highline area for four generations. He and his wife Oksana, and daughter Emilia make their home in northwest Burien.

Bennett looks forward to talking with voters while out campaigning and welcomes emails, comments and questions at his website www.bennett4burien.com.

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