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 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

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.

As of 1pm Friday, June 5th, only four people have filed for the four Burien city council positions open for election in November:

But wait – you too can file to run for City Council online as long as you’re a Burien resident and registered voter – the deadline is 4pm today (Fri. June 5th): http://your.kingcounty.gov/elections/candidatefiling/filingform.aspx

Or in-person until 4:30pm here:

King County Elections Bldg
919 SW Grady Way
Renton, WA 98057

Candidates must be registered voters at the time of filing and Burien residents for at least one year on Election Day.

There will be a non-refundable filing fee, and you can get more information by clicking here.

by Mark Neuman

The B-Town Blog spoke recently with Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Phillips, who, along with fellow councilmember Dow Constantine are the leading contenders in the race to replace outgoing King County Executive Ron Sims.

THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE:
We asked Phillips who he regards as the best King County Executive since the office came into existence some 40 years ago.

Phillips named three, starting with the first Executive, John Spellman, who served three terms.

“I think Spellman set the framework for successful (county) government. I hold him in high regard. He’s a fabulous individual.”

Phillips admires Randy Revelle, who served in the early 1980s and for whom Phillips served as chief of staff for four years.

“I got to know the executive branch very, very well during that period,” Phillips said. “I was in the room for all the tough decisions.”

“I am also partial to Ron Sims, who I believe had an extraordinary run during his years two through eight” as Executive.

RESPONDING TO DOW’S BULLET POINTS:
Phillips agreed to respond to five bullet points that appeared on a direct mail piece the Constantine campaign mailed out to prospective voters the week of March 30th.

The Constantine bullet points appear in italics below.

CLAIM: Dow fought for parks, open space and Puget Sound. He has a 97% lifetime environmental voting record

RESPONSE: “I completely trump Dow when it comes to parks, open space and Puget Sound. If there is one hallmark to my service over the years it’s the contributions that I’ve made to open space in King County and our regional parks system. I could go on beyond that significantly. I trump Dow in spades.”

CLAIM: Dow helped lead passage of light rail expansion

RESPONSE: “That one he doesn’t get to claim for himself.”

Phillips recalled the failure of area voters to approve light rail during his school days in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.

“I’ve been fighting for light rail ever since, including my time in the Washington State legislature.

“I’m a growth management guy, so I look ahead ten to twenty years. My dad was an architect, so planning is part of my DNA.”

CLAIM: Dow is a champion for jobs and working families

RESPONSE: “I have a fabulous labor voting record. I emphasize jobs and infrastructure.” Phillips named several labor endorsements his campaign has received to date.

CLAIM: Dow demanded efficiency in audits in county government

RESPONSE: “No one has led more reforms in county government than I have. I was the one who called for the audit of Metro Transit last year before anybody else did.”

CLAIM: Dow is the only candidate who represents rural areas, suburban cities, Seattle neighborhoods and the broad diversity that is King County. Dow will unify, not divide our county

RESPONSE: Phillips responded by pointing out that he has received endorsements of the rural county mayors of Enumclaw, Maple Valley, Black Diamond and Issaquah.

“I have a long, long history of working with the rural communities of King County. I know their issues and I know their people.”

RED LIGHT CAMERAS:
Phillips says he does not see the use of red light cameras by some cities in King County (such as Burien) at certain intersections as a revenue-generating effort.

“Sparingly and appropriately used, red light cameras are a public safety and traffic calming effort,” he says. “However, there needs to be some balance and common sense in how much they are utilized.”

ANNEXATION:
Phillips says that King County “does not have the taxing authority that cities have. It’s very hard for King County to continue to provide the levels of service that people normally expect in urban areas.

“The state’s Growth Management Act strongly encourages incorporation or annexation in urban areas, but does not require it.”

Phillips says it’s up to the citizens in the remaining pockets of non-annexed and unincorporated areas to decide for themselves whether they want change or the status quo.

Short of incorporation or annexation, Phillips says, “our ability to provide current levels of services to North Highline and the White Center community will likely continue to diminish over time.”

THIRD RUNWAY:
Does Phillips think the residents living northwest of Sea-Tac Airport were, perhaps, duped with respect to the intended use of the now functioning third runway?

“I think the Port, from my perspective, can always do a better job of communicating with the public on what they’re doing, with respect to high profile or contentious issues,” Phillips said. “I’ve haven’t been a student of this issue as perhaps other citizens living around Sea-Tac Airport are.”

STATE INCOME TAX:
Does Phillips support a state income tax?

“I have supported a state income tax, yes,” he said. “Dow’s very proud of the fact that he supported the commission that just talks about an income tax. I actually supported the legislation.”

GO HUSKIES:
Phillips is a University of Washington alum, who played basketball on his high school varsity team. He went out on a non-political limb: Regardless of who wins the race for King County Executive in November, he predicts the Husky men’s basketball team will come out on top as National Champs in the Final Four next spring.

“I am three generations deep into being a Husky and I believe in Purple!”

Here’s Phillips’ YouTube video announcement for his campaign:

So who will you vote for as Ron Sims’ replacement? Please answer our poll:

[EDITOR'S NOTES: The B-Town Blog first published an interview with candidate Dow Constantine on February 16. The primary election is August 18th; the general election is November 3rd.]

According to The Seattle P-I, King County Councilmember Dow Constantine will announce Monday that he is running for the King County Executive position being vacated by Ron Sims, who has been nominated for a post in President Obama’s new administration.

Constantine, who has served as a councilman since 2002, joins fellow Councilman Larry Phillips as the only candidates who have formally declared their intentions to seek King County’s top job.

He currently represents District 8, which includes Burien White Center, West Seattle and Vashon Island.

Read the full story here.

BTB Advertiser The Mark Restaurant & Bar is hosting an Inaugural Party Tuesday, Jan. 20th, and here are the details:

WHEN: Tuesday, Jan. 20th, from 5pm to close

WHERE: The Mark Restaurant & Bar, located at 914 SW 152nd in Olde Burien (map below)

SPECIALS: Come in and say “Yes We Can!” and get 1/2 OFF on Bar Menu. They’ll also have specially Inaugural labeled bottles of wine and Champagne on hand.

Do you know of any other Burien-area inaugural parties? If so, please email us.

Also, here’s a list of parties in the area as listed on moveon.org.

View Larger Map

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Bob is an Englishman who lives in Burien who wrote the following report on election night in America. We're posting his story because we find it incredibly interesting to get perspective on the goings-on in the US from a foreigner living here...]

by Bob, an Englishman living in Burien

Something amazing happened in this country just one week ago, on Nov. 4th, 2008.

Of course, not everyone will agree, but there’s no mistaking that a very significant number of people in the United States are extremely happy.

A very significant number of people in the rest of the world are also very happy.

Some are happy because Barack Obama is African American, and that certainly represents huge progress for the country. But, for many it comes down to this: Barack Obama seems to be a President who ran for the office for us and not for himself; a President who cares about this planet as much as many of us do; a President who is clearly very smart, is honest, and inspires us greatly.

What more can we ask of the President?

For me, Election Day coverage began with KUOW while I was at work, followed by the BBC World Service. I caught the first results as I drove home and then was glued to the TV. It all happened so fast. As soon as Ohio was called, I knew it was all over. At 8:00 pm I thought we’d hear about some west coast results, but, suddenly, what we heard was:

“Barack Obama is projected to be the next President of the United States of America.”

It’s hard to write this without feeling very emotional. It was an incredible moment that I’ll never forget. Suddenly, common sense and decency had prevailed. All I can do is echo what someone in Australia wrote in response to the news:

“Congratulations to the new US President. There is now real hope for peace and prosperity and healing for the United States.”

Don’t let anyone tell you that it doesn’t matter what people in Australia think. It does matter. It matters enormously. There is no disputing that a large proportion of the citizens of the world see America as a global leader and with that comes responsibility and respect, something we haven’t seen enough of in the past eight years. But, things look likely to change now.

After President-Elect Obama had given his incredible speech, I regained my composure, jumped in my car, and headed off to celebrate with my friends in Ballard. On the way I took a detour into downtown Seattle and found myself stopped at Seneca and 1st Ave while hundreds of people walked by, waving and cheering. Drivers blew their horns in celebration and I just had to join them. I parked and then found the main congregation at Pike and 1st Ave. Helicopters hovered above to record the scene. TV and radio crews were there on the ground. The police did their part to keep the streets safe and I can’t imagine that they encountered any problems. All in all it was a wonderful occasion. A lady from NPR came to ask me some questions and all I could do was elaborate on what she already knew. It was very special moment.

After she left I looked down to find a red cardboard sign partially covered by leaves and obviously trampled by the crowd. It was red and advertized cigarette packets.

“Maverick” was the headline.

Enough said.

It was hard to leave the crowd, but off I went to meet my friends in Ballard and we shared an overwhelming sense of joy over what we’d witnessed. The next morning I bought some newspapers as souvenirs and felt a strong sense of relief. Relief that after what had happened in the country, Americans could now share the optimism expressed so well by the Australian commentator.

Something amazing happened on November 4th, 2008 and I’ll never forget that day.

Here’s a little over a minutes’ worth of raw video Bob shot while at the impromptu Obama rally:

Today’s the big day, and even though most of our Readers have probably already voted via mail, there are still a few diehard old-school, in-person voters out and about today.

With that in mind, here’s a handy-dandy voting FAQ, courtesy King County’s Elections Office, about today’s election:

Can I vote at King County Elections in Renton on Election Day?
No. Early, in-person voting ended Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. There is no voting at King County Elections office on Tuesday, Nov. 4. There are 392 polling places available throughout the county. To find your polling place, enter your information at https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/voterlookup.aspx or verify the voter registration card.

What happens if I have sealed or returned my absentee ballot in the mailing envelope without the security envelope?
As an alternative, you may use a regular mailing envelope instead of the security envelope to ensure the secrecy of your ballot. However, that is not required. Regardless, return your ballot, it will still be processed and counted with other absentee ballots.

Is there a way to confirm the status of my absentee ballot online?
Not yet. For more information on the status of your absentee ballot, please call 206-296-8683. When King County conducts all elections by mail in February 2009, online ballot packet tracking will be available.

If I’m registered as an absentee voter, can I still vote on Election Day at the polls?
If you’re an absentee voter, please vote the ballot we mailed to you. You can also have a replacement ballot printed at King County Elections. As a last resort, you can also visit any polling place and ask for a provisional ballot.

I have not received my absentee ballot. What are my options for Election Day?
If you have not received your ballot yet, you can visit the Elections office at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton and have your ballot re-issued. You can also visit any polling place and cast a provisional ballot.

My absentee ballot was misplaced or destroyed. What are my options for Election Day?
If you misplaced or destroyed your ballot, you can visit the Elections office at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton to have your ballot re-issued. You can also visit any polling place and cast a provisional ballot.

Where am I supposed to vote?
To find your polling place, enter your information at https://www.metrokc.gov/elections/voterlookup.aspx.

Do I need my voter registration card to vote at my polling place?
No. For a list of acceptable forms of identification at the polls, visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/voting/idrequirements.aspx.

Can I still pick-up an absentee ballot?
If you are registered as a poll voter, you cannot be issued an absentee ballot and you must vote at your polling place. If you misplaced or destroyed your ballot, please visit the Elections office at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton and have your ballot re-issued.

“When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King,
from a speech delivered in 1967

by Mark Neuman

Contemplating the Giant Triplets
I am embarrassed to admit that, at age nine, I knew more about Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch and a TV situation comedy called “F Troop” than I did about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I know this because I was watching a syndicated repeat of that silly show on the afternoon of April 4, 1968, when a news bulletin cut into regular programming to announce that Dr. King had been shot and killed earlier that day.

I did not know who he was.

I quickly got to know, in part, on the strength of my third and fourth grade teachers at Holy Rosary Elementary School in West Seattle, and then I never forgot.

Our recent handful of years
With an over half-trillion dollar burden set firmly on the backs of Americans not yet born, the powers-that-be recently bailed out the powerful who failed us.

And some number of millions of everyday Americans participated as well, in the pursuit of a piece of the glittering illusion: unbelievably rapidly appreciating equity.

Any number of common desk working brokers and agents just “did what the boss told us” to earn fast, fat commissions.

Regulators, overseers are somewhat difficult to blame. They, too, like the profits, were largely imaginary, nonexistent. Those who existed sat by, quite silent.

Today, a Senator from Illinois engenders, through no fault of his own, racist sentiments from various pockets all about our country.

And this is seven score and three years after the end of the Civil War.

And meanwhile another chunk of trillion has been thrown at a conflagration, a quagmire, in the Middle East that, inarguably, Dr. King would have opposed.

A great speech
And so I bring to you today words earnestly delivered by Dr. King, less than a year before he died. Officially it is titled: “Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam.”

It could quite well be subtitled: “The Giant Triplets Speech.”

It could also be called: “Please Don’t Make Our Country Look Like This in the First Decade of the 21st Century.”

If only all we Americans had recited or read, daily, his powerful words, spoken forty-one years ago:

“When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, militarism and economic exploitation are incapable of being conquered.”

In our modest blog offices it was suggested: Should we post and highlight this speech two days before Election Day?

We “Woodwarded and Bernsteined and Bradleed” this about. Would some be offended? Might some misunderstand?

Perhaps some will.

Some always do.

Any complaints? Send them to me.

Any credit or compliments? They go to Dr. King.

Here is a recording of, in my opinion, a stunning and timeless speech from the greatest and most courageous leader of my lifetime.

When you hear Dr. King’s words, spoken less than a year before he passed, does your heart beat fast?

I should expect and hope it would.

Perhaps your eyes water at certain points.

You’re in good company if they do, I assure.

Never heard this speech before? You are not to blame. We live in a “forget the past” society. Additionally, Dr. King’s other stunning and courageous works, including “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” happen to overshadow his own genius, literary and oratory greatness and prescience displayed at other times in his life.

Does the speech seem familiar? Please give it a listen again, in the relative stillness of this, the day most often set aside for meaningful thought, then send a note to that Social Studies teacher from grade six, your History professor from college, your Speech Coach and thank her or him for the initial introduction.

Send the links to your nephew in the Navy, your sisters from the old sorority, your Aunt in Auburn or Alabama, your boss in Bellevue, your kid in college.

Move it along the internet line to your favorite State Rep or least favorite Congressman, the most ethical attorney you know, or maybe even the least trustworthy scumbag Wall Street suit you are glad you never met, or, perhaps, are sorry you ever did.

Print out Dr. King’s words (we’ll get that link to you soon), fold it up and send them along with warmth in your Holiday greetings later this Autumn.

And so, on this Contemplative Sunday
No matter for whom you wish to loft into office with the fuel of your ballot this Tuesday, I am sure we can all agree, today, on this Contemplative Sunday, the following goal: Let us all, now and in these crucial near years, stare down those Giant and Ugly Triplets and knock them off their high perch for good.

Thanks.

–Mark Neuman
mark@b-townblog.com

Yesterday we showed you exclusive video of Gov. Chris Gregoire, and today we’ve got more video of a politician in action – here’s the opening monologue from Congressman Jim McDermott’s stint as Guest Narrator at Sunday’s (Oct. 26) “The Rocky Horror Show” at (BTB Advertiser) Burien Little Theatre.

You may notice audience members shouting as he speaks – don’t worry, he’s not being heckled – Rocky is an interactive show where audience participation is encouraged (and the Congressman’s professional performance was unaffected by it):

There are only three performances left, so be sure to order your tickets online now!

• Fri. Oct. 31 at 10:00 p.m.  Friday – HALLOWEEN!
• Sat. Nov. 1 at 8:00 p.m.
• Sun. Nov. 2 at 2:00 p.m. – CLOSING SHOW!

Sure, it’s election season, but that doesn’t mean that Washington’s Governor wouldn’t have shown up for Saturday’s “Boo In Burien” event anyways, right?

She did, and we managed to be at the right place at the right time to grab a quick, exclusive soundbite video from her about Burien just after she bought some cookies for herself and her posse at the Danish Bakery, and just minutes before she “kicked off” the Dog Parade.

Ever wonder what your governor thinks of Burien?

Watch this and see for yourself:

The League of Women Voters of King County South and the Renton AAUW are co-sponsoring a “Pro and Con Forum” on the three state ballot issues and the seven King County Charter Amendments up for decision on Tues. Nov. 4th.

This is a great chance to ask questions and hear the arguments:

WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 23rd, 7-9pm

WHERE: Normandy Park Congregational Church, 19247 1st Ave So, Normandy Park (map below)

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With just a handful of weeks to go before Election Day Nov. 4, we at the B-Town Blog welcome our latest Advertiser: Julia Garratt for Judge.

Julia is running for King County Superior Court, Position 22.

Julia served as Judge Pro Tem, King County Superior Court, for ten years.

She has served as both a prosecutor and a public defender.

She earned her BA at the University of Washington and her law degree at Gonzaga.

The Municipal League of King County has rated her “Outstanding.”

She is endorsed by the Seattle Times.

“Judges are public servants and our community is best served if those positions are filled by individuals who can balance hard work, compassion, integrity and wisdom in upholding the laws of the State of Washington,” she said.

Learn more about Julia Garratt at her website:  www.garratt4judge.com

It’s election season, and the stakes are higher than they’ve been in years – so don’t forget to register to vote for the Nov. 4th election (you have until this Saturday, Oct. 4th to register online; Oct. 20th if you’re a new/first-time Voter).

More info from the King County Elections website:

King County will mail military, oversea and out of state ballots on Oct. 3 and all other absentee ballots from Oct. 15 through 17.

Voters can confirm their registration information is up-to-date by using King County’s “Your Voter Guide” www.kingcounty.gov/elections or by calling 206-296-VOTE (8683).

King County Elections will have convenient voter registration hours on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

New voters in Washington State have until Monday, Oct. 20 to register but must visit election headquarters at 919 SW Grady Way in Renton (map below).

King County is reaching out to voters on the move whose addresses frequently change including college students, new homeowners, personal mailbox users, and homeless residents by establishing partnerships with organizations that work directly with these voters. These partnerships will play a vital role in the grassroots efforts to encourage voters to update their information when they move.

Register to vote online at https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/osos/secure/pages/Onlinevoterregistration.aspx.

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B-Town Blog’s Mark Neuman filed this late-night missive with Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer around 11pm Thurs. night:

Scott -

Got back, about an hour ago, from the City of Burien’s community meeting at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church earlier tonight (Thurs., Aug. 28). Topic: proposed annexation of North Highline and the temporary withdrawal of the City of Burien’s request to pursue said annexation.

About 45 people attended, and one could reasonably assume that a goodly portion of the attendees (this correspondent included) would have preferred to view, live, the televised acceptance speech of Senator Obama. Must rely on delayed broadcast for that.

About half of those in attendance were Boulevard Park residents, and about half of those are home owners. As noted by one attendee, most everyone there was Caucasian and not exactly springing from the younger side of life.

But all were earnest, many were skeptical, and few were without opinion.

While this was only my second meeting regarding the annexation proposal, I believe I came away with some accurate observations:

Burien City Manager Mike Martin is a very decent fellow, with a reserve of patience greater than that which most folks, myself included, would likely muster and maintain in assemblages such as tonight’s.

“This annexation, if approved, will be revenue neutral,” Mike said. “This move would not make a dime for Burien, nor cost Burien a dime. In that sense, financially, annexation as proposed would be a wash.”

Mike said this several times, not because he is a repetitive person, or one who forgets what he just said, or loves the sound of his voice.

The reason Mike said this more than once is because it is the truth and because some in the audience either weren’t listening or suffer from CDS (Chronic Disbelief Syndrome).

With respect to emergency services, I think it’s pretty clear that the King County Sheriff’s Office works quite smoothly with local police departments.

And for Pete’s sake, does anyone really think the good men and women of any Fire Department would indeed fail to respond to an emergency because it’s occurring a block or two beyond a city boundary? Of course this won’t be allowed to happen.

The only things that should be left to helplessly smolder are the scare tactics of some and the ignorant fears of a few others.

Scott, I know you were looking for a Wake ‘Em Up in The Morning Headline, but frankly, I think the temporary withdrawal of the annexation request is a wise, brief and prudent move.

Perhaps the headline for this report should be: Extra! Extra! Sometimes Truth is Dull.

Well, gotta go, Scottso. Somewhere sits a PBS station ready to roll tape on Barack and Michelle and those two cute kids of theirs.

We just got an exclusive response from Burien Mayor Joan McGilton on this entire annexation withdrawal issue, and here’s the latest:

First, a snippet from Seattle Councilmember Richard Conlin as quoted on another Seattle-based blog:

“…unless Burien is prepared to make significant change in its proposal…” 

Mayor Joan’s reaction to Mr. Conlin’s statement:

“Burien has consistently acknowledged the role Seattle has in the proposed annexation of the North Highline Area. Seattle chooses to not negotiate directly with Burien.  The City of Seattle’s Position Statement filed with the Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County filed on August 18, 2008 clearly misinterprets Burien actions to move forward with annexation.

In the best interests of all parties, Burien chooses to withdraw its current request so that the Boundary Review Board can focus on the merits of annexation rather than on the procedural and legal issues.

Burien wishes to take the “high road” and have our neighbors to the north ask the probing questions so that when this comes to a vote, they are truly informed of the actions that are in their best interest as a community.”

We’ll have a full report from tonight’s Annexation Open House, which will surely provide more quotes and controversy in this ongoing political chess match of words, so please check back later or subscribe to our RSS feed for up-to-date news.

 

Just got off the phone with Gordon Shaw, Burien native and City Councilmember, who offered up this exclusive, yet rather fiery quote about the North Highline/White Center annexation withdrawal political game currently being played out between Burien and Seattle:

“The efforts Burien has made so far have been stymied by Seattle and King County to a certain degree because of preference for Seattle to annex North Highline.

But clearly Seattle is not ready to do it.

To oppose Burien’s annexation efforts on the substance of annexation is one thing, but to oppose it on procedure that we all know is going to change in 30 days is bullshit!” 

For more fiery talk, including what’s sure to be a lively interactive question and answer session, you can come to tonight’s Annexation Open House at 6:30pm at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church (see map below).

It appears that the political war of words is just starting folks, so stay tuned.

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UPDATE 8/28/10:30am: Tonight’s Annexation Open House is still scheduled to occur starting at 6:30pm at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church (located at 1822 South 128th Street in SeaTac), despite the fact that Burien is temporarily withdrawing its annexation request.

Here’s a quote from Jenn Ramirez-Robinson, Management Analyst at the Burien City Manager’s Office:

“In brief, the City of Burien has withdrawn its current request to annex a portion of North Highline but plans to re-file later this year.

We are still committed to the annexation process and will continue to do educational open houses in the North Highline Area, including the Open House tonight at 6:30 PM at the Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church.”

We are currently investigating why the city is withdrawing now, only to re-file “later this year.”

Rest assured, tonight’s Open House should be even more interesting, especially with this latest development.

Here’s the press release from the City of Burien website:

Burien Withdraws North Highline Annexation Request

The City of Burien has notified the Boundary Review Board of King County that it is withdrawing its current request to annex the southern portion of the North Highline unincorporated area.  The City plans to re-file an annexation request later this year after completion of a new round of negotiations with King County and the cities of SeaTac and Seattle regarding the proposed annexation boundary.

The Burien City Council authorized submittal of the “Notice of Intent” to annex part of North Highline in May 2008.  The Notice of Intent was filed with the Boundary Review Board in late June after the approval of new countywide planning policies allowing the annexation request to proceed.  The timing of Burien’s filing was challenged by the City of Seattle and the North Highline Fire District on legal grounds.

“In the interest of having the community and the Boundary Review Board focus on the merits of annexation rather than upon procedural and legal issues, we believe that it is in the best interest of the parties for the City to withdraw its current Notice of Intent,” said Mike Martin, Burien’s city manager.

The delay in the annexation process allows the cities and County to meet to discuss substantive issues related to annexation, including providing adequate urban services within annexed portions of North Highline and any remaining unincorporated area.

“We’ve tried to get Seattle to the table for almost a year to resolve these issues but they have been  unwilling to meet with us,” Martin explained.  “For whatever reason, they’ve changed their mind now and  appear willing to talk. We wish for the sake of the North Highline residents Seattle would have come to that conclusion sooner, but better late than never.”

Now, for the first time, Burien is able to consider the specific and detailed concerns of the North Highline Fire District that were filed with the Boundary Review Board.  While the City of Burien has no authority over the current or future operations of the fire district, “we will encourage the North Highline and Burien/Normandy Park fire districts to resolve their differences in the interest of providing quality services in the areas they serve,” said Martin.

The City has offered to start negotiations immediately, with the goal of reaching a successful resolution of issues by the end of the year.  Martin added, “Our City values trust, integrity, communication and collaboration.  It is in this spirit that we are ready to take one step back in order to help our neighbors in North Highline move many steps forward.”

The City of Burien will be holding a series of informational open houses, at various locations, to answer questions about what annexation will mean for the people within the proposed annexation area.

This is a great opportunity for area residents to investigate what the City of Burien’s plans are, ask questions of city officials and determine the impact that annexation might have on your lives.

The first open house is coming up Thursday, Aug. 28th:

WHEN: Thursday, August 28, 2008 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

WHERE: Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church, 1822 South 128th Street

Format:

• There will be a presentation followed by a Question and Answer session.
• Refreshments will be provided.
• Supervised play activities for children will be available
• Interpreter services can be arranged if requested in advance

Download a pdf version of the flyer for the Open House.

More info at the City of Burien website.

MAP:

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The Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County will be holding a meeting on the proposed annexation of the “North Highline” area on Tues, Sept. 2nd at 7pm at Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd in Seattle (see map below).

As always, the meeting is open to the public.

There proposed annexation area can be seen here:

Here’s the official notice via the King County website:

WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY

YESLER BUILDING, ROOM 240		400 YESLER WAY		SEATTLE , WA 98104
PHONE: 206.296.6800			TTY: 206.296.1024

CITY OF BURIEN – NORTH HIGHLINE ANNEXATION – FILE NO. 2281

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY will hold a public hearing at the hour of 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. If required Thursday, September 4, 2008 has also been set aside. The hearing will take place at the Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd, Seattle, WA. The Hearing Room/Building is located behind the main building of the Inn. The purpose of the hearing is to consider proposed annexation to the City of Burien of an area known as “North Highline” all in King County, Washington.

To reclassify certain Real Property lying northerly of the City of Burien and the City of Sea-Tac City Limits, lying easterly of the City of Seattle City Limits, lying westerly of the City of Tukwila City Limits, lying southerly of SW ll2th St., SW 116th St., South 107th St, and described as all or portions of Section 1 and Section 2, Township 23N. Range 3E and Sections 4 through 9, Township 23N, Range 4E, W.M., all in King County, Washington.

A COMPLETE LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS ON FILE AND AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF THE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD.

The Boundary Review Board conducts all meetings and hearings in locations that are wheelchair accessible. Any person requiring other disability accommodations or special assistance should contact the Boundary Review Board staff at least two business days prior to the meeting.

The Boundary Review Board telephone is 206-296-6800. For TTY telephone services. please call 711.

Each request for accommodations or assistance will be considered individually according to the type of request, the availability of resources and the financial ability of the Board to provide the requested services or equipment.

DATED at Seattle, Washington, this 21st day of July 2008.

WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY
REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY

Lenora Blauman
Executive Secretary

Map to Riverside Residences Inn:

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Election Day is coming up next Tuesday, Aug. 19th, and since 2004, 141 poll sites have been consolidated or closed due to accessibility problems or from being under-utilized.

In fact, since the 2004 election, 20 sites were moved or in some cases demolished or impacted by construction, affecting 17,221 poll voters.

Which brings up the question: Do you know where the heck you’ll be voting on Aug. 19th?

Voters affected by the change should receive a new registration card in the mail with the name of their new assigned poll site. If you are a voter affected by recent polling place changes, you may be voting in a different location than you have in the past.

Before Tuesday, Aug. 19, King County is urging voters to confirm the location of their assigned polling place either by calling the voter hotline at 206-296-VOTE or by visiting www.kingcounty.gov/elections and entering in their names and dates of birth or addresses in “Your Voter Guide” section (direct link here). This online tool is custom-designed for each voter with the location and map to his or her assigned poll site, sample ballot, and official candidate statements.

“We’re close to one week away from the primary and we want to make sure poll voters know where to vote on Aug. 19,” said Sherril Huff, Elections director.

In addition to receiving a letter and a new voter notification card with information about their new assigned polling place, voters affected by the most recent polling place closures and consolidations will also receive a phone call prior to Election Day reminding them of the closure. These phone calls will begin Tuesday, Aug. 12.

For a list of recently affected poll sites and precincts, click here.

Sustainable Burien is having its second meeting on Sunday Aug. 24th at the Burien Library, from 2:30-4:30pm.

From their website:

Sustainable Burien is an organization started in January of 2008. We recognize the need to promote and participate in the creation of a sustainable community in Burien. We invite all residents and businesses to participate in creating a sustainable local community by sharing their ideas, passions, knowledge and talents.

At our first meeting we created five working Pods [Interest Groups] and developed an action item for each Pod group to work on between meetings. Active Pods will soon have space on the Interest Groups page where they can share information about what they’re doing and what they’ve learned. The current Pods and action items are as follows (listed in alphabetical order):

• Community: Recruit new members for future meetings. Pod members will advertise to our neighbors and throughout the community.
• Energy: Explore incentives for using solar energy looking at a) pay back, b) life cycle costs, c) break even, d) precursors to obtaining solar energy, e) bulk purchases, rebates, tax incentives.
• Environment: Reduce/Reuse/Recycle. Develop a list of environmentally friendly products and practical methods of obtaining them.
• Food: Encourage interest, spread the word on community gardening, gleaning, canning and preserving.
• Transportation: Find out about walking maps of Burien in English. Contact Feet First. Contact Sustainable Ballard and bike stores regarding the Undrivers’ License program. Research pedestrian and bicycle plans.

You can learn more about Sustainable Burien at their website.