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Gregoire, 49 percent; Rossi, 45
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Seattle's top political blogs: Don't call them rivals
The campaign for Sound Transit will be 'going Facebook'
After a late start, MSM blogs are everywhere
Eat and walk your way through Northwest cities
Seattle Public Schools flunks civics
Blue, red, right, left: A blogroll for Northwest political junkies
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The future of 'nowhere'
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The campaign for Sound Transit will be 'going Facebook'
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Enough with the SLUT jokes
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Seattle's top political blogs: Don't call them rivals
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Seattle Public Schools flunks civics
(10 comments)
Death by a thousand (paper) cuts
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Bellevue's 'Little Eichmann'
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Eat and walk your way through Northwest cities
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A newsstand's last stand
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Terry Theise has no axe to grind about Washington wine
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Crosscut highlights
The weight of 40 years of paralysis about transit planning played a role in the Sound Transit decision to try one more time to convince the voters of the need for more light rail.
The region has tried a largely bus solution for 40 years, and by now the capacity flaws are apparent. If we are really serious about building density, we need to lay more rails.
The recent former state secretary of transportation has been riding buses a lot lately and crunching numbers, and he's convinced light rail to the Eastside and more Sounder service has no place in a big new transit plan. He thinks an advanced bus rapid transit system is the best way to serve millions of people and smartly manage urban growth. Part 1 of 3
Crosscut most recent
Seattle, you ignorant SLUT
Oregonian columnist Steve Duin has fun feeling superior to Seattle, calling the Big Bad City to the North "a mass transit basket case." But he does find something to praise, even if he drips with condescension, and that's the Seattle Streetcar, fondly known as the SLUT. Duin likes the idea, a steal from Portland, of course, not because it's a serious transit solution but because the name is so funny.
Sausage Links, 'you'll shoot your Eyman out' edition
Ballot king Tim Eyman had to be happy to see Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist Joel Connelly say his traffic congestion measure, Initiative 985, "might be on to something" and deserved a "closer look." Unfortunately for Eyman, the Office of Fiscal Management released a report today stating the initiative would, among other things, cost the state $668.6 million already going to current congestion relief projects, cost the state $324.6 million to implement, cost the Washington State Arts Commission $500,000 over the next five years, and increase the state's budget deficit by an estimated $290 million. The Washington Policy Center Blog has the full breakdown. Meanwhile, David Goldstein at Horse's Ass points out that I-985 would be one more reason Eastern Washington voters would continue to hate Seattle. ...
The region is facing an economic slowdown, multiple budget crises, and big tax increases. Without a rapid, realistic response by voters and policy makers, November could be ugly.
The parade of foolishness
We're into August, which can be a dazzling month in the Northwest, with many things to enjoy and be thankful for: brilliant sunsets, fresh air, sparkling forests and water, music and arts festivals in places large and small, and, not least, an economy that is comparatively stronger than the rest of the country's. But concerns and irritations conspire to break the spell.
Politicians have resorted to some some pretty childish arguments in defense of policies in recent days.
An urban geographer uses un-rose-tinted glasses in peering into the crystal ball. He finds that we will not be able to do much about growing income segregation, congestion, gentrification in Seattle, and leapfrog development. Nor will rail transit help make things better.
The good, the bad, and the vexing
Here are start-of-week cheers and Bronx cheers. First, the good stuff: Dave Niehaus in the Baseball Hall of Fame and justice at Fort Lawton.
From Whidbey to Seattle via ferry and rail
As a Whidbey Islander living in Langley, Wash., I won't be able to vote for the Sound Transit levy in November. But as somebody who uses mass transit whenever possible, I'm hoping it passes. I worked for Metro Transit three decades ago when voters turned down an important levy, one that could have changed the face of transportation in our region.
Sausage Links, transit migraine edition — part deux
Want to know if the new light rail line will stop in your neck of the woods? Any minute now, the Sound Transit board is expected to approve this map of proposed transit routes to be placed on the ballot. For now, here's the buzz:
Sausage Links, transit migraine edition
Ready to pay $6.85 round-trip to drive across the 520 bridge? Me neither. That's the proposed toll that would raise money to help pay for improvements to the floating fossil. But the idea of a toll begs another question, something I've been dying to get reader input about: Do you think having a toll on local bridges like 520 will sway voters to vote for the proposed light rail measure this November? Thoughts?
Sausage Links, early week late edition
Seattle Times political reporter David Postman makes an interesting point about Evergreen Progress PAC's latest two TV ads attacking former Republican State Senator Dino Rossi. The ads allege that Rossi "voted to freeze teacher pay" and "voted to cut state funds to reduce class sizes" when he was in office. But, as Postman notes, "so did a majority of the Legislature that year in budget-cutting moves originally proposed by Democratic Gov. Gary Locke." In 2003 the Washington Education Assocation "actually had some good things to say about Rossi's role in budget negotiations." ...
Sausage Links, pot, farms, and medicine edition
Count on the alt-weeklies to provide blow-by-blow coverage of the recent medical marijuana bust illegal search and seizure. Dominic Holden at The Stranger has the story about the incident — along with copies of the police report and the arresting officer's search warrant. According to the reports, Seattle Police officers tore down a wall while searching for an illegal pot-growing operation that didn't exist, while seizing bags of marijuana and medical records. The folks at Seattlest would like to remind the SPD that medical marijuana has been legal in Washington for nearly 10 years. ...
Sausage Links, fancy-pants luncheon edition
The Queen of fist-bumps, New Yorker cover girl Michelle Obama, is in Seattle today to headline a fundraiser for Gov. Chris Gregoire. The event is expected to bring in $400,000 for Gregoire's re-election campaign. Seattle Times chief political reporter David Postman will have live coverage of the event as it develops, while Eli Sanders at the Stranger already has pictures from the WaMu Theater. ...
Sausage Links, cougar-hunting edition
Praise the Lord and release the hounds — because our good state Legislature has enacted a law which makes it legal once again to use dogs to hunt cougars. Now, I didn't even know cougar hunting was legal in Washington — minus Cougars wearing crimson — but apparently, it is. While the bill was actually passed by the Legislature in February, the Department of Fish and Wildlife will hold a public meeting on Friday to discuss whether the pilot program should continue for another three years.
Meanwhile, Micheal Reitz of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation has compiled a list of some other curious laws enacted by the Washington Legislature this year. My personal favorite: Violators may face up to $1,000 or up to a year in jail for selling raw or unprocessed huckleberries without a permit.
It's time for New York magazine editors, Seattle bank executives, and Puget Sound transportation leaders to exit their elevators — at the lobby level.
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WashingtonRegional Transportation Investment District (RTID)
Created by the Washington Legislature to develop a transportation package to be submitted to voters in fall 2007 in Snohomish, King, or Pierce counties. Coordinating work with Sound Transit.
Sound Transit's plan for extensions to the regional mass transit system. Coordinating with the Regional Transportation Investment District (RTID).
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT)
The state agency in charge of planning, construction, maintenance, and management of state roads, certain rail services, and ferries.
Washington State Transportation Commission
An independent agency of seven citizen members appointed by the governor. Responsibilities include working with the governor, the Legislature, and the secretary of transportation to set policy.
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