Sound Politics: King County Council special meeting

September 22, 2006

King County Council special meeting

The King County Council has called a special meeting for this afternoon. Why? Theclerk's office told me that in case the AFIS measure doesn't pass, they want to be prepared with a measure for the November ballot. AFIS is ahead by a comfortable margin and it only requires a simple majority, but today is the last day for the Council to put a measure on the November ballot, so they're not taking any chances.

Today would also be the last day to put the Elected Auditor measure on the November ballot. This was promised and then retracted on the grounds that Ron Sims had already found someone to appoint to the job. Now that the candidate has backed out, there is no excuse to delay the public vote on the matter.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at September 22, 2006 01:03 PM | Email This

Comments

1. Maybe it was to put the finishing touches on this:

"The Seattle City Council voted 7-1 on Friday to endorse the tunnel option for replacing the aging Alaska Way Viaduct.

Posted by: SouthernRoots on September 22, 2006 01:15 PM

2. No surprise there....they knew a public vote on the tunnel would fail miserably, so they push it through anyway. They know what's best after all. Seattle elected those fools, and they got what they voted for...I just hope the rest of us who live in the People's Republic of King County don't have to pay for that boondoggle.

Posted by: Palouse on September 22, 2006 01:29 PM

3. Palouse, you will be paying for it. Sorry.

I wonder if they screwed up when they did the AFIS. Now us sheeples know the option exists. Is Bob Ferguson back on the Democrats ship to nowhere or will he bring it up for another vote?

Posted by: swatter on September 22, 2006 01:33 PM

4. "Now that the candidate has backed out, there is no excuse to delay the public vote on the matter."

Yes there is: Ron doesn't want it. Who cares what we want?

Posted by: RadioMattM on September 22, 2006 01:55 PM

5. Another quote on the tunnel plan:

"The council also decided not to put the question to a public vote. After new estimates this week raised the costs for the replacing the viaduct, council members decided they are in a better position to choose options." (emphasis added)

Posted by: SouthernRoots on September 22, 2006 02:02 PM

6. Well, if I ended up paying the extra amount for that tunnel, then it's going to be the Queen or the King County Council who raises the taxes to do it, not the Seattle City Council who I do not have a vote to elect. So if she chooses that tunnel option at their request then the tax hike is on her (again). I doubt that will happen, but it's possible. My guess is that Seattle will end up footing the bill for the extra cheddar, as it should.

Posted by: Palouse on September 22, 2006 02:37 PM

7. Palouse - "The state will make the final decision since it will supply most of the money."

Just heard on the news that Gary Locke said "our" grandchildren will paraise "us" for the tunnel and open space or curse us for an ugly raied roadway.

I think they'll curse us for the tax burden we pass on to them.

Posted by: SouthernRoots on September 22, 2006 03:29 PM

8. My taxes had better not go up for Seattle's boondogles -- not when I'm having to pay toll's on a bridge where most who are affected voted against...

Posted by: CaughtInMiddle on September 22, 2006 03:31 PM

9. Our council members are horrid. Doesn't matter what party they are affiliated with, they all suck!! The welfare of the city isn't even in their minds....they have never (past or present) had a clue on economics and what the government is actually for....suppling infrastructure, fire and police. It's just to bad those things just don't "feel good".

Posted by: Dengle on September 22, 2006 03:45 PM

10. I think those of us in the State owe it to the State to fix the Viaduct, but our share should only be the share that we would have incurred in we did a rehab. Anything additional should be taken from King County taxes or City of Seattle taxes.

Posted by: swatter on September 22, 2006 03:47 PM

11. I don't know what tax King County is going to raise for that project without a vote of the people. They can't raise the gas tax or vehicle license tabs - but the Queen could. Since she has already raised these taxes substantially I doubt she would do it again. THe KC Council could go after property owners for this, but that is also going to be very unpopular, and an uphill battle.

The state is already paying for the majority of the project with the taxes already passed. Although, after all the cost overruns and lawsuits are finished, it won't end up being the majority of it.

Gregoire is looking at a huge tax hike to pay for the rest of 520. And she has to think about 2008 still. No chance she is going to push through two huge tax hikes for these mega projects. She will either tell Seattle that the state will provide the money already promised for the project and it will be up to Seattle to come up with the rest, or she will just choose the rebuild option. She really doesn't have much other choice given her already shaky reelection chances.

Posted by: Palouse on September 22, 2006 05:10 PM

12. Speaking of meetings of the KC Council, they are having a public meeting in Carnation Monday Night at the Girls Scout Camp. This would be considered hostile territory for most of these folks and it would be nice to give them DIRECT FEEDBACK on a few of these issues we discuss here at SP on a regular basis. All of the D's on this Council voted for the CAO, removing the flood protection levy for the city to enhance salmon recovery and placing the Sex offender Housing in Carnation as well.

Posted by: Huh? on September 23, 2006 08:38 AM

13. AFIS

Doesn't that stand for Automatic Fingerprint Identification System?

Isn't it use to fight crime? Isn't it a public safety tool?

What is the first priority of government? Isn't it suppose to be public safety?

So why is King County paying for a public safety tool with an excess tax levy?

Yah, I know you the pols don't trust you to fund their pet project especially their bloated staff but they do trust you to tax yourselves for AFIS and Medic 1.

TaTA for now

Posted by: JC Bob on September 23, 2006 03:21 PM

14. no, JC Bob--AFIS is Sims' promise addressing the last election. He REALLY only proposed 'a fix'--generic. The fingerprint thing is too precise and discriminatory towards illegal alien & felon voters. Kinda elimimates the dead vote, too.

Posted by: jimmie-howya-doin on September 25, 2006 04:35 AM

15. Well now, as stated above...the Queen has come out and said the state is not picking up the extra cost of the tunnel. So it will be up to Seattle and whoever drives in the tunnel to cover the additional billions. Good luck with that.

Posted by: Palouse on September 25, 2006 03:05 PM