Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle

[bgwah]

4. Some Bellevue precincts filled with a mix of Indian immigrants and olds.

There also may be a large Mormon population in that area. I think there's a LDS church in the vicinity, nto to mention the Seattle LDS Temple just to the south by I-90.

Do you have a % Romney map from the primary for King County?

[Ogre Mage]

The American Prospect has an interesting article on the failure of Darcy Burner's campaign in the 8th Congressional District.  The author of the story, Eli Sanders, has written the piece as a meditation on the limitations of the power of the "Netroots."

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=anatomy_of_a_netroots_failure

Some telling bits:

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[Meeker]

House catfight!

Tim Sekerak, House Counsel:

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State Representative Geoff Simpson:

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House Clerk Barbara Baker:

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Simpson again:

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Keep in mind that these e-mails were sent not only to every member of the State House but to all of their staff as well.

God I love our state government.

[Alcon]

Geoff Simpson really is kind of a dick, isn't he?

They caught him on Sound Politics posting under a sockpuppet account.  Seems to have one heck of a temper, domestic violence issues aside.

[Alcon]

Chirp...chirp...chirp.

Lame attempt at kicking some life back into this place (bold text makes it better, baby):

***

The State Senate has killed the two-years-late wet dream of New Urbanists: rezoning Olympia's "isthmus" (which is not actually an isthmus) into a condo-friendly area.  This was an interesting below-the-radar issue.  Opposition was staunch almost to the point of rejecting the suggestion of any change whatsoever.  Regardless of the merits of the project, it showed just how knee-jerk of an anti-development town Olympia is.

Personally, I think Olympia [the city, which was for the rezone] should be able to do virtually whatever it wants, and I have no idea why the State Senate is intervening.  I also have no idea why the "no" votes were a roll-call of mostly-horribles.  Maybe I should change my mind (at least there's Rodney Tom?)

***

As a cost-saving measure, the state is considering closing the freaking Peace Arch...well, the state park.  Also on the cutting board:  Dash Point, Saltwater, Millersylvania, Flaming Geyser, a bunch of other ones I've never heard of.

***

I think more politicians should have blogs like Pam Roach's, so we can tell how batsh**t crazy they are.  Pam Roach's latest is about a Senate ethics investigation into her.  Some choice quotes:

On the woman who filed the complaint: "Let's not forget here that this woman was touted by CPS as just being wonderful...they were wrong...I was right."

On why she filed it: "...she was coached to do so."

On who did that: "Who coached her? Someone or some entity that knew an ethics board even existed. And, someone who knew I was even writing a blog. I am guessing either a CPS worker or the evil CASA who railed against me in court when I showed an interest in the Stuth case and then quickly bowed out as soon as the press entered the picture."

Actually, just read the entire thing.  And the second comment below, which is like a cross between a Lord of the Flies study guide and the Bible Channel.

Bonus fact:  One of Pam Roach's favorite things is The Sound of Music.  Really.

***

In conclusion, I'm already sick of seeing Dale Washam's face whenever I look at property assessments.

[CultureKing]

Ugh. We went over this issue for about two years in Olympia. I was happy when they finally passed it because we need some development downtown, we can't simply turn down every opporitunity that comes to us because it would "ruin the views" (of which there are none because there would be no buildings on either side of the one to be constructed). Also I am enraged that the state government would take sides in such a local issue, it is not their place. This is probably the one time I actually agree with Tim Sheldon... ew...

[Meeker]

Random hypothetical: Let's say the Top-two was in use in 1996. What would've been the result of the Locke vs. Rice general election?

I'm sure Locke would've won, but by how much? What would King County have looked like?

[Meeker]

State House voted 54-43 today to force Pierce County to switch to all-mail voting.

[Alcon]

State House voted 54-43 today to force Pierce County to switch to all-mail voting.

f**k!  Effective immediately?

Where's the vote list, out of curiosity?

[Meeker]

State House voted 54-43 today to force Pierce County to switch to all-mail voting.

f**k!  Effective immediately?

Where's the vote list, out of curiosity?

Assuming the State Senate passes it (a legitimate question mark) and Gregoire signs it (another question mark) then the switch would occur at the August primary.

All Pierce County voted "No" except for Flannigan, Darneille, Seaquist and Green. Stupid votes on behalf of the last two IMO (something which has been made clear to them if you catch my drift). Full roll call is here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1572&year=2009

[CultureKing]

Meh, I am fine with that. It would be nice if the entire state used the same voting system. Also maybe then Pierce wouldn't be as messed up when it comes to reporting numbers in a timely manner (I realize this is just a dream).

[Meeker]

All the major school levies and bonds are going down hard tonight. Tacoma and Puyallup are failing 53 to 47 and Auburn is getting defeated by a 58 to 42 margin. Even Vashon Island rejected their bond (didn't even get a majority).

Doesn't bode well for any tax increases that might need to get approved this fall...

[Alcon]

Vashon rejected a school levy?!

The earth just ended.  I think it and Bainbridge Island are the only SDs to have never failed one.

Snoqualmie Valley's is passing no problem, assuming it makes turnout requirements.

[Meeker]

Carbonado is passing their's too. The small districts never seem to have much of an issue; don't know why.

[Alcon]

This might help explain why the Vashon Island bond failed:

http://www.thenewstribune.com/topstories/story/657680.html

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That's $7,458 per person on Vashon, or $47,484 per public school student.

I mean...damn.

[Meeker]

Yea, that is pretty ridiculous when one stops and thinks about it. Their high school is pretty terrible though; it needs a serious re-model.

[Alcon]

Almost below-the-radar, if it weren't for Facebook: Jeannie Darneille's perennial Voting Rights Bill passed the House today, 53-43.

In the simplest terms, the current system requires that convicted felons:

A) Serve their full sentence, including community custody, parole and probation.

B) Pay all of their restitution fees and legal fees, without any consideration for indigence waivers.

Darneille's bill fully eliminates requirement "B."

Regardless of your feelings about felon/ex-felon enfranchisement, this bill does have one tangible benefit.  It is a hell of a lot easier to track felons based on state custody status, than by using the tangled mess that was the voting rights restoration process.  Keeps the rolls cleaner, and we need that.  I say this as a concerned citizen and a convicted felon.

Edit:  My guess is that the SoS's office pushed this bill privately, for that reason; it's not really a political winner at large.  This guess happens to be pretty un-guessy, considering that David Ammons (ex-AP, now-Reedite) was the first attaboy on FB.

[Alcon]

Almost missed this, too.  The State House passed SB 5688 today.  SB 5688 expands Washington's domestic partnership law to basically be marriage-without-the-name.

The vote was 30-18.  Linda Evans Parlette (R-Wenatchee) was absent.  Can't imagine she would have voted yes.

Democratic switchers were Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam), Brian Hatfield (D-Raymond), Tim Sheldon (D-Umbass) and Paull Shin (D-Edmonds). 

Republican switchers were Dale Brandland (R-Bellingham), Cheryl Pflug (R-Maple Valley) and Curtis King (R-Yakima).

I thought King basically rode in on challenging Jim Clements from the right.  His vote for the "loose" domestic partnership bill last year was a surprise to me, and now this.  It's not like he's playing to his district's politics by voting liberally on gay rights.  Strange?

Anyway, opponents threaten Prop.-8 style campaign.  I'll go out on a limb and say that would be unlikely to pass, even if it properly materialized.

[Meeker]

King isn't as crazy as one might think at first glance. Still a little surprising though. Brandland and Pflug could potential be vulnerable for re-election obviously.

[CultureKing]

Vashon rejected a school levy?!

The earth just ended.  I think it and Bainbridge Island are the only SDs to have never failed one.

Snoqualmie Valley's is passing no problem, assuming it makes turnout requirements.

Griffin School District has never failed a levy as far as I can remember.

[Alcon]

Weirdly active news day for the last few.

Guess what the Pierce County Assessor's Office failed to do last year with half of their assessed properties?

Assess them.

That's a pretty high bar for screw-up for Dale Washam to reach, in fairness.

Maybe you'll know, Meeker:  Is this one of those done-but-not-talked-about corner-cutting things?  Seems like a pretty obvious violation of state law to me.

[Meeker]

Think of the census. Madsen was doing statistical sampling while Washam says they need to physically count everyone.

The difference from the census being 1) it's not unconstitutional, just questionably legal and 2) everyone does it.

So Washam is technically right but it's not like this is some massively neglectful scandal.

[CultureKing]

Also we have a new drug czar: Gil Kerlikowske!

Whoot

[Alcon]

Well, the gay-marriage-in-name-only thing is obviously going to pass.  It has 57 sponsors in the State House.

Sponsoring Republicans are Maureen Walsh (R-College Place) and Norm Johnson (R-Yakima).  So, 2/3 of the 14th (Yakima)'s GOP delegation supports this.  Very strange (apparently the local GOP isn't happy with either.)

Non-sponsoring Democrats are Frank Chopp (D-Seattle), Laura Grant-Herriot (D-Walla Walla), Tami Green (D-Lakewood), Troy Kelley (D-Lakewoody Tacoma), Mark Miloscia (D-Federal Way) and Tim Probst (D-Vancouver).  Obviously, Chopp will vote "yes."  Not sure about Grant-Herriot or Probst.  Miloscia is on the record as opposing.

Any idea about Green or Kelley, Meeker?  Is the 28th really this hostile to gay rights?  I mean, Seaquist sponsored the thing.

[Meeker]

Green is kind of queasy on gay rights stuff (it's the Mormon in her). She's coming around though and is better than she was even a few years ago.

Kelley is a Moderate Hero who is constantly convinced he's on the verge of losing re-election.

So basically both could vote for the thing and be perfectly safe but both may not for different reasons.