Election countdown: Another way to fact-check the initiatives

Five days to go till your ballot HAS TO be in – either by mail (postmarked no later than Tuesday) or by dropbox (by 8 pm Tuesday). One quick mention: If you are still making up your mind about the initiatives, there’s a new fact-checking site launched as a University of Washington project, assembled by graduate students, and it even looks at the refenda on the ballot. Check it out at factcheckwa.org. (Note – this is about the statewide measures only, not the local ones like the King County and Seattle Public Schools propositions.) P.S. King County is offering a digital “I Voted” sticker – get it here.

Smitty October 28, 2010 (5:05 pm)

From the site re: 1098:

Opponents say:
“We can’t trust the politicians in Olympia with an income tax. If this state income tax on ‘the rich’ is passed, our constitution allows a simple majority of the legislature to extend the income tax to everyone in just two years.”

“This alleged “fact” is actually half-speculation and half-fact.”

They then go one to say that while they “can” in fact change it, they problably won’t – and even if they did it could be repealed or overturned via the initiative/referendum process.

Huh?

It’s a simple YES or NO question and the answer is YES they can.

Baba October 28, 2010 (5:24 pm)

I’m having a tennis shoes roasting party on wed. eve. nov 3rd. 2010. Rain or shine, bring your own pair or I will provide you one. WSB, can I post the address?

WSB October 28, 2010 (6:21 pm)

Go right ahead, as long as it’s a real bonafide address and it’s yours!

westello October 28, 2010 (7:25 pm)

Too bad the UW isn’t fact-checking the Seattle school levy. The Schools First spokesperson has misspoken in a couple of radio interviews.

First on KUOW, she said “no money was lost” in the horrible state audit of the district. Not true.

The district overpayed something like 80 employees over a series of months and is working to get the money back. It is unlikely this will happen. Missing assets (equipment) was also another of the findings. The Superintendent’s gifting of public funds in the form of the gift certificates she gave out at the retirement money is money lost (this from the Attorney General’s office, not me). Using $1.8M of capital money improperly (which is now leaving the General Fund to go back into the capital fund). The district had to repay the feds money from incorrect counting of Native American students.

Then, on KPLU, she said:

“This is purely to help keep our classrooms in business over the next three years,” she said.

Huh? We’re not losing our teachers or closing schools right now so the district is still in business, levy or no levy.

The Seattle Times says no on this levy.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorials/2013164155_edit15levy.html

Please get ALL the facts before you vote on ANY tax measure.

Please

Baba October 28, 2010 (8:16 pm)

I’m very serious about the above event. I’m meeting my legal counsel first thing tomorrow morning, he did insist…I will keep you posted. My tennies roasting party is still ON!

Thomas October 29, 2010 (9:08 am)

Perhaps I’m missing something here Baba, but I can’t figure it out.

Why are you planning to burn tennis shoes?

Carson October 29, 2010 (9:08 am)

Baba,

Let me know, I have lots and lots of firewood and more than a few pairs of shoes that should probably be burned. I tried taking them to the dump and they told me no toxic waste allowed….

Baba October 29, 2010 (2:01 pm)

Update:
Apparently, according to the City of Seattle the public gathering of “this size” will require a permit ( 2 porta potties, 2 off duty police officers directing traffic and stuff, one fire engine and a possible approval by EPA, although I was trying to bypass the SPD and EPA by just “roasting”)
.
I kept explaining: – What “size” are you talking about? It’s in die hard liberal West Seattle, noone is going to show up…
– You will be surprised, – was their answer, – you will be VERY surprised…
.
Well, folks! The party is still gonna happen. I will email Tracy some pictures. BTW, I did stop at the Goodwill store on my way back from the meeting this morning. Let’s just say their tennis shoes selection is not good anymore… :-)

AJP October 29, 2010 (2:32 pm)

Ummm…I don’t get it either, the tennis shoes…

WSB October 29, 2010 (3:08 pm)

Since Baba doesn’t seem to have returned to explain: I believe it is a reference to Patty Murray’s original campaign platform. When she first ran for election to the US Senate in 1992, she campaigned as “just a mom in tennis shoes.” – TR

foyboy October 29, 2010 (3:42 pm)

Baba, It should be easy to find your place by the bright light in the sky. Italian-American food sounds realy good. I’ll bring my 18 year old tennis shoes to burn.

Carson October 29, 2010 (4:03 pm)

….and you need a permit to have a party? That is news to me. Besides the fact the results probably won’t official for a few days unless Murray wins big.

Baba October 29, 2010 (4:34 pm)

Carson,
you don’t need a permit to have a party, but apparently you need one to have THE party. That’s what I was told. Do them bureaucrats know something already? As you know, everyone, but Michelle’s mother did show up here…
.
And about your toxic waste shoes… You just took the wrong entrance at the dump… Sorry it was SFD above

Baba October 29, 2010 (5:22 pm)

foyboy, how do you know about the food? It was supposed to be a potluck !
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And to all the “firestarters” out there…it’s a SLOW ROASTING PARTY…fyi, just like Patty did with public spending over the last 18 years…

Sorry, comment time is over.