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Highland Park dancer/activist to “shake it up” downtown
April 26, 2009 1:10 am
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 |   West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

Monday at noon, if you happen to be outside the Jackson Federal Building downtown, you’ll see colorfully clad dancers demonstrating – to urge Sen. Patty Murray and other local lawmakers to support single-payer health-care. Helping lead the way: Dina Lydia Johnson, who’s also active with the Highland Park Action Committee (which, incidentally, meets Monday night, 7 pm at Highland Park Improvement Club). She’s put together a webpage with more about the demonstration – see it here.

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Viaduct=Tunnel bill gets final OK, with cost-overrun provision
April 24, 2009 6:35 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle politics

After the state House passed the Alaskan Way Viaduct=Tunnel bill (SB 5768) the other night,
it had to go back for one more Senate vote because of some amendments, including the one that says cost overruns will be covered by “property owners in the Seattle area who benefit from replacing the existing viaduct with the tunnel.” Within the past hour, the Senate passed the bill, as amended by the House, 39-9; the yes votes included West Seattle’s State Sen. Joe McDermott. Governor Gregoire said afterward, “”We are on the way to one of the most important transportation years in Washington’s history. … Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives approving a very complex project is a remarkable accomplishment. The deep-bored tunnel replacement will create jobs, help us emerge from this recession stronger and prepare our state for a 21st-century economy.”

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West Seattle (-related) scenes: Campaign rock; fish tale
April 23, 2009 10:15 pm
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 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle politics

Via one of County Council Chair Dow Constantine‘s Twitter feeds (@Dow_KingCounty), we get that Twitpic of the County Executive candidate onstage during his rock ‘n’ roll fundraiser at Crocodile Cafe, which continues till midnight. Meanwhile, back on this side of the bay, Bonnie caught this scene at Seacrest:

Bonnie reports her kids were particularly captivated by the flounder, whose catcher released it shortly afterward.

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Happening today/tonight: Bike-a-palooza, new coffee shop, more
April 20, 2009 6:03 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today/tonight: Bike-a-palooza, new coffee shop, more
 |   Delridge | Environment | West Seattle politics | WS beverages

NEW COFFEE SHOP: A year in the making, Coffee at the Heights opens this morning (more info here). [Photo of barista Cheryl, on duty at midday, added 12:46 pm]

CITY BUDGET CUT PLANS: Proposed general-fund cuts outlined by the mayor last Friday will be discussed at the council Budget Committee meeting, 10:30 this morning (you can watch live via Seattle Channel, cable channel 21 or seattlechannel.org).

BIKE-A-PALOOZA: That’s what Sustainable West Seattle is calling the bicycling presentations and exhibits assembled for tonight’s monthly meeting, 7 pm, Camp Long (more info here).

TEAM DELRIDGE: 6:30 pm at Youngstown Arts Center, as part of the King County Food and Fitness Initiative — come talk about strategies for the Fitness & Built Environment.

* Do you feel safe walking in the Delridge neighborhood?
* Do you use the stairs along Delridge Way?
* Have you ever walked Longfellow Creek?
* Is the current bus system useful for your needs?
* Are the sidewalks safe? For children? Strollers? Elderly?

Lots more – for today/tonight and way beyond – on the WSB Events calendar.

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Details: Mayor goes public with more Seattle city budget cuts
April 17, 2009 11:51 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Announced this morning: $13 million in planned cuts to the general fund, plus $5 million to be pulled from the so-called “rainy day fund” (a sixth of its total), to help make up for that $40 million-plus shortfall in last week’s revised city revenue forecast. Here’s the city news release; there’s also a doc online with all the details, line by line (the very last page includes planned Seattle Public Library cuts, such as a weeklong closure saving $655,000).

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Rep. Sharon Nelson wins “Legislator of the Year”
April 16, 2009 3:28 pm
|      7 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

Even though the State Legislature‘s session isn’t over yet, Democratic legislative staffers have voted on this award – and given it to Rep. Sharon Nelson, serving her first full term representing the 34th District, which includes West Seattle. She’s shown above with the plaque and her legislative assistant Joe Fitzgibbon; we heard about it last night and asked him for more details – read on for the official announcement we’ve received in reply:Read More

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City budget cuts: Another public hearing announced
April 16, 2009 3:11 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Tomorrow morning, Mayor Nickels will brief the media on more of the budget-cut plans to bring city spending in line with the dramatically reduced revenue forecast revealed last week. Though council votes aren’t required for him to implement cuts, councilmembers say they want to hear what you think – so they’ve just announced another public hearing, this one for next Tuesday night – read on for the official announcement from the office of Councilmember Jean Godden, who chairs the council’s budget committee:Read More

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Admiral Neighborhood Association report #2: Clark, park …
April 15, 2009 1:49 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   California Place Park | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

Also from Tuesday night’s Admiral Neighborhood Association meeting (see report #1, about a new concert series, here) – what City Councilmember Sally Clark had to say, on what she revealed was her first visit to an ANA meeting, plus a few other notes – read on:Read More

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West Seattle projects in first wave of approved Parks Levy spending
April 14, 2009 11:23 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle parks | West Seattle politics

The City Council Parks Committee meeting that’s under way now included a major milestone: Approval for the first spending in connection with the Parks Levy approved by voters last fall – more than $24 million in all. This includes some West Seattle projects, such as the start of design work for the extra park space that will be created on the new “lid” of West Seattle Reservoir in Westcrest Park, $1 million in renovations for the Camp Long Lodge (left), $3 million for Delridge Playfield artificial turf, and $170,000 for Fairmount Playfield renovations including play-equipment replacement. The full list of projects can be found in the official legislation approved by the committee this morning (which goes to the full Council next week). Earlier in this morning’s meeting, the committee — chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen – listened to a Parks Department presentation addressing concerns about artificial turf on Seattle playfields (including 12 existing installations as well as the aforementioned Delridge plan); Parks staffers noted that the city’s preferred supplier provides a product with no lead, while adding that only one city playfield has turf with lead (Genesee, in southeast Seattle), and said the advantages of artificial turf include year-round usability and lower maintenance costs.

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Changes to Metro Route 128? Special county meeting set
April 13, 2009 10:30 pm
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 |   Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

This Friday, Metro is set to announce proposed changes to more than two dozen bus routes, including 128, which runs between the Admiral District and Southcenter. These changes are linked to the impending start of Link light rail; you’ll get a chance to comment at a special evening meeting of two County Council committees, set for 6:30 pm April 28 at the County Courthouse downtown. According to today’s update, county councilmembers are expected to vote within the next month and a half, and any approved changes could take effect as soon as September. (We’ll see Friday, if not sooner, if the package of proposed changes also includes the addition of Route 50, with a Delridge-to-Junction leg, as previously discussed.)

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City budget cuts’ West Seattle effects include Fire Station 32 delay
April 13, 2009 11:51 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

One week after the city’s finance director warned that budget cuts would be forthcoming because of a $40 million-plus revenue shortfall, we just got first word of what will be affected. First major West Seattle effect: The project to replace Fire Station 32 in The Junction is likely on hold till at least 2011. Read on for more details, and what else was revealed in this morning’s briefing:Read More

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City budget crunch: Briefing coming up this morning
April 13, 2009 9:06 am
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 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

One week ago, we reported from City Hall as city finance director Dwight Dively briefed reporters, and then City Councilmembers, on changes in the revenue forecast, since less money’s coming in than expected. This morning, as noted then, we’ll get the first public report on how that might affect city projects – Dively will be back before the council’s Budget Committee at 10:30 am; you can watch live via Seattle Channel (online at seattlechannel.org or on-air, channel 21).

11:04 AM UPDATE: The document that Dively is reviewing with councilmembers right now can be seen here. He’s specifically discussing budget cuts to be made in “capital” projects because of reduced revenue from the Real Estate Excise Tax – examples so far, $750,000 less for the library system.

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Viaduct/tunnel money matters: Updates from Olympia
April 11, 2009 9:37 am
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 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Transportation | West Seattle politics

A few notes of interest in the House Transportation Budget legislation passed 65-30 late Friday (with both 34th District State House members, Eileen Cody and Sharon Nelson, among the “yes” votes): The bill now includes an amendment by Rep. Nelson (see it here) to fix the situation that the mayor sounded an alarm about earlier this month – a proposal that would have tied Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project money to some other city improvements (original WSB report here). Also, while it’s not the final say on whether a tunnel will replace the Central Waterfront “mile in the middle” section of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, the House bill does include the money needed for the tunnel itself and also says:

(23) Expenditures for the state route number 99 Alaskan Way viaduct replacement project must be made in conformance with Engrossed 38 Substitute Senate Bill No. 5768

… which is the bill that says a tunnel should replace The Viaduct. 5768 is in the House Rules Committee right now, and House Speaker Frank Chopp — who advocated an elevated replacement earlier in the Viaduct solution search — has been quoted as saying he won’t keep it from going to a floor vote, possibly early next week.

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One more 34th District Democrats report: The campaigning
April 9, 2009 11:09 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

When we interviewed County Councilmember Larry Phillips about his campaign for County Executive, he had a catch phrase including “uncommon courage.” Took a little courage to face the 34th District Democrats last night, since they had already endorsed County Council Chair Dow Constantine‘s candidacy last month. And he acknowledged it right out of the box: “I know you have a favorite son, who’s in the back of the room” — heads turned in time to see Constantine wave from the spot where he stood. Phillips, the first of several to campaign or advocate for campaigns during the meeting, reviewed his personal story, reiterated his willingness to “fight,” and stressed his Democratic credentials (though the job now is technically non-partisan). He also had something to say about the newest entrant in the race, former TV news anchor Susan Hutchison: “She’s masquerading as a moderate,” he declared, saying prominent Republican politicians are backing her. Phillips also answered several audience questions, including one about how big a budget bite is being taken by “law/safety/justice” — he said “a lot of people are in our detention facilities who aren’t threats to public safety and don’t need to be there.”

He was only the first of several candidates to speak last night to the 34th DDs, which took on a couple of election-related issues too – read on for the rest of our story and photos:Read More

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West Seattle jail-site fight: Conlin wants to reopen talks
April 9, 2009 12:54 pm
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 |   Highland Park | West Seattle jail sites | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

This item was going to be part of our forthcoming wrapup of various campaign speeches at last night’s 34th District Democrats meeting, but we’ve just received a response to a followup question we sent City Council President Richard Conlin, so we’re breaking it out: During his campaign speech to the 34th DDs (photo left), he mentioned the jail issue – Seattle teaming up with several other cities to pursue a potential new municipal-misdemeanor jail, with the potential sites including West Marginal Way/Highland Park Way SW – and told the 34th DDs: “… siting a new jail … is a terrible idea; we should only have to do it if we absolutely have to do it. I’m encouraged by a significant decrease in the King County jail population (recently) … we’re going to be sending King County a letter asking to reopen discussions about accommodating misdemeanants, so that we won’t go ahead (with a jail) unless we are ABSOLUTELY SURE we have to.” In other words, Conlin intends to ask a question others have posed before: Can’t the county keep handling misdemeanor inmates, at least a while longer, since their jail population in general has been dropping? We e-mailed Conlin this morning for a followup, and he replied:

Councilmember Burgess and I have decided to send this letter, but not sure yet whether it will be just from us or from the whole Council. We just made the decision this week and have not drafted it yet, but expect to do so shortly.

(Councilmember Tim Burgess chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee.) Officially, as noted in our coverage of recent Highland Park Action Committee meetings, the jail-site search is in the environmental-review phase. (WSB coverage of this issue is archived here, newest to oldest.)

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Port commissioners at 34th District Dems: Where to get viaduct $
April 8, 2009 8:13 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | West Seattle politics

Another quick update from the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting under way now in Fauntleroy: Port of Seattle Commissioners Lloyd Hara and John Creighton spoke to the 34th DDs tonight; among the many topics they’ve touched on, the port’s goal of chipping in $300 million for the Alaskan Way Viaduct-replacing tunnel. “How can we do that when port traffic is down and air traffic is down?”

(Creighton at left, foreground; Hara at right, background)
Creighton answered his own question by saying they’re looking at options such as $30 million a year for 10 years, maybe selling off assets such as the Bell Harbor Conference Center on the downtown waterfront — “why does the Port need a conference center?” he asked, again rhetorically — but said they’re doing all they can to figure out how to make the contribution without raising taxes (though Hara had noted earlier that the port does NOT currently use all of its taxing authority).

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From the 34th DDs’ meeting: Memorial set for Norman Kunkel
April 8, 2009 7:30 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle people | West Seattle politics

(photo added Thursday courtesy of Georgie Bright Kunkel, shown with husband Norman Kunkel at right, U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott at left)
From the 34th District Democrats‘ meeting, which we’re covering right now at The Hall at Fauntleroy: Condolences to West Seattle writer Georgie Bright Kunkel (of Rosie the Riveters fame, among other things) and family on the death of her husband, 90-year-old Norman C. Kunkel. His obituary is on the 34th DDs’ website; he was a longtime Democratic PCO in the district. He and Georgie were married for more than 60 years, and they wrote a book together about his World War II experience as an Ambulance Corps driver and concentration-camp liberator. His memorial service is set for 3 pm April 18 at Saltwater UU Church in Des Moines. More later from the 34th DDs’ meeting, where County Councilmember Larry Phillips has just pitched his County Executive candidacy (though the group endorsed County Council Chair Dow Constantine in the race at its last meeting), and City Council President Richard Conlin is among those who will be speaking shortly.

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Happening tonight: Food drive; drinking dialogue; 34th Dems
April 8, 2009 7:11 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle politics | West Seattle schools

From the WSB Events calendar:

FOOD DRIVE: Tonight’s the night Kiwanis Division 26 volunteers will be at the White Center Food Bank, 5:30-8 pm, hoping to see you drop by with donations of nonperishable food ($ donations welcome too). Here’s a map.

DRINKING DIALOGUE: Last week, we brought you the story of Chris Volkmann of Olympia, who has written a book with son Toren Volkmann about his teen (and beyond) drinking days. She is funny and practical, not preachy, and told us she hopes families will “just come have a dialogue” as she and Toren, now 26, speak at Madison Middle School tonight at 7 pm.

34TH DISTRICT DEMOCRATS: Last meeting, they endorsed County Council Chair Dow Constantine in his run for County Executive; tonight, they hear from one of his opponents, County Councilmember Larry Phillips. A resolution about “clean campaigns” is on the agenda too. 7 pm, The Hall at Fauntleroy.

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Choosing an interim King County Executive: “Blue ribbon” group
April 6, 2009 3:19 pm
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 |   West Seattle politics

King County Executive Ron Sims‘ federal appointment isn’t final yet, so technically his job here isn’t open, but the County Council’s been working on what to do if/when that happens — a new development today, a “blue-ribbon committee” has been created – read on for the official announcement:Read More

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Library supporters present petition to City Council committee
April 6, 2009 12:05 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

A West Seattle note from the Budget Committee meeting: In the public-comment period that’s under way now, following the revenue-forecast presentation (docs now online here) we covered earlier, a petition has just been presented to council members, with signatures gathered at this weekend’s Gathering of Neighbors, urging continued support for library $ – saying these services are needed more than ever.

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Newest city revenue-forecast #s: Lots of budget balancing to do
April 6, 2009 9:47 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

We’re in the 7th floor briefing room at City Hall, where media reps are about to get details on the city’s revenue forecast for the year. General Fund revenue looking $29.5 million short, according to the official news release. What that will mean for the city’s budget won’t be announced today, but this is a prelude. In addition, the Real Estate Excise Tax is projected to be down $11 million (different funds pay for different programs). They’re NOT expecting this recession ultimately to be as bad locally as 2001-2003, though. A few other factors they’re noting: A bit of deflation is more likely than inflation; the forecast personal savings rate is up, which may sound good but it means less sales-tax revenue in the short run.

10:15 AM UPDATE: Whole lot of numbers here but the bottom line is that they have more than $40 million in budget balancing to do, according to city finance director Dwight Dively (photo above), who will brief the City Council on all this within the hour. Some of it may be covered with the city’s rainy-day fund (explained in this city ordinance), but there’s no question that more cuts are to come (as had been warned for quite some time). He says the city is still in better shape than the county and state, regarding how badly it’s been affected and how much it will have to adjust. All this will be presented to the council Budget Committee at 10:30, if you’re interested in watching online or via cable (seattlechannel.org) – we’ll be heading down to see how it’s framed (and inquired about) there.

10:54 AM UPDATE: City Council Budget Committee is now getting briefed on this. Starts with “how did we get to this place” (national recession). Don’t worry, we’ll boil this all down later, but in case you are a numbers fan, we’ll do some play-by-play. The committee’s chair, Councilmember Jean Godden, has reminded those on hand that the budget-cut proposals will come from the mayor, but the council will not be rubber-stamping anything.

11:38 AM UPDATE: The handouts we got at the earlier briefing aren’t online so far but there is one list we thought you’d be interested in – some reasons for optimism, as the city sees it:

*Stock market up more than 20% from early March low

Home sales rose in February: new 4.7%, existing 5.1%

Single-family permits rose 11% in February

US retail sales rose in January and February (measured on month-to-month basis)

Orders for manufactured goods rose 1.8% in February

*Shipping volumes are showing signs of stabilizing (rail, truck, container, air freight)

11:42 AM UPDATE: The city has JUST posted the forecast docs online, same ones being presented to the council now, and seen in the media briefing we attended earlier. See them here. Wondering what this all may mean to you? We won’t have specifics till the mayor recommends budget cuts (likely to be made public within a few weeks), but for example: Capital projects, such as construction — roads, parks — paid for by the Real Estate Excise Tax, which is hurting big time, may have to be scaled back. Not the ones for which contracts already have been awarded, Dively clarified, but if there are proposals that haven’t gone out to bid yet – they could face the ax. Council President Richard Conlin is noting during the meeting right now, the drop in REET could mean a FIFTY PERCENT cut in those “capital projects.” (Not all road projects come from this, though – Dively said the ones paid for by Bridging the Gap, approved by voters a few years back, will not be affected.)

NOON: The first proposed cuts may be made public as soon as next week, according to the final words before the end of the official briefing (which has now segued into general public comment) – those would involve the Real Estate Excise Tax (1 1/2 percent)-funded projects.

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Delridge dilapidation tour, report #1: “Unintended consequence”
April 3, 2009 4:50 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Safety | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

That’s a view through the open front door of the last stop on today’s tour of Delridge-area problem properties, organized by North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady. Though he’s been fighting to get something done about vacant/trashed buildings in the area for three years, this one just turned up on his radar the other day – and in fact, when the tour group arrived, it turned out a city notice was posted:

Because of “high hazard” of imminent danger, the notice warned, the premises needed to be vacated by next Thursday. Those notices come from the Department of Planning and Development, whose top brass was on the tour, including director Diane Sugimura. City Councilmembers Sally Clark, who chairs the Planning, Land Use, and Neighborhoods Committee, and Tim Burgess, who chairs the Public Safety Committee, were there too — he’s in this photo with Dady, looking at the first stop on the tour:

So was City Council candidate David Bloom, who got involved after hearing about the problem during a West Seattle visit, plus Department of Neighborhoods director Stella Chao, Mayor Nickels’ public-safety liaison Julien Loh, and concerned neighbors — more than 20 people. The city leaders acknowledged that some of these problem properties are an “unintended consequence” of a city law meant to “preserve housing” — which instead has resulted in vacant, crumbling buildings left standing.

At the very end of the tour, when everyone else had left, Dady expressed cautious optimism that change might be coming; Burgess said he’s introducing a proposal to crack down on property owners who allow illegal activity on their land, and Sugimura expressed support for changing the code that prevents those owners from tearing down even their own buildings without a plan for replacement. More specifics, and photos, coming up later.

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Spokane St. Viaduct $ in jeopardy again? Alert from City Hall
April 2, 2009 3:17 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Spokane St. Viaduct project | Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics

widerspokane.jpg

It’s been a long and winding road for the city to secure all the $ needed for the Spokane Street Viaduct Widening Project, which will widen (and change the ramp configuration of) the West Seattle Bridge section between 99 and I-5. And now, the mayor’s office is asking for support in fighting a legislative proposal — an amendment to the House transportation budget just unveiled this week, and coming up on the floor tomorrow — that they say would put some of the money at risk again. Here’s how mayoral spokesperson Alex Fryer explains it:

Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson introduced an amendment of HB 1314 (information, status here) with this section:

b) In order to ensure that the city of Seattle complies with its commitment as described in subsection (a) of this subsection, the state shall make $50,000,000 of the transportation partnership account-state appropriation as provided in the 2009-2011 transportation budget, or as much thereof as is appropriated from this account, whichever is smaller, available for contribution to the south Spokane Street Viaduct component of the Alaskan Way viaduct replacement project, contingent on the city of Seattle complying with this subsection.

Full text of the amendment can be seen here.

Basically, this links $50 million of state money for Spokane Street Viaduct project to improvements the city was already going to make in the central waterfront and north end with the deep-bore tunnel. The problem is the widening of the Spokane Street Viaduct is expected to go to construction later this year, and tunnel improvements aren’t expected for several years – when the tunnel is nearing completion in early 2016.

We’re worried that Dickerson’s amendment, which passed (earlier this week) in the transportation committee, is now part of the House transportation budget. We want the state House to strip this provision, which could derail completing the Spokane Street Viaduct project by 2012.

We need folks to take action.

Call the state legislative Hotline at 800-562-6000. Ask for Eileen Cody, Sharon Nelson, Frank Chopp or Judy Clibborn and tell them to stop dickering and start building.

Reps. Cody and Nelson represent our area specifically – their websites are linked from here. Fryer says the Governor and Senate are opposed to this proposal, but it comes up on the House floor tomorrow.

ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: Rep. Nelson says in comments below that she and Rep. Cody are on the case.

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