Morning Fizz
Among Other Cuts
1. According to an unscientific poll by the Seattle Channel taken in the runup to its I-1098 debate at Town Hall last night, just over 49 percent of respondents support the high earners' income tax, compared to 43 percent who oppose the proposal—and 8 percent are undecided.
The most recent Elway Poll, earlier this month, showed the measure with 44 percent in favor, 42 percent opposed, and 14 percent undecided.
2. In the Eastside Seattle suburbs state legislature race that we believe is a bellwether because A) it pits the House Finance Chair—the guy who wrote the budget last session—against a former GOP state party chair and B) because the Eastside is swing turf battle ground the GOP has said is key to their pending ascension —the Seattle Times played its hand yesterday, endorsing the former GOP chair Diane Tebelius over Democrat Ross Hunter.
Spending problem? Raised taxes? C) Fact check: In the recent $12 billion budget crisis, under Hunter's watch, the state has made $5.1 billion in program and service cuts compared to $757 million in additional taxes. Tax increases make up just 8.5 percent of the solution.
3. City departments are currently briefing the city council's budget committee to outline what Mayor Mike McGinn's proposed 2011 budget will mean for their departments.
Yesterday, the council heard from the Seattle Department of Transportation, which is funded partly through the general fund and partly through other sources like the Bridging the Gap property tax levy, and the Parks Department. Among other cuts, the transportation department will lose: Funding for preventative maintenance on traffic signals; warning beacons and destination signs; routine maintenance like mowing lawns, repairing alleys, and marking curbs and pavement; the extension of the Burke-Gilman Trail; and transit, pedestrian, and safety improvements on Aurora Ave. N.
The council has also heard from the parks department, where the cuts would mean putting some capital projects on hold; reducing funding for a renovation to the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center; and cutting funds for the urban forestry program, including the replacement of trees that are cut down.
4. At a town hall meeting at the Rainier Beach Community Center last night, Mayor Mike McGinn responded to a couple of hundred residents' questions about crime, kids' activities, and his emphasis on biking and transit over cars.
On recent incidents of police brutality:
"There are processes that have to be followed… and I recognize that there may be skepticism from the past about whether those processes involve justice. ... People should have a sense of safety, no matter who they are."
On private park-and-rides near light rail stations, which used to be illegal:
"We just introduced legislation allowing long-term parking around light rail station areas. ... I personally have no objection to the marketplace working around light rail station areas. [That said,] I don't see us having the money, nor would I support, public dollars being used to support parking" near light rail stations."
On road diets, a particular source of contention during last night's meeting:
"The [transportation department] has done before and after analyses to see how they're working. ... The pedestrian safety issue is very, very significant."
5. Lefty news site star Arianna Huffington spoke at last night's Planned Parenthood fundraiser at the Oddfellows Hall on Capitol Hill.
Her speech wasn't much about choice, though. She trashed the media with a critique of the Balloon Boy story (remember that one) suggesting that—to call the media's attention to real stories about children—activists should get the 300,000 children who live in poverty in the U.S. and send them up in a balloon, adding, "and don't worry, we wouldn't even have to put them in the balloon."
The most passionate part of her speech was her condemnation of the war in Afghanistan, which she said reflected "the perverse priorities of a declining empire."
The most recent Elway Poll, earlier this month, showed the measure with 44 percent in favor, 42 percent opposed, and 14 percent undecided.
2. In the Eastside Seattle suburbs state legislature race that we believe is a bellwether because A) it pits the House Finance Chair—the guy who wrote the budget last session—against a former GOP state party chair and B) because the Eastside is swing turf battle ground the GOP has said is key to their pending ascension —the Seattle Times played its hand yesterday, endorsing the former GOP chair Diane Tebelius over Democrat Ross Hunter.
"Tebelius is poised to address Olympia's spending problem...Hunter was the architect of a budget that raised $757 million in taxes."
Spending problem? Raised taxes? C) Fact check: In the recent $12 billion budget crisis, under Hunter's watch, the state has made $5.1 billion in program and service cuts compared to $757 million in additional taxes. Tax increases make up just 8.5 percent of the solution.
3. City departments are currently briefing the city council's budget committee to outline what Mayor Mike McGinn's proposed 2011 budget will mean for their departments.
Yesterday, the council heard from the Seattle Department of Transportation, which is funded partly through the general fund and partly through other sources like the Bridging the Gap property tax levy, and the Parks Department. Among other cuts, the transportation department will lose: Funding for preventative maintenance on traffic signals; warning beacons and destination signs; routine maintenance like mowing lawns, repairing alleys, and marking curbs and pavement; the extension of the Burke-Gilman Trail; and transit, pedestrian, and safety improvements on Aurora Ave. N.
The council has also heard from the parks department, where the cuts would mean putting some capital projects on hold; reducing funding for a renovation to the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Center; and cutting funds for the urban forestry program, including the replacement of trees that are cut down.
4. At a town hall meeting at the Rainier Beach Community Center last night, Mayor Mike McGinn responded to a couple of hundred residents' questions about crime, kids' activities, and his emphasis on biking and transit over cars.
On recent incidents of police brutality:
"There are processes that have to be followed… and I recognize that there may be skepticism from the past about whether those processes involve justice. ... People should have a sense of safety, no matter who they are."
On private park-and-rides near light rail stations, which used to be illegal:
"We just introduced legislation allowing long-term parking around light rail station areas. ... I personally have no objection to the marketplace working around light rail station areas. [That said,] I don't see us having the money, nor would I support, public dollars being used to support parking" near light rail stations."
On road diets, a particular source of contention during last night's meeting:
"The [transportation department] has done before and after analyses to see how they're working. ... The pedestrian safety issue is very, very significant."
5. Lefty news site star Arianna Huffington spoke at last night's Planned Parenthood fundraiser at the Oddfellows Hall on Capitol Hill.
Her speech wasn't much about choice, though. She trashed the media with a critique of the Balloon Boy story (remember that one) suggesting that—to call the media's attention to real stories about children—activists should get the 300,000 children who live in poverty in the U.S. and send them up in a balloon, adding, "and don't worry, we wouldn't even have to put them in the balloon."
The most passionate part of her speech was her condemnation of the war in Afghanistan, which she said reflected "the perverse priorities of a declining empire."
