Morning Fizz
Talk About an Enthusiasm Gap
1. Talk about an enthusiasm gap
: The 5th District Democrats (Issaquah, N. Bend, Snoqualmie, Unincorporated King County) are not endorsing David Spring, the Democratic candidate for state house rep.
The vice chair of the district, Reuben Powell, tells the Fizz that Spring "does not reflect the core values of the district." Asked if it was an ideological thing or a personal thing, Powell said simply there were "integrity issues."
Spring, who focuses (some say exclusively) on taxing the wealthy to pay for education, is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-5).
Spring has raised about $6,000 and has about $200 on hand. Anderson has raised over $60,000 and has about $20,000 on hand.
2. Asked why his longtime benefactor, Woodinville financial manager Mike Dunmire, has not contributed any money to his initiative (I-1053) campaign this year, Tim Eyman tells Fizz the stock market hasn't been kind to Dunmire lately.
Eyman himself has loaned the campaign $250,000.
And no worries, I-1053 has attracted support from big oil companies (BP is in for $100,000; Conoco Phillips is in for $75,000; and Tesoro is in for $90,000).
I-1053 would require a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise taxes. The legislature has been considering raising the hazardous substance tax on oil companies.
3. Speaking of which: The hazardous substance tax came up at this week's mega-candidate forum in Bellevue, where the pack of candidates running for state legislature in the 41st and 48th (the Eastside Seattle suburbs) debated.
In the hot race for state senate in the 41st (liberal incumbent Democrat Sen. Randy Gordon vs. pro-choice Republican Stephen Litzow) the tax took center stage when Gordon declared that he supported the Model Toxics Control Act (that's what the tax is called) "before it was cool."
Litzow would only say that storm water cleanup (that's what the tax pays for) would be an issue this year. Tesoro and Conoco Phillips have each contributed $800 to Litzow.
Randy "I was for MTCA before it was cool" Gordon has gotten zero from the oil companies.
4. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Republican challenger Dino Rossi had their first televised debate last night. We live blogged it (and fact-checked) here. The Seattle Times has a good summary here . The Spokesman-Review—the debate was in Spokane —reports on it here. And the PI has a good report too.
The candidates' second and final debate is on Sunday at 7PM on KOMO TV.
The vice chair of the district, Reuben Powell, tells the Fizz that Spring "does not reflect the core values of the district." Asked if it was an ideological thing or a personal thing, Powell said simply there were "integrity issues."
Spring, who focuses (some say exclusively) on taxing the wealthy to pay for education, is running against incumbent Republican Rep. Glenn Anderson (R-5).
Spring has raised about $6,000 and has about $200 on hand. Anderson has raised over $60,000 and has about $20,000 on hand.
2. Asked why his longtime benefactor, Woodinville financial manager Mike Dunmire, has not contributed any money to his initiative (I-1053) campaign this year, Tim Eyman tells Fizz the stock market hasn't been kind to Dunmire lately.
Eyman himself has loaned the campaign $250,000.
And no worries, I-1053 has attracted support from big oil companies (BP is in for $100,000; Conoco Phillips is in for $75,000; and Tesoro is in for $90,000).
I-1053 would require a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise taxes. The legislature has been considering raising the hazardous substance tax on oil companies.
3. Speaking of which: The hazardous substance tax came up at this week's mega-candidate forum in Bellevue, where the pack of candidates running for state legislature in the 41st and 48th (the Eastside Seattle suburbs) debated.
In the hot race for state senate in the 41st (liberal incumbent Democrat Sen. Randy Gordon vs. pro-choice Republican Stephen Litzow) the tax took center stage when Gordon declared that he supported the Model Toxics Control Act (that's what the tax is called) "before it was cool."
Litzow would only say that storm water cleanup (that's what the tax pays for) would be an issue this year. Tesoro and Conoco Phillips have each contributed $800 to Litzow.
Randy "I was for MTCA before it was cool" Gordon has gotten zero from the oil companies.
4. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Republican challenger Dino Rossi had their first televised debate last night. We live blogged it (and fact-checked) here. The Seattle Times has a good summary here . The Spokesman-Review—the debate was in Spokane —reports on it here. And the PI has a good report too.
The candidates' second and final debate is on Sunday at 7PM on KOMO TV.
