Morning Fizz
Seattle Doesn't Get Anything Done
1. Seattle City Council candidate Dian Ferguson held her campaign kickoff last night at First AME Church on Capitol Hill.
Ferguson, the former Executive Director at Seattle's community access network SCAN TV, a board member at the Minority Executive Directors' Coalition, and a former policy staffer at the city, is running against Sally Clark. Erica will have a full report later, but Ferguson's main theme was pretty standard: Seattle doesn't get anything done because it's too bogged down in process and never makes decisions. Ferguson cited the tunnel debate and all the endless analysis.
But hasn't the city council made up its mind on the tunnel, Fizz asked. Yes. And does she agree with the decision? Yes. Even though her personal pick is the retrofit, she told us she wants to move forward with the tunnel.
2. Andrew already reported on the letter state Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45, Kirkland) sent state Attorney General Rob McKenna yesterday. In the letter, Goodman formally submits his gotchya on McKenna from a few weeks ago: Given that McKenna has weighed in on the federal health care law (McKenna is one of attorneys general who's joined a multi-state lawsuit against President Obama's health care law), how can McKenna dodge Goodman's request for an opinion on medical marijuana by saying he doesn't have an opinion because it's a federal issue?
Goodman added a second gotchya in the letter which caught Fizz's attention. "You have expressed your opinion on other important federal issues such as health care insurance reform and U.S. policy in Israel," Goodman wrote.
Huh. As AG, McKenna has formally weighed in on U.S. policy in Israel? Do tell.
Goodman reminded us that McKenna joined nine other state attorneys general in 2009, signing a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defending Israel's invasion of Gaza. Seattle Times editorial writer Bruce Ramsey wrote about it here. [pullquote]The legislature concluded its special session yesterday, finally passing the $32 billion budget that includes more than $4 billion in cuts to education, health programs, and social services.[/pullquote]
3. The legislature concluded its special session yesterday, finally passing the $32 billion budget that includes more than $4 billion in cuts to education, health programs, and social services. It passed the senate 34-13 in a bipartisan vote after passing the house on Tuesday along party lines.
One other last minute move, the legislature passed a bill calling on the state to put its liquor distribution system up for private bids.
4. As usual, we've got a heavy discussion going on in this week's ThinkTank, with more than 100 comments. Join the discussion. (This week we've got former Seattle Chamber of Commerce head Tayloe Washburn and Seattle Transit Blog blooger Ben Schiendelman debating the meaning of the tunnel referendum.)
Ferguson, the former Executive Director at Seattle's community access network SCAN TV, a board member at the Minority Executive Directors' Coalition, and a former policy staffer at the city, is running against Sally Clark. Erica will have a full report later, but Ferguson's main theme was pretty standard: Seattle doesn't get anything done because it's too bogged down in process and never makes decisions. Ferguson cited the tunnel debate and all the endless analysis.
But hasn't the city council made up its mind on the tunnel, Fizz asked. Yes. And does she agree with the decision? Yes. Even though her personal pick is the retrofit, she told us she wants to move forward with the tunnel.
2. Andrew already reported on the letter state Rep. Roger Goodman (D-45, Kirkland) sent state Attorney General Rob McKenna yesterday. In the letter, Goodman formally submits his gotchya on McKenna from a few weeks ago: Given that McKenna has weighed in on the federal health care law (McKenna is one of attorneys general who's joined a multi-state lawsuit against President Obama's health care law), how can McKenna dodge Goodman's request for an opinion on medical marijuana by saying he doesn't have an opinion because it's a federal issue?
Goodman added a second gotchya in the letter which caught Fizz's attention. "You have expressed your opinion on other important federal issues such as health care insurance reform and U.S. policy in Israel," Goodman wrote.
Huh. As AG, McKenna has formally weighed in on U.S. policy in Israel? Do tell.
Goodman reminded us that McKenna joined nine other state attorneys general in 2009, signing a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defending Israel's invasion of Gaza. Seattle Times editorial writer Bruce Ramsey wrote about it here. [pullquote]The legislature concluded its special session yesterday, finally passing the $32 billion budget that includes more than $4 billion in cuts to education, health programs, and social services.[/pullquote]
3. The legislature concluded its special session yesterday, finally passing the $32 billion budget that includes more than $4 billion in cuts to education, health programs, and social services. It passed the senate 34-13 in a bipartisan vote after passing the house on Tuesday along party lines.
One other last minute move, the legislature passed a bill calling on the state to put its liquor distribution system up for private bids.
4. As usual, we've got a heavy discussion going on in this week's ThinkTank, with more than 100 comments. Join the discussion. (This week we've got former Seattle Chamber of Commerce head Tayloe Washburn and Seattle Transit Blog blooger Ben Schiendelman debating the meaning of the tunnel referendum.)
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