Morning Fizz
"They Can't Keep Us Down."
Caffeinated News & Gossip. Your Daily Morning Fizz
1. This Saturday, Mayor Mike McGinn is holding a post-election get together "whiskey and dessert" party at his house for supporters of the anti-tunnel campaign. According to the invitation that went out to supporters, the mayor---who stayed out of the spotlight during the campaign, but whose chief of staff, Julie McCoy, helped the anti-tunnel camp with messaging we've been told---is holding the event to express his appreciation to the campaign's staff and volunteers. "They can't keep us down," the invite concludes.
McGinn is also holding a separate event---a barbecue---at his house next Thursday, to raise money for his 2013 reelection campaign.
2. From the Metro deal at King County to the vehicle license vote at City Hall to Tuesday night's tunnel election, it was a major week in local news. Erica C. Barnett will be on KUOW's Weekday this morning from 10 to 11 with host Steve Scher to debrief.
Tune in. 94.9 FM.
3. Indeed, it was such a busy run of days, we didn't get around to posting this week's ThinkTank until yesterday. But it was worth the wait.
Real Change Executive Director Tim Harris makes the case that the Metro deal—which ends the Ride-Free Area on downtown buses—is backward government policy because it uses the recession as cover to attack the poor while Downtown Seattle Association VP Jon Scholes and writer Roger Valdez make the case that it was a difficult but necessary choice to fend off decapitating cuts.
4. Some Morning Fuzz: Yesterday, the Seattle Police Department sent us some stats on its performance and staffing for the first half of the year. Some highlights:
• Major crimes are declining, and SPD expects a total reduction of major crimes of seven percent by the end of the year.
• Police response times to calls have exceeded the goals set in the 2007 Neighborhood Policing Plan. On average, top-priority calls got a response from officers within 6.3 minutes, slightly better than the seven-minute goal in the plan.
• Despite the fact that SPD hasn't hired any new officers for more than a year, it increased the number of patrol officers over the past year from 684 to 693.
• Property crime is down 12 percent over last year, and violent crime is down one percent.
5. Pam's House Blend, a gay-rights blog, points out that although AG Rob McKenna has made a point of not endorsing candidates during his run for governor, he made one exception, giving the nod to Rep. Mike Hope (R-44), who's running for Snohomish County executive against incumbent Aaron Reardon.
Hope, the blog notes, is a "proven anti-gay politician" who voted against expanding domestic partnerships and against recognizing out-of-state gay marriages. Last year, McKenna endorsed "some of the most virulently anti-gay candidates on the ballot," including Rick Larsen challenger John Koster and 25th District Rep. candidate Hans Zeiger.
Speaking of "proven anti-gay politicians," Fizz does wonder what Republican McKenna thinks about Michele Bachmann, the winner of last week's Republican straw poll in Iowa.
1. This Saturday, Mayor Mike McGinn is holding a post-election get together "whiskey and dessert" party at his house for supporters of the anti-tunnel campaign. According to the invitation that went out to supporters, the mayor---who stayed out of the spotlight during the campaign, but whose chief of staff, Julie McCoy, helped the anti-tunnel camp with messaging we've been told---is holding the event to express his appreciation to the campaign's staff and volunteers. "They can't keep us down," the invite concludes.
McGinn is also holding a separate event---a barbecue---at his house next Thursday, to raise money for his 2013 reelection campaign.
2. From the Metro deal at King County to the vehicle license vote at City Hall to Tuesday night's tunnel election, it was a major week in local news. Erica C. Barnett will be on KUOW's Weekday this morning from 10 to 11 with host Steve Scher to debrief.
Tune in. 94.9 FM.
3. Indeed, it was such a busy run of days, we didn't get around to posting this week's ThinkTank until yesterday. But it was worth the wait.
Real Change Executive Director Tim Harris makes the case that the Metro deal—which ends the Ride-Free Area on downtown buses—is backward government policy because it uses the recession as cover to attack the poor while Downtown Seattle Association VP Jon Scholes and writer Roger Valdez make the case that it was a difficult but necessary choice to fend off decapitating cuts.
4. Some Morning Fuzz: Yesterday, the Seattle Police Department sent us some stats on its performance and staffing for the first half of the year. Some highlights:
• Major crimes are declining, and SPD expects a total reduction of major crimes of seven percent by the end of the year.
• Police response times to calls have exceeded the goals set in the 2007 Neighborhood Policing Plan. On average, top-priority calls got a response from officers within 6.3 minutes, slightly better than the seven-minute goal in the plan.
• Despite the fact that SPD hasn't hired any new officers for more than a year, it increased the number of patrol officers over the past year from 684 to 693.
• Property crime is down 12 percent over last year, and violent crime is down one percent.
5. Pam's House Blend, a gay-rights blog, points out that although AG Rob McKenna has made a point of not endorsing candidates during his run for governor, he made one exception, giving the nod to Rep. Mike Hope (R-44), who's running for Snohomish County executive against incumbent Aaron Reardon.
Hope, the blog notes, is a "proven anti-gay politician" who voted against expanding domestic partnerships and against recognizing out-of-state gay marriages. Last year, McKenna endorsed "some of the most virulently anti-gay candidates on the ballot," including Rick Larsen challenger John Koster and 25th District Rep. candidate Hans Zeiger.
Speaking of "proven anti-gay politicians," Fizz does wonder what Republican McKenna thinks about Michele Bachmann, the winner of last week's Republican straw poll in Iowa.
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