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Extra Campaign Fizz: MDC Backs, Will Raise Funds For, School Board Challengers
This post has been updated to reflect the fact that the MDC did endorse Michelle Buetow at its meeting yesterday. We originally reported that the MDC did not issue an endorsement in her race against incumbent Harium Martin-Morris.
At its meeting this afternoon, the Metropolitan Democratic Club endorsed school board challenger Michelle Buetow (she got 18 votes out of 28 voting members) over incumbent Harium Martin-Morris. Additionally, MDC president Justin Simmons said the group would hold a fundraiser for all four school board challengers, including Buetow.
The unusual move---Democratic Party-affiliated organizations like the MDC don't typically raise funds for nonpartisan candidates like Buetow and her three fellow challengers---speaks to the ongoing dissatisfaction with the Seattle school board, which has been plagued by a minority programming scandal, a screwed-up bidding process for the Martin Luther King School property, and a stunning conflict of interest with the district's MAP standardized test.
The MDC also endorsed: "No" on Initiative 1125, Tim Eyman's anti-toll, anti-light rail measure; "Yes" on Initiative 1163, the SEIU-backed proposal to fund training for home health care workers; "No" on Initiative 1183, the Costco-backed liquor privatization measure; and "No endorsement" on Seattle Proposition 1, the $60 car-tab fee. After a heated debate, members split evenly on the car-tab fee, voting 18 to 18 for and against the measure .
At its meeting this afternoon, the Metropolitan Democratic Club endorsed school board challenger Michelle Buetow (she got 18 votes out of 28 voting members) over incumbent Harium Martin-Morris. Additionally, MDC president Justin Simmons said the group would hold a fundraiser for all four school board challengers, including Buetow.
The unusual move---Democratic Party-affiliated organizations like the MDC don't typically raise funds for nonpartisan candidates like Buetow and her three fellow challengers---speaks to the ongoing dissatisfaction with the Seattle school board, which has been plagued by a minority programming scandal, a screwed-up bidding process for the Martin Luther King School property, and a stunning conflict of interest with the district's MAP standardized test.
The MDC also endorsed: "No" on Initiative 1125, Tim Eyman's anti-toll, anti-light rail measure; "Yes" on Initiative 1163, the SEIU-backed proposal to fund training for home health care workers; "No" on Initiative 1183, the Costco-backed liquor privatization measure; and "No endorsement" on Seattle Proposition 1, the $60 car-tab fee. After a heated debate, members split evenly on the car-tab fee, voting 18 to 18 for and against the measure .
