Today's loser: South King County. 

For the second time in the past year, South King County will bear the brunt of a revenue shortfall throughout the three-county Sound Transit region.

Sound Transit's board got a first look yesterday at the agency's proposed 2012 budget, which will have to address a 25 percent revenue shortfall over the 15-year life of the Sound Transit II measure adopted by voters in 2008.

Under Sound Transit's policy of "subarea equity," money raised in one geographic "subarea" must be spent in that subarea. When revenues are higher in one subarea, that area gets more money; when revenues fall short, that area gets less.

According to Sound Transit staff analysis , "ongoing efforts to align projects and services with available funding are most challenging in South King County, where revenues are now projected to be 32.4 percent lower than at the time the Sound Transit 2 ballot measure was submitted to voters."

The only area where the revenue shortfall was actually less than expected? Pierce County, where revenues are now projected to fall "only" 23.6 percent.

Today's winner: The Washington State Democratic Party[pullquote]It's never in the Republicans best interest to give quote machine Dwight Pelz a free swing. [/pullquote]

Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna played right into the Democrats' hands today by filing a seemingly petulant appeal to an earlier 7-2 state supreme court ruling saying the AG's office must represent Democratic Lands Commissioner Peter Goldmark.

McKenna comes off as totally partisan just as he's trying to portray himself as a moderate Republican in his bid to be the first GOP governor of the state in three decades.

It's never in the Republicans best interest to give quote machine Dwight Pelz, the rowdy chair of the Washington State Democrats, a free swing.

Here's Pelz:

The Washington State Supreme Court—in an unequivocal 7-2 decision— made it clear that Rob McKenna has a constitutional duty to set aside personal and party politics and represent his clients. Instead, McKenna is wasting time and resources attempting to circumvent the clear instructions of the court. It is a stunning display of arrogance from a public official who is required by law to represent the interests of all Washingtonians, not simply his narrow interests.