1.  Typically quiet freshman state Rep. Scott White (D-46, N. Seattle) sent out an email to a number of his colleagues earlier this week about the 520 project. The gist: We don't all support House Speaker Chopp's tunnel option, also known as Option K.

From Rep. White's slightly rebellious email (ALL CAPS are all his): 

Second, the communities on the western side of Lake Washington are NOT uniformly supportive of option K.  It is my understanding that neighborhoods in the 43^rd LD are supportive of option K.  However, many neighborhoods in the 46^th LD are strongly supportive of option A (and some are supportive of option K).  The reasons for preferring one option over another range from projected traffic impacts on neighborhoods to aesthetic appeal.  Like many large projects that impact multiple neighborhoods in urban areas, we currently have a situation where community groups are NOT in agreement.

2. Yesterday, we reported on the Blue/Green coalition of Democratic legislators that are flexing their muscle in Olympia. Well, Morning Fizz heard this little extra anecdote/rumor: House Speaker Frank Chopp (D-43, Wallingford, Capitol Hill) reportedly stopped one of the Blue/Green yin yang button wearers and asked if he could have one. "You have to sign the pledge," the legislator told Chopp. The pledge included backing Rep. Timm Ormsby's (D-3, Spokane) water clean up bill and Rep. Mike Sells' (D-3, Everett) workers' privacy bill. Chopp is said to have demurred on the workers' privacy bill. 

3. Retiring Seattle City Council Member Jan Drago is reportedly interested in the CEO job at the Seattle Chamber of Commerce (longtime Chamber CEO Steve Leahy announced his resignation in February). Morning Fizz hears that the Chamber isn't interested back. 

4. Erica C. Barnett has a good primer over at Slog  on Republican Susan Hutchison, the former KIRO anchor, who jumped into the  King County Executive's race yesterday, including the fact that Hutchison donated $500 to Mike Huckabee in 2007.

A few things to add: Hutchison steering committee member Sarah Rindlaub, wife of big time GOP donor and Wells Fargo Exec John Rindlaub, donated $1000 to Huckabee and several thousands to Eastern Washington Congesswoman and GOP ideologue Cathy McMorris Rodgers. The donations are worth noting because Huckabee and McMorris Rodgers are not the type of moderate Republicans that sit well with King  County voters. 

5. Don't miss U.W. President Mark Emmert's convincing Seattle Times op/ed   where he supports the Governor's proposal for a 14 percent increase in higher-ed tuition. Emmert made the same case in front of the Tacoma News Tribune's editorial board. The TNT was apparently persuaded.

(Emmert sat down with PubliCola to talk about the education budget and tuition increases earlier this session).

6. Over 50 organizations,  however, were not persuaded by a Seattle Times editorial for cutting the state's GAU program (General Assistance for the Unemployable) and issued an angry letter yesterday. Governor Chris Gregoire has proposed eliminating the GAU program  and the state Senate has proposed giant cuts (an 80 percent cut to the $339 per month payment).

The House budget makes a less severe cut to the GAU—and homeless advocate Speaker Chopp is prepared to do serious horse trading (sorry environment) with Senate Leader Sen. Lisa Brown to preserve the program. 

7. Watch for the state Senate to pass a pay day loan bill today, legislation that was sent over from the House earlier this session and has never passed both Houses despite several earlier efforts.