From Les Blumenthal in our DC bureau:

The morning buzz this week in the nation’s capital revolves around some rather nasty radio advertisements being run by a group called Alabamians for Building America’s Tanker.

Boeing and the Northrop Grumman-EADS team have been snipping at each other for months over the $35 billion contract for Air Force aerial refueling tankers. They seem to run almost daily, full-page newspaper ads touting the virtues of their tankers and smacking each other silly.

But these new ads, running on a D.C. news radio channel, have cranked up the rhetoric at least several notches. The Alabamians say they are tired of taking it and it’s time to fight back. Northrop-EADS promised to build a plant to assemble their Airbus tanker in Mobile, Ala. Groundbreaking for the plant was canceled, however, when government auditors found serious problems with the original contract.

The latest ads take note of Boeing’s involvement in a previous Pentagon procurement scandal involving the tanker contract, a Boeing engineer who was arrested for allegedly trying to sell trade secrets to “Communist” China and how jobs in Mobile are just as American as those in Washington state where Boeing would build its tanker.

"We are Americans, Mobile is part of Alabama and Alabama is part of the United States," Bryan Lee, one of the founders of the group told The Politico. The Politico reported the group expects to spend $250,000 on the radio ads.

Lee is a Mobile firefighter, and others involved in the nonprofit group who have been identified publicly include a lobbyist for the City of Mobile, a prominent real estate developer and an accountant. No word on who is funding the group.

Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, called the ads "false and misleading" and a "direct attack" on Boeing workers in Washington state.

Here is a transcript of the ads or you can listen here.

=> Read more!

Think you’ve been seeing a lot of Gov. Chris Gregoire lately? It’s not your imagination.

According to a schedule provided by her campaign, Gregoire has visited Pierce County 28 times in 2008, including six trips this month.

Eighteen of Gregoire’s 2008 visits involved at least one campaign event, according to the schedule. The rest were for official government business, like bill signings or this week’s groundbreaking ceremony for the pedestrian overpass at Pierce County’s Chambers Creek Properties. But in an election year, it’s sometimes a fine distinction.

Dino Rossi has been no slouch, either. According to his schedule, he’s visited Pierce County 22 times this year, including a Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce luncheon earlier this month and a fundraiser scheduled for Friday.

Rossi carried Pierce County in 2004 and told me this week he needs to win here again to win in November. Read more about Pierce County’s role in the governor’s race in an article tentatively scheduled to run Sunday or Monday.

In the meantime, you can download an Excel spreadsheet of Gregoire’s 2008 Pierce County appearances here.

You can download the list of Rossi’s appearances here.

You might recognize the above ad, for a Tacoma Water conservation campaign. But what you may not realize is that the above ad, which I found here, is missing the complete address, which I found on the back of the No. 57 bus today.

www.tacomawater.com/tuna or, as I like to say: "Tacoma Water dot com, slash tuna."

Is Tacoma far enough removed from the "aroma of Tacoma" meme to enlist this URL, especially regarding our water supply? Some part of me -- let's call it the water-drinking part -- thinks the answer is no.

Just got this e-mail:
"The Tacoma City Council needs three additional citizens to help plan and coordinate the City of Destiny Awards program, an annual public awards ceremony which recognizes Tacoma citizens for their outstanding volunteer service."

Interested? Contact the Community Relations Office: 253-573-2506 or visit www.cityoftacoma.org/commissions

Good luck, citizens.

In other news(ish), the city will host an open house on Aug. 6 to help explain upcoming Pacific Avenue improvements between S. 25th and 17th streets.

In short, the area will get a new street and repaired sidewalks and gutters, starting in mid-August. You'll only notice the work if you're a night owl: They'll start at 7 p.m. and work until 5 a.m.

Want to know more? Visit room 708 of the Tacoma Municipal Building between 4 and 6 p.m. on Aug. 6 or visit www.cityoftacoma.org/PacAve.

It is a pretty typical first campaign spot, not so much a biography of the candidate as a summary of the campaign's themes. The 30-second ad called "Better" tries to set up Dino Rossi as the candidate who can solve problems.

The spot doesn't mention rival Chris Gregoire but suggests that the problems he says he will solve are the result of the inactions of the incumbent.

"Do we have problems that are too big, too hard to solve?" Rossi asks. "Or is Olympia stuck in the same old way of doing things?"

Rossi voices most of the ad himself although an announcer reads the tag line at the end: "Dino Rossi, a governor who will make a difference."

Rossi campaign spokeswoman Jill Strait said the ad will run statewide and appear between today and next Monday.

Connie Ladenburg thinks term limits should be wiped out of City Hall, but, judging by yesterday's appointments committee meeting – where they decided which citizens would write the "for" and "against" voter guide statements for Ladenburg's proposed amendment – there may not be much support.

Thirteen people signed up to write the anti-abolishment-of-term-limits piece. Names on the list include those well-known to city government, including Tom Stenger, Marty Campbell, Charles "Kelly" Creso and Catherine Ushka-Hall.

Just one person signed up to write in support of Ladenburg's proposition: Randy Harrison. (Jesse/Robert/"The Traveller" Hill also submitted his name, but was told he didn't make the cut-off.)

Harrison will write the pro statement, while Stenger, Campbell and Ushka-Hall will write statements against the amendment. Jaime Smith, an officer with the Women's Political Caucus, is first alternate.

The meeting was unusual: "We've never had 13 names. The most is three or maybe two," Mayor Bill Baarsma told the group. They've also never had just one name sign up in support of a bill. Baarsma said he credited it to "the way in which this came about."

Translation: Since Ladenburg dropped the amendment on the council - instead of the idea filtering through the charter review process - it's not an idea that's had time to get much traction.

Gov. Chris Gregoire addressed hundreds of teachers in Tacoma this morning at a conference sponsored by the state school superintendent’s office. The governor touted efforts to reduce class sizes and raise teacher pay. But one of her biggest applause lines came when she announced husband Mike’s take on daughter Courtney’s upcoming wedding.

“My husband’s philosophy is that his job is to show up, shut up and pay up,” Gregoire said. “He is performing admirably.”

Thanks largely to a hotly contested county executive’s race, Pierce County candidates this year are raking in huge sums of campaign cash.

So far, the combined take is about $800,000, and there’s still three months to go before the election. Two executive candidates – Republican Shawn Bunney and Democrat Calvin Goings – account for nearly $500,000 of the total.

According to data from the state Public Disclosure Commission, candidates this year already have nearly doubled the amount raised by candidates for all Pierce County offices in 2000 ($404,321)) and 2004 ($409,501).

For a candidate-by-candidate breakdown of 2008 fund-raising to date, check out this Excel spreadsheet. To search for other campaign data, check out the nifty new search functions at the PDC web site.

I'm catching up with my e-mails. I got this one last Thursday, but I got real busy covering the Sound Transit board. Thursday is when the board decided to put a $17.9 billion measure on the ballot.

Also, there's not much new news in this news release. But you can visit Marcia McCraw's Web site to see her picture and bio, etc.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: info@marciamccraw4ltgov.com
July 24, 2008

Marcia McCraw Running for Lt. Governor to Renew Washington

Marcia McCraw from the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle, Washington is running for Lt. Governor with a promise to Renew Washington.

“Have you noticed that the answer to every challenge in Olympia is to create a new and expensive program?” says McCraw. “In addition to the duties of Lt. Governor which include presiding over the Senate and stepping in when the Governor is out of state or in an emergency, I want to promote what’s best for Washington by initiating Renew Washington.”

Marcia McCraw is an attorney licensed to practice in four states, was appointed by the President of the U.S. to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Council, speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has served in many community service groups.

=> Read more!

That would be Aaron Reardon, a former state representative and state senator.

ChangMook Sohn, longtime state economist, is running against state Rep. Jim McIntire, D-Seattle, in the primary election.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – July 28, 2008

Snohomish County Executive Reardon endorses Sohn for State Treasurer

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon today announced his endorsement of Dr. ChangMook Sohn for State Treasurer. Reardon said Sohn’s 23 years as the state’s chief economist and his impartial and precise approach to fiscal matters make him the best choice for the office.

=> Read more!

The November ballot is getting more crowded. And, no, I'm not talking about Sound Transit's $17.9 billion tax plan.

Earlier this week, the Pierce County Council voted unanimously to ask voters to consider changes to the county charter that address the process of appointing citizens to boards and commissions.

I know - snooze alert! - but stay with me here. County reporter David Wickert says there's a reason for this:

The county executive appoints people to numerous county boards, ranging from the Planning Commission to the Chemical Dependency Advisory Board. The County Council must approve the appointments.

In cases where the appointee must come from a specific County Council district, the executive has to choose from among three people recommended by the council member representing that district.

In November, voters will consider proposals to:

Require the council member to recommend candidates within 30 days of a board vacancy.

Require the executive to forward appointments to the council within 60 days of a vacancy.

Allow the council to make appointments for positions that are vacant 90 days or more.

Council Chairman Terry Lee, R-Gig Harbor, said the council is trying to ensure vacancies are filled in a timely manner. He said there have been some cases in which boards failed to reach a quorum because of vacancies.

“That happens a lot more frequently than what people would expect,” said Councilman Roger Bush, R-Graham, who sponsored the measure.

County Executive John Ladenburg said the amendments won’t solve all of the problems with board appointments. He said the council sometimes can’t find three people to recommend, which slows the process.

But he said he’s fine with the proposed amendments. In fact, Ladenburg said he wouldn’t mind allowing the council to appoint people to boards and commission directly.

Much of the early going in the governor's race has followed this theme: Republican Dino Rossi and a major ally, the Building Industry Association of Washington, attack Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire and her labor union and tribal allies, and vice versa.

A new round opened today when former state Supreme Court Justices Faith Ireland and Robert Utter - Gregoire supporters - accused the BIAW of violating campaign finance laws. The justices argue that the builders group has organized its election spending with such detail that it's effectively become a political committee and must open its book to the public.

Here is Associated Press reporter Curt Woodward's story, followed by the justices' press release:

=> Read more!

Here is a link to Joe Turner's full story from last night.

What do you think? Will you vote for it? Why or why not? Cast your vote on our Hot Button poll.

And here is Ron Sims' statement on why he voted against this particular plan.

=> Read more!

State and local politicians will share the stage at Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for a pedestrian overpass at Pierce County’s Chambers Creek Properties.

Gov. Chris Gregoire will make her second local appearance in a week. County Executive and attorney general candidate John Ladenburg – who has taken heat for his vision for Chambers Creek Golf Course – will get a chance to show off the non-golf amenities at the University Place park. County Council Chairman Terry Lee – running for assessor-treasurer – also will participate.

The ceremony will mark the start of construction of a $3 million overpass spanning the BNSF Railway tracks. It will provide public access to 2 miles of Puget Sound beach when it’s finished in 2010.

The event also will give the public a sneak peek at the county’s new 22-acre Central Meadow park. The park will officially open Aug. 10, along with the 6-acre North Meadow.

The ceremony will begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Parking is available at the Central Meadow parking lot, which can be accessed from the entrance to Chambers Bay Golf Course, 6320 Grandview Drive W., University Place.

For more information, visit the Chambers Creek Properties web site.

The Pierce County Council will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the county’s Environmental Services Building, 9850 64th St. W., University Place. The meeting is in lieu of its regular meeting at the County-City Building.

Also Tuesday, the council will hold a study session at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Environmental Services Building and attend a 1 p.m. groundbreaking ceremony for a pedestrian overpass at the county’s nearby Central Meadow park.

For more information, visit the council’s web site.

The vote to approve the 15-year transit plan was 16-2. King County Executive Ron Sims and King County Councilman Peter von Reichbauer were the only "no" votes.

The plan provides $17.9 billion to build light rail to Lynnwood, Redmond and Federal Way, plus more bus and Sounder commuter rail service.

The Sound Transit board's second vote - when to submit the plan to voters in a three-county area - was 18-0 to put it on the November ballot instead of waiting until 2010.

The plan would raise the sales tax in most of Pierce, King and Snohomish counties by 0.5 percent.

It would take another public vote to come up with the money to extend light rail to Tacoma. Light rail would reach South 272nd Street at the northern edge of Federal Way in 2023.

Pierce County's share of the package would be up to four more round-trip Sounder trains between Tacoma and Seattle (and connecting Lakewood, too).

There also would be more bus service from Tacoma to Sea-Tac Airport and Seattle.

Update: Here is Sound Transit's press release on the package:

=> Read more!

The Secretary of State's office finished counting a sample of the signatures on Initiative 1000, and found enough of them were valid to qualify for the November general election.

Election ‘08: Initiative 1000 cleared for November ballot

OLYMPIA…Secretary of State Sam Reed announced Thursday that Initiative Measure No. 1000, former Governor Booth Gardner’s measure dealing with assisted suicide or “Death with Dignity,” has enough valid signatures to qualify for a spot on the statewide ballot in November.

According to elections officials, a random check of petition signatures submitted in support of the proposal showed that the measure meets the constitutional requirement for a minimum of 224,880 valid signatures of registered voters. It is the second initiative to be certified for the Nov. 4 General Election ballot. Initiative 985, Tim Eyman’s measure dealing with transportation, was certified last week. One other measure, Initiative 1029, which would provide for certification of long-term care aides, will be checked next. Sponsors of I-1029 submitted more than 300,000 signatures.

The official ballot summary prepared by the state Attorney General for I-1000 says: “This measure would permit terminally ill, competent, adult Washington residents medically predicted to die within six months, to request and self-administer lethal medication prescribed by a physician. The measure requires two oral and one written request, two physicians to diagnose the patient and determine the patient is competent, a waiting period, and physician verification of an informed patient decision. Physicians, patients and others acting in good faith compliance would have criminal and civil immunity.”

The complete text is available online at www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/initiatives/people.aspx?y=2008.

Sponsors of I-1000 submitted 317,272 signatures to the Secretary of State by the July 3 turn-in deadline. Election officials conducted a 3 percent random sample of 9,520 signatures, checking that the person was a registered state voter and that the signature matched the one on file. The check showed that 8,546 signatures were valid and the rest were not registered, duplicate signatures or otherwise invalid. The statistically valid random sample was used to project that Gardner’s initiative secured more than enough signatures.

Talking to supporters in downtown Tacoma and calling the cleanup of the Thea Foss waterway an inspiration to other seaside communities across western Washington, Gov. Chris Gregoire launched a two-day campaign boat tour that focused on her work with a new state agency created to promote the cleanup of Puget Sound.

Gregoire also announced that, should a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell become law, an office of the Environmental Protection Agency overseeing the cleanup will be located in the to-be-built Urban Waters building in Tacoma.

“This is undeniable what’s going on right here,” she said. “I don’t want to put the money in more studies. I want to get things done. We had studies when I was at (the Department of) Ecology. It’s time for us to move forward.”

And Gregoire is relying on the Puget Sound Partnership, created last year with the goal to clean up the Sound by 2020, to coordinate the work. She said the Sound should be on par with Chesapeake Bay as a working, livable, healthy body of water.

Gregoire’s stop in Tacoma lasted less than an hour, and the tour continued to Des Moines, Seattle and Edmonds. On Friday, she will cruise from Bainbridge Island to Twanoh State Park on the Hood Canal and finish in Bremerton.

“How do you do a bus tour and talk about Puget Sound?” she said. “We wanted to bring attention to the good things going on in the Sound.”

=> Read more!

The cities of Federal Way, Burien and Lynnwood all had council members voicing their support for Sound Transit's proposed 15-year plan.

The plan would bring light-rail to South 272nd Street, northern boundary of Federal Way, and to Lynnwood by 2023.

Lynne Griffith, president of the Washington State Transit Assocation, and spokesman for Futurewise, also favors putting the plan on the November ballot.

Snohomish County Councilman Mike Cooper, a former state representative, also asked the ST board to put the plan on the ballot. He said he hopes the board later will commit to hiring "local union workers" and local union companies to build the projects.

Aubrey Davis, former Mercer Island mayor and former state Transportation Commission chairman, urged the board to get on with it.

Davis is in his 80s. He's been around for almost all of the planning for the rapid transit plan for the region.

"We've been working on this for 40 years," Davis said. "Let's get going."

The Washington state Democratic Party's Coordinated Campaign will soon become the "Campaign for Change," according to an e-mail from party Chairman Dwight Pelz to party leaders.

Obama's Campaign for Change "will operate as a project of the Washington State Democratic Party," according to the e-mail forwarded to us by a party insider.

Look for an official announcement from the Obama campaign later this week.

Click on to read the full text of the e-mail:

=> Read more!

Former state Sen. Jim Horn, a Mercer Island Republican,just testified. He noted the sales tax in the 15-year plan that Sound Transit appears poised to put on the ballot is 0.5 percent. That was the same tax source that Sound Transit was going to get from the $18 billion Proposition 1 ballot measure that was defeated.

"Your proposal is not a reduced program," said Horn, now president of the Eastside Transportation Association. "The taxes are the same. The only thing you've reduced is the amount of infrastructure you promise to deliver.

"You can't fool the public when the taxes are the same," Horn said.

The plan mainly changes the horizon. Instead of building parts of the light-rail system through 2027, the new plan would build until 2023, and then would need voter approval to continue.

Trevor Curtis, the Sound Transit IT guru, fixed my laptop so I can take advantage of the wireless features in the Ruth Fisher room of Union Station, where Sound Transit board holds its meeting.

My thanks to Trevor and Linda Robson, Sound Transit spokewoman.

More to come.

Pierce County voters in November will get a chance to tweak the process of appointing citizens to various boards and commissions.

The Pierce County Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to send a revised appointment process to voters in the form of an amendment to the county charter.

The county executive appoints people to numerous county boards, ranging from the Planning Commission to the Chemical Dependency Advisory Board. The County Council must approve the appointments.

In cases where the appointee must come from a specific County Council district, the executive must choose from among three people recommended by the council member representing that district.

In November voters will consider:

• Requiring the council member to recommend candidates within 30 days of a board vacancy.

• Requiring the executive to forward appointments to the council within 60 days of a vacancy.

• Allowing the council to make appointments for positions vacant 90 days or more.
Council Chairman Terry Lee, R-Gig Harbor, said the council is trying to ensure vacancies are filled in a timely manner. He said there have been some cases in which boards failed to reach a quorum because of vacancies.

Lee said he doesn’t think board vacancies have been a big problem. But he supported the measure – proposed by Councilman Roger Bush, R-Graham.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Lee said of the proposed changes. “But I don’t know that there’s a real need for it.”

I’m trying to reach Bush and County Executive John Ladenburg.

Gov. Chris Gregoire asked us press hacks if there was a card-everyone-who-enters-a-bar law. Why? Because after attending some of last week’s Capital Lakefair festivities, she entered Hannah's Sports Bar & Grill. The guy manning the front door asked to see her ID.

She left hers in the car. And even when the doorman was told who he was carding, he was adamant. She needed to show ID.

“Do you guys see something that I don’t see in the mirror?” she asked, laughing.

Gov. Chris Gregoire is speaking before a group of about 50 people at the Des Moines harbor now. She spent about 10 minutes speaking near the Museum of Glass on the Thea Foss Waterway in Tacoma, and then she took an hour-long boat ride here.

The topic of conversation was the Puget Sound Partnership. The pack is about to head back to Tacoma, and I’ll have more about what she said online shortly.

Someone forwarded this e-mail from Washington Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond to Sound Transit officials. It makes for interesting reading.

From: Hammond, Paula [mailto:HammonP@wsdot.wa.gov]
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 2:22 PM
To: Earl, Joni; Ilgenfritz, Ric
Subject: WSDOT ST2 Response
Joni and Ric,
First, thank you for the thorough briefing this morning (and afternoon). I can tell that Brian and Ric and the rest of your staff have carefully worked this plan to achieve the long term goals of high capacity transit for the various subareas of the region.

I continue to have concerns on the level (or lack thereof) of immediate bus service relief for the region's commuters, who are suffering at the
gas pump and in their family budgets. I don't believe it's enough to ask people to tax themselves now for a long term transit benefit, without offering more of an immediate transit relief to get them through these tough times.

To that end, and in keeping in mind your ability/capacity to support extraordinary levels of bus service I have attached a proposal that I'd like you to consider. The four year "surge" of service provides bus rides now to meet the ever-increasing demand in key corridors of the region. As local transit providers ramp up their services through their various transit plans (over the next 4 years), ST could hand over the service routes in 2015 and beyond.

I also would like to get resolution on your letter on the 1-90 light rail cost commitment by the end of the day. I'm preparing an ammendment to propose to the board if we are unable to reach an by the end of the day. Let me know what your thoughts are. I'm going into another meeting now, but Jo can find me if you need to talk.
Thanks again,
Paula

Here's a link to a map of what the Sound Transit board is likely to adopt today.

I'll be heading up there in about 90 minutes for the 1 p.m. board meeting. Sound Transit's Linda Robson is going to help me tap into their wireless network so I can blog live from the meeting.

The Washington Policy Center thinks the Sound Transit plan is a huge waste of money, costing something like $700,000-plus for every new rider. Here's a link to the center's view of the world.

Read this blog entry, then keep scrolling down to Dow Constantine's statement. Larry Phillips also is a King County Council member.

Contact: Larry Phillips 206-296-1004

Phillips: The time to expand mass transit is now

Phillips to vote in favor of putting Sound Transit’s regional transit
expansion plan on the 2008 ballot

With high gas prices and environmental concerns heightening the public’s desire for transit alternatives, Metropolitan King County Councilmember Larry Phillips, a member of the Sound Transit Board, will vote in favor of placing Sound Transit’s regional transit expansion plan on the November ballot.

=> Read more!

King County Councilman Dow Constantine, who used to be state senator from West Seattle, says he going to vote tomorrow in favor of putting a multibillion-dollar proposition on the ballot in November. This will be the sequel to the failed $18 billion Proposition 1.

It's not clear from Constantine's news release, but it appears he will be voting for the 15-year plan, the one that will cost $14.6 billion in year of expenditure dollars and bring light-rail as far south as the northern boundary of Federal Way by 2023.

It would raise the sales tax by 0.5 percent in most of Pierce, King and Snohomish counties to pay for it.

It's no surprise that Constantine favors that plan. Except for a last-minute change that added Lynnwood in Snohomish County to the light-rail line by 2023, all the light-rail construction would be in Seattle or other parts of King County (to Bellevue and Redmond).

Pierce County would not get light rail unless voters approved a third tax package. And why would Seattle and King County vote to tax themselves to a third time to extend light rail to Tacoma? Well, as one staffer pointed out, they would vote "yes" because that third ballot measure in say, 2020 or so, most likely also would include funding to build a light rail line from West Seattle to downtown Seattle and then north to Ballard.

My questions are these:
1. Will light rail reach Tacoma by 2040?
2. Will light rail reach Tacoma before or after it reaches Ballard?

The Sound Transit board is meeting at 1 p.m. Friday at Union Station in Seattle.

Contact: Dow Constantine 206-296-1008
dow.constantine@kingcounty.gov

Councilmember Dow Constantine’s statement on
Sound Transit vote

Metropolitan King County Councilmember Dow Constantine, a member of the Sound Transit Board, released this statement on the vote the Board is scheduled to take on July 24 regarding the proposed Sound Transit 2 measure:

“I will vote tomorrow to offer residents across the three-county Puget Sound region a Sound Transit expansion package to create new bus service, commuter rail, and light rail. The debate over whether to place a funding proposal on this fall’s ballot—and over what projects will be included in that proposal—has been long and spirited. It has led to a package broadly supported by elected officials from Tacoma to Everett.

=> Read more!

Our colleague, Associated Press reporter Curt P. Woodward (CP3.0), just came over to my office to show me the newest version of the "Bible" of journalism -- the 2008 Associated Press Style Book.

Just so you know, we actually give some thought to which words we use, especially when it comes to sensitive issues.

Woodward pointed out the "F-word" and "N-word" are new entries. (George Carlin was way, way, way, way, ahead of mainstream jounalism, God rest his soul.)

So is "Native American." AP style used to be "American Indian". AP has come a long way.

We at The News Tribune have some variations from AP style, mostly because we have our own local institutions and whatnot. For instance, did you know that the Pierce County Jail technically is the Pierce County Corrections and Detention Center? It is. But that's way too long for us.

Anyway, Initiative 1000 arrived too late on the scene to make it into the 2008 style book, so AP reporters (and the rest of us) are developing a style on the fly. "Assisted suicide" and "Death with Dignity" are both acceptable to us. AP prefers the former, much to the consternation of the I-1000 supporters.

This was expected. The Community Care Coalition of Washington said they would file a lawsuit to keep Initiative 1029 off the ballot.

Secretary of State Sam Reed has accepted the 300,000-plus signatures on petitions and plans to have his staff start counting a sample of them next week.

The Service Employees International Union Local 775 circulated initiative petitions that said I-1029 would go to the Legislature. But they said they "meant" it would go to the people this November.

At stake is a one-year delay in the public vote on whether home care workers should have 76 hours of training. Taxpayers would pay for the training for home-care workers who take care of Medicaid clients and poor people. The coalition's members would pay to train their private pay clients.

UPDATE: Here's what Reed had to say,

“We stand by our decision to accept over 300,000 voter signatures on I-1029 petitions, and believe that the courts will hold that the Elections Division exercised its discretion properly. A similar case went to the state Supreme Court in 1991 and a unanimous court held that an error on the petition did not require the Secretary of State to reject the signatures.”

“The Secretary of State’s Office looks forward to an expedited review and a timely decision by the court so that state and county officials will know whether Initiative 1029 can be properly certified as an initiative to the people and be included in the state Voters’ Pamphlet and on ballots statewide this fall.”

Here is the coalition news release:

JULY 22, 2008
Contact: Deb Murphy
murphy@wahsa.com
Office: (253) 964‐8870
Cell: (253) 468‐5394
CARE COALITION FILES LEGAL ACTION TO FORCE SECRETARY OF STATE
TO SUBMIT INITIATIVE 1029 TO LEGISLATURE
Reed Should Follow Instruction on Petition Forms, Group Says
A lawsuit filed today in Washington State Supreme Court seeks to force Secretary of State Sam Reed to
send Initiative 1029 to the legislature, as the petition forms clearly state. The lawsuit was filed by the
Community Care Coalition of Washington, which said that Reed shouldn’t be allowed to ignore the clear
instructions printed on the initiative petitions.

=> Read more!

Gov. Chris Gregoire's campaign aired the first campaign-purchased TV ad for the 2008 race yesterday.

Here it is:

Another sign that this race is a bit different than 2004: Dino Rossi's campaign announced that, with four months to go, its already raised more money than last time around.

Update: The record-breaking amount? $6,254,035.80. That was surpassed on June 18 July 18. (Campaign spokeswoman Jill Strait said the press release incorrectly identified the month.)

The campaign says that, as of last Sunday, the campaign had raised $6.28 million. Sixty-six percent of donors are new.

Our McClatchy Newspapers colleague in Olympia, Brad Shannon, wrote today about the state Democratic Party's complaint against Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna. At issue is McKenna's appearance in public-service announcements in an election year.

“These are not public service announcements,” McKenna foe John Ladenburg asserted in a news release, adding that as AG he would work for a ban on using an elected officials’ name or likeness in PSAs or privately sponsored ads during an election year.

The Democrats’ complaint said payment for the ads was by Boeing Employees Credit Union, Comcast and the Century Council. McKenna spokeswoman Janelle Guthrie said the three groups have longstanding connections to McKenna and public-service ads.

“Attorney General McKenna’s been doing PSAs since shortly after he took office. It’s a function of the office, and you’re asked to do public service announcement as a leader,” Guthrie added, citing ads done with the Century Council on underage drinking and preventing drunken driving and others on identify theft with BECU. “These are longstanding relationships that are consistent with work that our office does.”

Democratic Party Chairman Dwight Pelz filed the complaint with the state Public Disclosure Commission. Among other things, the complaint contends that the ads on radio and television are “electioneering communications” that exceed limits for the 60 days prior to the Aug. 19 primary and also violate a $1,600 campaign-contribution limit.

State Republican Party chairman Luke Esser put out a statement late Monday saying the complaint was hypocritical since Gov. Chris Gregoire has appeared in many public-service announcements.

Esser also pointed out that Ladenburg, as Pierce County executive, had an ethical lapse by failing to fully disclose his ownership in a drug-making company that was receiving contracts from the county.

I wonder if the PDC's ruling would have an effect on those "Paul saves again" billboards around town featuring blood-donating Sheriff Paul Pastor - a guy hired by Ladenburg who's now running for election.

Update: Sawyer, Ladenburg's campaign manager, sent me a note complaining that Esser's "ethical lapse" comment is based on inaccurate reporting by the TNT last year. I have yet to see evidence that we reported anything inaccurate. However, I do think Esser is taking what we reported a bit out of context by saying Ladenburg "under-reported" his ownership of stock in a company doing business with the county.

That might sound like Ladenburg didn't report his stock ownership to the PDC. He did. It turns out, he had bought $2,700 in company stock, which was less than the $3,000-plus he had reported to the PDC. But it was more than the $900 he told a TNT reporter when the story first broke.

So the discrepancy came when we asked him what he owned, and he gave us a number, and then a month later he told us that he checked and realized he owned more than he initially said.

Is it possible he just didn't know off the top of his head? Sure, it's possible. If someone asked me right now about my stock holdings, I'd be guessing. We reported what he told us, and then we reported on it again when he made a subsequent disclosure.

The politicos can fight over whether there's an ethical lapse. I just want to make sure Esser's comment is in context.

Steve Fabre, owner of the Point Defiance Cafe & Casino, followed through with his threat to file a lawsuit against the Town of Ruston over its increase in the gambling tax.

Fabre filed suit Friday in Pierce County Superior Court asking for an injunction against the collection of the tax increase, alleging that it will "produce great injury" to him and his business, and that it was adopted without due process rights afforded to him by the Washington State Constitution.

He says the tax hike is retaliation for speaking out against the Town for violating public disclosure laws, and for his action against the Ruston Connection.

=> Read more!

The Aug. 19 primary is no longer closed. We're back to they way things used to be -- pretty much, anyway.

State Voters’ Pamphlet to be mailed soon

OLYMPIA – Secretary of State Sam Reed today announced that the 2008 State Primary Voters’ Pamphlet, Washington’s most complete elections guide, soon will arrive in mailboxes across the state.

“The Voters’ Pamphlet is a useful and valuable tool for our state’s voters as they get ready to take part in the state’s first-ever Top 2 Primary,” Reed said. “This year, 37 of Washington’s 39 counties are voting entirely by mail. The Voters’ Pamphlet helps people to make an informed choice as they mark their ballots.”

=> Read more!

Carlson is not the John Carlson you hear on the radio, who also ran for governor. He's the John Carlson who used to be a health care executive.

Meanwhile, the Secretary of State's office says election workers are verifying that Initiative 1000 has enough valid signatures to get onto the November ballot.

SUBJECT: Initiative checks

Several of you asked about the timeline for initiative checks. Work began on I-1000 on Monday and the check, using a 3 percent random sample, could be complete by next Monday, the 28th.

After I-1000 is checked, the crew will turn to I-1029. The I-1029 petitions were copied and archived and were returned to Elections on Monday. The plan is to check the signatures, again using random sampling, and to await any further guidance from the courts. We still have not gotten word of a lawsuit being filed yet. The attorney general’s office will provide you notice when that happens. Our Elections Division and the counties will be hoping for a quick resolution of the question of whether I-1029 is properly an initiative to the people, because the General Election Voters’ Pamphlet has printing deadlines in early September and the counties need to know whether to include I-1029 on the ballots they print.

General election ballots for military and overseas voters must go out by Oct. 5.

And here's the news release on Carlson:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 21, 2008
For further information contact:
Marie Harkins:
206-337-2091
JOHN CARLSON TO MANAGE CAMPAIGN OF OPPONENTS TO PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE

Olympia---Former veteran health care executive John Carlson was named today as the full-time campaign manager of the Coalition Against Assisted Suicide’s effort to defeat Initiative 1000 which is expected to be on the November ballot.

=> Read more!

Cancel your Thursday morning appointments: Gov. Chris Gregoire will be on the Foss waterway at 9 a.m. to kickoff her re-election campaign boat tour. I'll join her on (at least part of) Day 1, which starts in Tacoma then hits Des Moines and Seattle before docking in Edmonds. On Friday, they'll continue to Bainbridge Island and Bremerton.

Spokesman Aaron Toso tells me that the Tacoma stop will focus on how cleaning up the Puget Sound can encourage economic development.

If you haven't noticed, the Governor likes to spend campaign time in Tacoma. Rossi won Pierce County in 2004 -- the first Republican to win our county in decades -- so Pierce County is an obvious place to find an extra 133 votes or so.

See you Thursday.

The Washington Education Association -- who some might say is to Gov. Chris Gregoire's reelection campaign what the BIAW is to Dino Rossi's campaign -- announced today that it is endorsing U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert for Congress over Democratic challenger Darcy Burner. The National Education Association is also endorsing Reichert.

WEA President Mary Lindquist says in the press release that "Washington educators appreciate Rep. Reichert's support for public schools, students and education employees. He understands the need to invest in quality public education."

In other surprising news, the 'Bush Legacy Bus' will make its last tour stop in Seattle tomorrow.

This was, of course, only surprising until I realized that the bus is a project of Americans United for Change. The bus is a 45-foot biodiesel "museum on wheels" with exhibits on "two terms of failed conservative policies supported by Bush and his allies - including Sen. John McCain and Rep. Dave Reichert."

Predictably, the opposition campaign is focusing on the diversion of money from education, health care and other general government programs to transportation.

Among other things, I-985 would require that a portion of the sales tax on vehicle be spent on congestion relief.

(Yes, Tim, this truly is a "diversion" because right now the sales tax on vehicles is not spent on transportation, although there are some weight fees that are.)

UPDATE: And here's a brief rebuttle from Tim Eyman.

Opponents' threats, lies, and scare tactics approach hasn't worked for 10 years, it ain't gonna work in 2009. I-985 is a common sense, no-new-taxes, transportation reform proposal based on State Auditor Brian Sonntag's performance audit recommendations. We're excited the voters will have the chance to approve I-985 in November.

Read on:

NO! on I-985
TO ALL MEDIA CONTACT:
For immediate release Bill LaBorde, 206.484.8662
July 18, 2008
Coalition Emerging to Oppose Initiative 985: Proposed Initiative Would Cut Funding for Education and Health
Care while Increasing Traffic Congestion
SEATTLE – As the Secretary of State’s Office qualified I-985 for the November ballot, a diverse array of interests from across the state are emerging to oppose this latest measure
from Tim Eyman.
Opponents cited a long list of problems that would be caused or exacerbated by I-985.
"Initiative 985 is an initiative that promises everything for nothing," said Bill LaBorde, State Director for Environment Washington and a spokesperson for the No! on I-985 campaign. It
would divert more than $127 million per year that now goes to the general operating budget into a dedicated account that would do little address the state’s transportation problems.

=> Read more!

It was assumed that professional initiative promoter Tim Eyman had enough signatures to qualify for the fall general election ballot. Now it's official.

Secretary of State Sam Reed announced today (at 5:30 p.m. on my birthday) that Initiative 985 will be on the Nov. 4 statewide ballot. Eyman's measure would redirect portions of the revenue from vehicle sales taxes, certain tolls, red-light cameras and other transportation sources to a new "Traffic Congestion" account that would support programs to synchronize traffic lights, open car-pool lanes and pay for more highway crews to clear accidents.

Two other measures remain to be checked. They deal with assisted suicide and providing for certification of long-term care aides. Sponsors of both submitted more than 300,000 signatures, making it likely they'll qualify as well.

Here is Reed's press release:

=> Read more!

From Les Blumenthal in our D.C. bureau:

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks asked President Bush today to resist pressure from three European leaders as the Pentagon reopens the competition for a $35 billion Air Force aerial refueling tanker contract.

"We hope you will reject all outside pressure and ensure a completely fair process," Dicks, D-Belfair, and Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., said in a letter to Bush.

Dicks and Tiahrt said it would be "unconscionable" if the Pentagon awarded the tanker contract to a team of Northrop Grumman and the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. rather than Boeing. EADS is the parent company of Airbus, Boeing’s rival in the commercial airplane market.

The letter came two days after The News Tribune reported that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel all personally lobbied Bush on the tanker contract, urging him to support the Northrop-EADS bid.

In confirming the three had raised the issue with Bush at "various times," a White House spokesman said Bush told them it was a Pentagon matter, not a White House one. Neither Bush nor anyone on his staff has discussed the tanker contract with Air Force or Defense Department officials, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

The original tanker contract was awarded to Northrop-EADS in February. After congressional auditors upheld a Boeing protest, the Pentagon decided to reopen the competition. Dicks, Tiahrt and other Boeing supporters have alleged that the Defense Department is designing the new competition in a way that will again favor Northrop-EADS.

Tiahrt said he thought it was wrong for Brown, Sarkozy and Merkel to lobby Bush.

"Perhaps they should register as foreign lobbyists," Tiahrt said in a telephone interview. "They were obviously lobbying for Airbus. Congressman Dicks and I are lobbying for a fair competition."

Tiahrt, like Dicks, said he didn’t have any evidence that Bush or the White House pressured the Air Force or the Defense Department on the tanker contract.

"The president has said it doesn’t have anything to do with him, and I believe him," Tiahrt said. "But he does have people who are in contact with the Department of Defense."

The Northrop-EADS tanker would use Airbus A330 airframes, which are currently assembled in France, using French, German, British and Spanish parts. Northrop-EADS has said the tanker eventually will be assembled in Mobile, Ala.

The Boeing tanker would use a 767 airframe built in Everett and modified in Wichita, Kan.

The congressmen said in their letter that it was no secret the Europeans have taken direct aim on the U.S. aerospace market. And the Europeans also "routinely" consider the need to protect their own industrial base when they make their own defense acquisition decisions, the lawmakers said.

Dicks and Tiahrt said "European politicians bypass fair and open competition in support of European jobs."

Meanwhile, they wrote, Pentagon procurement officials refuse to factor in protection of the U.S. industrial base in awarding contracts and waive U.S. regulations to make Europeans bidding on U.S. defense programs more competitive.

"We have already gone too far in accommodating our allies," Tiahrt and Dicks wrote. "... Given the faltering economy here in the United States, the U.S. government awarding a contract to EADS as an economic stimulus package for Europe is unconscionable."

The City of Tacoma is poised to contribute $75,000 for the planned plaza honoring Allen C. Mason, the Tacoma booster and developer who arrived in the City of Destiny in 1883.

Council members are expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution approving the expenditure.

The plaza at the Wheelock Library, which will include a bronze sculpture of Mason, six original sandstone columns from his 1890s mansion and a replica of Mason's "Star of Destiny," will cost an estimated $272,000 total.

For more info, check out the Proctor Business District's Web site and click on the link for the Allen C. Mason Plaza.

Much like the French captain in "Casablanca" who exclaims "I'm shocked" to discover that gambling is going on at Rick's caberet, I, too, am shocked to learn Sound Transit is buying votes to get its next measure on the ballot.

The Washington Policy Center takes umbrage at that news. I, on the other hand, find it mere pragmatism. That's the real world.

The only shame is that Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon got bought before any of the Pierce County officials. That's why the next phase of light rail will go to Lynnwood, but no futher south than the Starr Lake neighborhood in South King County. (That's north of Federal Way.)

http://washingtonpolicyblog.typepad.com/washington_policy_center_/2008/07/the-growing-div.html

The growing divergence of Sound Transit and performance-based planning
According to this Seattle Times article by Mike Lindblom, the Sound Transit board appears to have enough votes to place another ST2 measure on the ballot this November.

By adding express buses to sweeten the plan in Snohomish County, transit officials Thursday won the support of two swing voters — Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon and Edmonds City Councilwoman Deanna Dawson.

=> Read more!

From our man in D.C., Les Blumenthal:

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is blocking three nominations to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, saying that the federal agency has failed to regulate oil markets even as the price of gasoline hits new highs almost daily.

“I want them to do their job,” the Washington state Democrat said.

Cantwell’s action came as the Senate began debate today on a bill designed to rein in speculation on the markets in which crude oil futures are traded. The senator and others believe that speculators have driven up the price of oil and could be responsible for more than $1 of the cost of a gallon of gasoline at the pump.

Though some Republicans are sympathetic to the need to provide tighter control over energy markets, they say any energy legislation should include lifting the congressional moratorium on offshore drilling for oil and natural gas.

Cantwell and most Democrats oppose lifting the offshore-drilling ban. They quote the Department of Energy as saying that offshore oil and gas wells wouldn’t come online for seven to 10 years and the impact on prices would be insignificant. Democrats also say that oil companies already have more than 68 million acres along the outer continental shelf and on other federal lands under lease that haven’t been drilled on.

Republicans counter that there are abundant resources offshore and that polls show a majority of Americans support more drilling on the outer continental shelf.

"All we are getting from the majority is silence," said New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, the ranking Republican on the Senate Natural Resources Committee. "The American people are calling for solutions, and they are getting excuses."

Cantwell has been one of Capitol Hill’s toughest critics of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission and has been calling for tougher regulation of oil and gas markets.

Two of the three nominees already serve on the commission and would be reappointed if they’re confirmed: acting Chairman Walter Lukken, a former general counsel to the Senate Agriculture Committee, who’d become the full-time chairman; and Bart Chilton, a former lobbyist for the National Farmers Union who worked in the Agriculture Department during the Clinton administration.

The third nominee is Scott O’Malia, a former adviser to Domenici on oil and gas issues and a one-time executive with Mirant, an Atlanta-based energy company.

Sometimes I get e-mails, read them in a hurry and then delete them. But sometimes I actually open them. And read them slowly. And sometimes, I even click on the links and read them.

I do so hoping to learn more.

But when I clicked on the ON LINE PETITION that the League of Education Voters wanted me to sign, I couldn't tell what they were advocating.

We want the Washington State Board of Education to vote to update our state’s high school diploma at their July 23-24 meeting in Vancouver, WA.

I'm probably not opposed to updating our high school graduation requirements. But it would be nice to know exactly what changes the League wants before it asks me to sign a petition it plans to turn in to the Board of Education.

For all I know, updating graduation requirements might mean paying teachers $90,000 a year. The 81,000-member teachers union says all the time that our school system would get better if we just paid teachers more money. Maybe the update says "All high school students must be taught by a teacher who is paid at least $90,000 a year."

Well, maybe.

To: Washington State Board of Education

We’re parents, educators, business leaders, kids and others in the community working together to do all we can to improve education in our state.

=> Read more!

Jocelyn McCabe comes from the state schools superintendent's office to the Association of Washington Business.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AWB Announces New Director of Communications

OLYMPIA—The Association of Washington Business (AWB) has named Jocelyn McCabe as the Association’s new director of communications. She replaces Richard Davis, who left AWB to coordinate the Washington Alliance for a Competitive Economy (WashACE) competitiveness effort. She began work with the Association on Monday, July 14.

=> Read more!

I ran across this while I was looking for information on legislative candidates in South Puget Sound. You've actually got about an hour and 15 minutes to get there.

David Upthegrove, D-Des Moines, will have Gov. Chris Gregoire at his kick off.

Here's a link to the House Democrat Campaign Committee's events calendar. Rep. Geoff Simpson, D-Covington, has an event on the 29th.

Rep. Upthegrove's Campaign Kick-off!
Thursday, 07/17/2008 05:30 - 07:00
Change Begins At Home - Be a part of it!

Please join Governor Chris Gregoire and other local Democrats next Thursday July 17th from 5:30- 7:00 PM at the Des Moines Yacht Club for a pizza party and rally to kickoff my campaign for re-election to the State House of Representatives from the 33rd District.

Kids and families are welcome at this beautiful Puget Sound waterfront location for pizza, soft drinks, beer & wine, and a program of political speakers including Governor Gregoire.

Representatives from the Obama Campaign will be on-hand as well. Please join us for some fun, some food, and to learn how you can get involved locally to be a part of the movement for change.

Directions to event are available at: www.upthegrove.com</blockquote>

There is another must-read story on the continuing saga of Sound Transit and regional bus-and rail service. Much as I'd like to claim it myself, it is in Crosscut, written by David Brewster. It's a good job with lots of insight.

I have no quarrel with most of Brewster's assumptions and observations, but I will add a couple of my own.

I believe Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond is genuinely concerned when she says that portions of the plan that deal with rail on Interstate 90 to the Eastside are half-baked. Hammond may, in fact, be doing Gov. Chris Gregoire's bidding if she does vote "no" on putting the new plan on this November's ballot, but that doesn't mean Hammond isn't also right for her own reasons.

Let me point out what Sound Transit executive director Joni Earl told The News Tribune editorial board a couple months ago: The "old" Sound Transit should never have promised so much Sounder commuter rail service BEFORE it had in hand an agreement with Burlington Northern Santa Fe RR for use of the tracks. That's partly why we're running so far behind in Sounder service. And that should be a lesson learned. Earl said she won't recommend further enhancements until she has a BNSF agreement in hand. (By the way, more Sounder and station fixes is what Pierce would get in the new plan.)

Also, after Proposition 1 and its $18 billion went down in flames last November, Gregoire said taxpayers should have a chance to see the first segment of light rail up and running. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels wants a $10 billion expansion before the first segment even starts. (That won't happen until Christmas 2009.)

Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg is immediate past president of Sound Transit board and did all the "regional" things that were expected of him by pushing the $18 billion package. (By the way, after 30 years of reporting, I've learned that "regional" is just the word that Seattle uses to describe its own parochialism.)

Ladenburg's efforts were supposed to endear him to Seattle and King County kingmakers, and he needs them to have a chance at winning attorney general. The thing about Proposition 1 is that the real "equity" for Tacoma and Pierce County was in the $7 billion highway portion of the measure, not the $10.8 billion for Sound Transit.

Maybe Ladenburg will endorse this new transit-only plan. He did tell me last week that if the board approves it by the bare 12-6 majority it needs to get onto the ballot, it have trouble passing at the polls. If he does vote yes, he might carry King County in the AG race, but lose in his home Pierce County to Rob McKenna. But then, it's the statewide totals that matter.

Also, don't count Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon as a "yes" vote just yet. True, he got Nickels and the staff to push light rail to Lynnwood in the next phase. But Reardon didn't believe the Sound Transit staff when they said all $1.2 billion that would be collected in his county from the new 0.5 percent sales tax would actually be spent in his county. (Reardon kindly said "I think staff misspoke.")

UPDATE: Well, I guess that Lynnwood line did the trick. Reardon is endorsing the new plan. Here's what Sound Transit just sent out:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — July 17, 2008

=> Read more!

NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, Washington 98501-1091
Internet Address: http://wdfw.wa.gov

July 17, 2008
Contact: Madonna Luers, (509) 892-7853
or Kevin Robinette, (509) 892-7859

Road-killed canine verified as wolf

=> Read more!

Initiative 1000 supporters are pretty confident they'll get their measure onto the November ballot since they turned in some 320,000 signatures. But the Secretary of State's office hasn't verified they have the 224,880 valid signatures just yet. State election officials are still sampling Tim Eyman's signatures on I-985.

But I suppose there's nothing presumptuous about thanking their volunteers.

The party starts at 6 o'clock tonight in Seattle.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 17, 2008

CONTACT:
Anne Martens, Yes on 1000, 206-633-2008

Death with Dignity Initiative Kicks-off Campaign

SEATTLE – A thank you party for the volunteers who helped put Initiative 1000 on the November ballot today also serves as the official kickoff for the death with dignity campaign. Volunteers are meeting at the Graham Visitor Center in the Washington Park Arboretum at 6:00 pm.

=> Read more!

I talked to Donna Brazile a few minutes ago. She stopped in Seattle for 24 hours on her way from San Francisco to Anchorage. Yesterday, she met with some Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama delegates to try to assess the situation.

Here's what she had to say:

On the rift between Clinton and Obama delegates:
"I get a lot of e-mails from Clinton supporters. They're passionate. I get e-mail from Obama supporters as well. I know a little bit about what it's like to be on a campaign that didn't come in first place. You don't transfer your loyalites but you continue to work hard toward the goal," she said, of winning back the White House.

On her discussion with Clinton delegates:
"What I heard convinced me that more needs to be done, more outreach needs to be done. (Clinton supporters) need to know when meetings are held, they need to be given seats at the table."

On the 'outreach' part:
"In moving forward, they want to know what role Clinton will play. They want more speeches by Obama on issues relating to women ... so that they don't feel like Obama is taking them for granted."

On the primaries:
"Well, look - First of all, we have to agree that our primary season should not begin before we know the winner of the SuperBowl. I support regional rotating primaries... We should move to an open primary process where people are given every opportunity" to vote, she said. She said caucuses are disenfranchising.
"I think that the two parties must also come up with a system so we don't have this rush to start the nominating season one full year before the political season... that's one of the reasons why so much money is spent."

On Washington:
"I love this state ... I said last night, How come you don't invite me more often?" She was headed to Nordstrom after our conversation to see if they could get her a sneak peak at the annual sale (starts tomorrow, fyi). I think it'll probably work out for her.

Michelle Obama, the fist-bumping wife of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, is in Seattle today to headline a fundraiser for Gov. Chris Gregoire.

Michelle Obama is scheduled to speak at WaMu Theater at Qwest Field. The event begins at noon. Gregoire is expected to raise about $320,000, according to The Associated Press. Niki Sullivan is busy this week building our new election Web page, so we're relying on AP's coverage. I'll post it here.

In the meantime, Newsweek published an interesting profile of Michelle Obama in February. Check it out here.

I post this with much trepidation. It may only encourage the Orca PR firm. (just for the record, I am NOT interested in more information.

Joe,

There's a new way for consumers to cast their vote in the presidential race. Bonus Gum has released - Election Gum. Consumers can choose between an Obama Gum version and a McCain Gum version in stores nationwide! Polls announcing which gum is leading in sales will be released over the next few months.

We even have great photos of the product and both candidates holding their version of the gum. www.bonusgum.com

Let me know if you're interested in more information, photos, etc. Thanks!

Best Regards,
Ann Noder
President
Orca Communications Unlimited, LLC
"America's PR Firm for Inventors & Entrepreneurs"
Ann@OrcaCommunications.com
(480)248-0012
(480)907-5298 (fax)
www.OrcaCommunications.com

That's what our Senate friends tell us. The hearing is set for Sept. 9.

If you'll recall, this is the case where Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, is suing to overturn the provision in Initiative 960 (and I-601) that requires a two-thirds vote by the Legislature to raise taxes.

Here's the argument made by Brown's lawyers.

And here's something from the Washington Policy Center, which is on the other side of this issue.

The dismissal was based on a "no big deal" finding. I'm paraphrasing, of course.
Here's the thrust of the case: (Sen. Mike Carrell, R-Lakewood, is the Respondent.)

II. Conclusion
We conclude there is reasonable cause to believe that Respondent used the facilities of the Senate, a legislative town hall meeting and his Legislative Assistant, in violation of RCW 42.52.180 when he supplied two town hall attendees with one copy each of his campaign brochure produced by “Citizens for Mike Carrell, GOP.”
However, pursuant to RCW 42.52.425, we find that the action complained of was inadvertent and minor, and further proceedings would not serve the purposes of the Act.

Apparently, Carrell gave some campaign brochures to couple folks at a May 3 town hall meeting.

This is an election season, and someone filed a complaint.

=> Read more!

...And apparently there is at least one more on the way, not counting the Democrats and Republicans.....

FYI—Three tickets now cleared for the November ballot in Washington state. The Democratic and Republican presidential tickets will be placed on the ballot after their respective national conventions.
Best,
David
David Ammons
Communications Director
Office of Secretary of State
o (360) 902-4140

=> Read more!

As expected. But now Secretary of State Sam Reed has the legal opinion to back up what he's already done.

That means opponents will have to go to court.

Here's what David Ammons of Reed's office sent us:

OLYMPIA -- The state Attorney General has released a letter explaining
the state's legal position on accepting an estimated 300,000 voter
signatures in behalf of Initiative Measure 1029, rejecting arguments
from critics who had asked that it be barred from the ballot because
petitions included one reference to it being an initiative to the
Legislature, rather than a measure to be voted upon in the upcoming
November general election.

=> Read more!

Gov. Chris Gregoire's campaign sent out an e-mail just now criticizing a poll that shows Dino Rossi up.

"Upon further review, the poll in question was paid for by Rossi himself and conducted by Moore Information, Rossi’s 2004 pollster and the pollster for Sam Reed, Doug Sutherland, the King County Republican Party and the House Republican Caucus."

The campaign says that an "objective review" of the public polls finds Gregoire has a lead. They later say that Rossi has been "stuck in the sand."

“Even with a million dollars worth of misleading, negative attacks by Rossi and the BIAW, the polls show that Gov. Gregoire’s record of creating jobs and cleaning up the environment can withstand the worst partisan attacks,” said Aaron Toso, spokesperson for the Gregoire campaign. “I know the Rossi campaign wants to impress their funders in Houston, but maybe they should look at some of the polls that Rossi didn’t pay for.”

Ouch.

I put the question to Jill Strait, Rossi's spokeswoman. She said the race has been close since it began. "Gregoire has endured a month of bad press and no one should be surprised to see her poll numbers dropping."

We won't really know which polls are right until November.

Until then, here's something I found interesting: A graph of the various poll statistics over the past year, courtesy of Pollster.

David Ammons, our former colleague, sends word from the "Dark Side" today that the Secretary of State's office is starting to count signatures on initiative petitions.

(The "dark side" is our snobby journalistic reference to that governmental or private sector abyss to which a former journalist crosses over to make decent money.)

Note, too, that David says the AG's office will have something soon on what to do with all those improperly labeled I-1029 petitions that were circulated by union for the home care workers.

Naturally, Tim Eyman felt obliged to weigh in on "other people's initiatives," I-1029. He thinks I-1029 supporters are being treated better than the Supreme Court treated him.

FYI, the initiative crew (21 people) today began work on checking the first initiative, Eyman’s I-985 transportation measure. Eyman submitted roughly 300k and the plan is to check a random sample of 3 percent, or roughly 10k.

The crew will use a computer-generated system to randomly choose numbers that correspond with signature on the page. The checker will make sure the person is a registered state voter and will call up the electronic version of the person’s signature from when they registered to vote.

Verifying signatures is an interesting forensic art and science. They expect the first initiative to take up to three weeks. Then they’ll start in on I-1000, Gardner’s measure, and when that’s complete, they’re planning on checking I-1029, the long-term services plan.

=> Read more!

There are 3 Democrats in the 2nd District House race, so I guess every little thing matters.

JeanMarie Christenson ran in 2006. This year, Chuck Collins and Ray Harper are running as Dems, too. And incumbent Rep. Jim McCune, R-Graham, is running for reelection.

Press Release: Ready for Immediate Release:

The Campaign to Elect JeanMarie Christenson is proud to announce that JeanMarie Christenson, Candidate for State Representative, Legislative District 2, Position 1 has been awarded the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union Local 23 endorsement, announced by the letter shown below.

=> Read more!

Just because it's so far down the ballot, the race of Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction deserves whatever blog pop it can get.

Plus, Randy Dorn has this campaign letterhead that reminds me of those bumper stickers where everybody "loved" something. You know, like "I (heart) New York."

Well, Dorn has this apple in his letterhead. So it looks like "Randy (apple) Dorn." I guess the apple is the universal symbol for education. I thought it symbolized being teacher's pet. But maybe that's just for public schools. I would never have brought Fr. Sullivan an apple at Bellarmine.

And the apple in Randy Apple Dorn is candy apple red.

Dorn Wins Major Bi-Partisan Endorsements

Booth Gardner, Judith Billings, and Legislative Leaders of Both Parties Support Randy Dorn

=> Read more!

The state Liquor Control Board is expected to make its decision Wednesday on Tacoma's request for a new Alcohol Impact Area.

The City Council decided in January to make the request of state officials. If approved, the AIA would ban the sale of cheap, high-octane beverages in Tacoma's East Side and South End.

Tacoma's first AIA, in downtown and the Hilltop neighborhood, was the first in the state and is generally regarded as a huge success.

For more details, here is the state's press release:

Liquor Control Board to issue decision on Tacoma’s request for a second Alcohol Impact Area

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) will decide whether to approve or reject a request by the city of Tacoma to create a mandatory Alcohol Impact Area (AIA) within and surrounding the Lincoln District of the city at a Board meeting at 10 a.m. July 16 at WSLCB Headquarters, 3000 Pacific Ave. S.E., Olympia.

If the Board approves the AIA, it will issue a resolution that restricts the sale of certain high-alcohol, low-cost beer and wine products within AIA boundaries. The proposed AIA boundaries are Interstate 5 to the west, south to 72nd and 76th streets, east to Portland Avenue, and north to Interstate 5. There are 62 liquor-licensed businesses and three state operated liquor stores within the boundaries.

In 1999, rules were adopted to create a framework for communities, the WSLCB, and the alcohol industry to work together to mitigate problems with chronic public inebriation or illegal activities linked to the sale or consumption of alcohol. The rules allow WSLCB to recognize a geographic area within a city or town as an AIA.

=> Read more!

Dawn Morrell, D-Puyallup, is having an ice cream social Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bradley Lake Park Pavilion.

Here's her news release:

www.dawnmorrell.org
Please join family, friends and supporters for our Campaign Kick-Off
Ice Cream Social Tuesday, July 15th • 6 – 8pm
Bradley Lake Park Pavilion, 531 31st Ave. SE • Puyallup, WA

Directions from Hwy 512 East: Take the Eatonville/Hwy 161 South exit.
Right off of the exit onto Meridian. Left at 35th Ave SE.
Left onto 5th St. SE. Bradley Lake Park will be on your right.
To RSVP please call (253) 845-6767
or email dawnmrn25@earthlink.net
Paid for by the Committee to Re-Elect Dawn Morrell

Just how different is yet to be determined. I'm not talking about the dollar amounts. Those probably will be pretty close to what it cost to cross the Narrows Bridge, on average.

But there probably won't be any toll booths. It will be all transponders. I bring this to your attention because Gig Harbor-Tacoma commuters are dying to have someone else in the state start paying tolls, too. And the 520 bridge probably will be the next tolled project, perhaps as early as 2009, maybe sometime in 2015.

Five open houses have been scheduled to talk about those tolls. The July 31 meeting in Renton is the closest to South Puget Sound commuters. This committee won't deliver its report until January.

Under discussion are:

--when tolling would begin. Toll the existing bridge beginning when construction starts on the bridge facilities, or wait to toll the new bridge once it’s completed.

--whether to toll only the bridge or the entire corridor. A "single point toll" (like that used on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge) would only charge those who actually cross the bridge. Alternatively, tolling could occur on both ends of the 520 corridor, or at key on-ramps and off-ramps for 520 travel.

--when to adjust toll rates. Tolls could vary by time of day, weekdays or weekend days, or as needed to keep traffic flowing smoothly.

--whether to toll Interstate 90 bridge too. How traffic diverts to other routes, modes, and times of day. If 520 is tolled, drivers may choose other routes or divert to other transportation modes or times of day to avoid the toll. This could mean more drivers go around the north or south ends of Lake Washington, or take I-90.

Information from the analysis this summer will help you provide input to the 520 Tolling Implementation Committee on questions such as these:

Should there be tolls on the existing bridge to start building a new 520?
Should both the 520 and I-90 bridges be tolled to pay for a new 520 and improvements on I-90?
Should funding from tolls be used to expand transit service in this corridor?
What incentives would encourage you to take transit or carpool rather than drive alone?
Would you change your commute time to take advantage of a lower toll?

Here's the full news release from the Puget Sound Regional Council.

July 11, 2008

Contact: Rick Olson, Director of Government Relations and Communications, Puget Sound Regional Council, 206-971-3050

520 Tolling Implementation Committee Announces Open Houses

=> Read more!

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed had his lawyer write a letter to lawyers for the Republican and Democratic parties, explaining why he's right and they're wrong about the Aug. 19 primary election.

(Well, that's sorta the way he put it. I'm paraphrasing, of course.)

Here's a link to Assistant Attorney General Maureen Hart's full letter to the party lawyers.

The parties claimed there's still an injuction in place that keeps the state from running a Top Two election. Reed and his lawyer say that injuction is long gone, wiped out by the U.S. Supreme Court decision that said the Top Two is OK.

At least, not yet.

A federal judge earlier this week denied a request that would have exempted Human Life of Washington from complying with state campaign finance laws.

Human Life doesn't want to disclose the names of the people who give them money to pay for ads against I-1000. The groups says they don't want their donors harassed. I wrote a story about this a while back.

But this isn't the last word. There's hearing set for Tuesday for arguments on the case.
UPDATE:Actually, there is no hearing for arguments tomorrow. It's just a scheduling conference for the lawyers. The judge will set deadlines for each side to submit paperwork, etc. and may schedule a trial date.

The federal judge said he wasn't going to issue a preliminary injunction without hearing from the state Public Disclosure Commission.

Here's the release I got earlier this week from supporters of the Death with Dignity campaign.

=> Read more!

So far, we're OK on this side of the mountains. But Eastern Washington is having its share of problems.

This from the news release:
"Fire crews from across Washington are battling fires in Chelan, Douglas, Stevens, Adams, Ferry, and Spokane counties. With hot and dry conditions continuing on both sides of the state, the proclamation ensures all Washington communities have sufficient fire-fighting resources during this vulnerable time."

Gov. Gregoire signs state-wide State of Emergency proclamation due to wildfires

OLYMPIA – Governor Chris Gregoire today signed a statewide State of Emergency proclamation, freeing up equipment, human resources and funding to help battle the growing wildfires in central and Eastern Washington. The emergency proclamation will remain in effect until the governor rescinds it.

=> Read more!

Pierce Conservation Voters has endorsed county councilman Calvin Goings for Pierce County executive.

"We look forward to working with our next county executive to continue to push forward environmental progress in Pierce County," said the group's copchairwoman Sara Lowe. "For over a decade, Goings has shown a record of environmental leadership on many of our most-pressing community priorities."

In a press release, the group praised Goings’ efforts to preserve farmland, support growth management and promote the transfer of development rights. Pierce Conservation Voters is a chapter of Washington Conservation Voters.

Supporters of independent candidate Ralph Nader filed documents and signatures to place him on the November ballot.

If certified by the secretary of state, Washington will be the 10th state that has received paperwork from the candidate.

Nader will appear along with vice presidential running mate Matt Gonzalez, a former San Francisco supervisor.

Here is the press release announcing the filing.

Throw one more plan into the mix. Along with the 12-year plan and the 20-year plan is a plan with a 15-year horizon -- what could be done by 2023.

This plan, which was discussed today at a Sound Transit meeting in Seattle, chiefly appears to try to placate Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon. That's because Reardon recently said he not only didn't like the 12-year plan, but he would campaign against any plan that did not bring light rail to at least Lynnwood.

Presto! The 15-year plan gets to Lynnwood in 2023.

As for Tacoma, forget it. Light rail would get as far south as South 272nd Street, the northern city limit of Federal Way, and that's it. Pierce County would have to make do with more buses that go to Seattle and more Sounder trains that go to Seattle.

I'll have a story in Friday's paper, but here's a Sound Transit news release to tide you over until tomorrow.

The real decision on which plan to put on the ballot and whether to do so in November or 2010 will be made July 24.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — July 10, 2008

New 15-year mass transit expansion package offers further rail extensions and faster completion dates

The Sound Transit Board today discussed a new 15-year option for expanding mass transit. The new option heeds the call for further light rail extensions while delivering a series of significant Sounder commuter rail and ST Express regional bus service expansions between 2009 and 2023.

“This package would achieve a 53-mile regional light rail system by 2023 while focusing on moving quickly to launch major commuter rail and regional express bus expansions,” said Sound Transit Board Chair and Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. “It responds to the loud and clear call we’ve heard for major mass transit expansions, while maintaining faster completion dates and a lower price tag than last year’s package.”

=> Read more!

The state pays 88 percent of insurance premiums; employees pay 12 percent. That's a great deal, especially compared to private sector.

The state (and workers) will spend $1.5 billion on coverage for 330,000 state workers, retirees and low-income folks in 2009.

State of Washington will pay more for employee health care in 2009

OLYMPIA – The state of Washington will pay 7.9 percent more to provide health insurance to state employees in 2009. The good news: the cost to cover retired state employees in Medicare will go down 1.1 percent.

The Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) today approved 2009 medical and dental procurement plans that continue to make most of the same health plans available to state employees next year, but at higher premiums.

The cost of providing health care to 330,000 people covered under the PEBB program will be around $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2009, including contributions by the state and PEBB members. The program covers state employees, retired state employees, retired teachers, and dependents.

=> Read more!

Just got this from AG Rob McKenna's campaign. I guess it warrants a news release because it comes from Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg's home county.

When I was the police reporter, there were three unions in the sheriff's office, one for deputies, one for lieutenants and one for captains. Maybe Ladenburg can pick up one of the others.

Contact: Adam Faber FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Re-Elect AG Rob McKenna 7/9/2008
Office: (206) 232-0070

PIERCE COUNTY DEPUTIES GUILD ENDORSES McKENNA

The Pierce County Deputy Sheriffs Independent Guild strongly endorsed Rob McKenna last night for re-election as attorney general, securing an important law enforcement endorsement right in his opponent’s backyard. The guild is the Pierce County deputies’ union. Both McKenna and John Ladenburg interviewed with the guild last night.

“I’m proud to have the support of the Pierce County deputies. I’ve partnered with local law enforcement on so many issues, like ‘Operation: Allied Against Meth,’ and LEGIT, our identity theft task force. I’m glad the Pierce County deputies feel it’s been a good partnership, too, and I’m grateful for their endorsement.”

McKenna has received every significant law enforcement endorsement in the race, including the Washington Council of Police and Sheriffs, the Washington State Patrol Troopers Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police.

Tacoma council members appointed David Nelson to the Tacoma Public Utilities board of directors Tuesday, filling the vacancy created when David Curry resigned.

Nelson, a Tacoma accountant, graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 1968 with a degree in business administration, according to the application he filed with the city.

He worked summers for Tacoma City Light when he was in college, and wrote two papers about accounting principles for utilities.

The council's Appointments Committee interviewed four people and really liked both Nelson and Monica Alexander, the Washington State Trooper who was briefly a candidate for City Council in 2005 when she was known as Monica Hunter, said Councilman Mike Lonergan, who serves on the committee.

Based on Lonergan's comments, I'd look for Alexander to surface somewhere soon on a board or commission, possibly on the TPU board when the next vacancy occurs.

Nelson's term expires in June, 2010.

The City Council also reappointed TPU board member Laura Fox to a new term expiring in 2013.

I'll post this without comment.

Gov. Gregoire’s statement on Air Force tanker decision

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire issued the following statement on today’s decision by the U.S. Air Force to rebid its tanker contract:

“Today’s announcement by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is good news for Washington state, Boeing, its workers and the nation. The Department of Defense will rebid the tanker contract using the same criteria for both bidders. I believe Boeing should have been awarded the contract all along based on the Air Force’s criteria, and I believe the tanker contract should have been awarded to Boeing today.

=> Read more!

I'm not sure if this is the first wild fire of the season, but it's the first mobilization notice I've gotten this summer.

The fire has grown to 2,500 acres.

For Immediate Release
July 9, 2008, 12:00 p.m.

Fire Mobilization Ordered for the Badger Mountain Fire

State fire assistance has been mobilized to support local firefighters working to contain a wildfire in Douglas County east of Wenatchee.

Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste authorized the mobilization of state firefighting resources on July 8, 2008 at 11:30 p.m. at the request of Fire Chief Charles Fenton of Douglas County Fire District #2.

Mobilization specialists from the Fire Protection Bureau ordered two strike teams, one strike ream of tenders, two type 2 helicopters, two
CL21 air tankers, and two hand crews.

=> Read more!

Next Tuesday is the one-year anniversary of the grand opening of the new Narrows Bridge. Tolls just went up by $1 on July 1, to $4 cash toll and $2.75 transponder toll for two-axle vehicles.

The advisory committee will be meeting regularly to go over traffic counts and expenses to make sure they're setting tolls at the right level. We still don't have a full year of data yet.

=> Read more!

The Libertarians claim the upcoming Aug. 19 election is illegal. (See earlier post.) Democrats and Republicans also are unhappy.

But Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed says the state is on firm ground and is pushing ahead with election.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 8, 2008
Contact: David Ammons
Communications Director
(360) 902-4140
dammons@secstate.wa.gov

Washington’s Top 2 primary still on track

OLYMPIA – A strong and unambiguous Supreme Court ruling puts Washington’s new Top 2 Primary on firm legal footing, Secretary of State Sam Reed said Tuesday, flatly rejecting party attorneys’ view that the primary violates a federal court injunction and that the upcoming election is somehow in jeopardy.

=> Read more!

A few weeks ago, Les Blumenthal reported from our DC bureau that Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Doc Hastings sent 10 pounds of fresh Washington state asparagus to the White House after President Bush gave high praise for the German variety following a state dinner with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In a thank you note to Murray, Bush said Tuesday it was to his liking.

"Thank you for the asparagus from the hard working farmers of Washington state," Bush wrote. "I know it is some of the best in the world, and I appreciate your thinking of me."

Murray, whose father picked asparagus in the Tri-Cities when he was growing up, said she wasn't surprised.

"I knew all the president had to do was taste Washington state asparagus to know what truly great asparagus is," Murray said in a statement.

Bush is now in Japan for an economic meeting with other world leaders. No word yet on whether he has eaten any Edamame, a type of soybean. But he should be careful. They grow Edamame in Washington state.

Gig Harbor folks should know a little about Dan O'Neal. He was the commission's liaison to the community when commissioners were deciding how tolling money should be spent. And the community didn't want its money spent on standby tow truck operators.

Elmira Forner is from Chelan County now. But several years ago she was a legislator from South King County.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 9, 2008

Contact: Reema Griffith, Transportation Commission Executive Director, 360-705-7070

Dan O’Neal elected State Transportation Commission Chair

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Transportation Commission announced today the election of Dan O’Neal (Mason County) to serve as Commission Chair and member Elmira Forner (Chelan County) to serve as Vice-chair. Commission members elect new officers every year or two.

=> Read more!

Sixteen-term Congressman Norm Dicks hasn't won less than 60 percent of the vote in a general election since 1994 (the Republican-dominated year when he still managed to win 58 percent). Two years ago, Dicks won 70.5 percent of the vote in his 6th District. So you could say he enjoys a fair amount of job security (but don't tell him that).

It looks like some Democrats want to send him a message.

The Daily World's Steven Friederich had a piece today about the difficulties Dicks is having in securing local party endorsements.

Friederich reports that a contingent of anti-war folks are holding up the Grays Harbor Democrats' endorsement process going into the Aug. 19 primary. Dicks got just 11 out of 25 votes, short of the two-thirds needed, in the campaign that also features anti-war candidate Paul Richmond, a Democrat from Port Townsend; Republican Doug Cloud of Gig Harbor; and Green Party candidate Gary Murrell of Hoquiam, who also opposes the war.

Congressman Dicks said Monday that he felt the vote was an "anomaly" representing a "small cadre of people on the far left."

"A few people didn’t show or we would have had the two-thirds majority," he said.

Here's the gist of the complaint:

"I’ve got three words for you," said Grays Harbor Democratic Chairwoman Dolores Cobb. "The Iraq War. They feel Congressman Dicks is supporting Bush and every time he votes for additional funding, the hairs on their neck go up. And that’s basically it."

Cobb said the decision not to endorse Dicks was clearly a message from some of the local Democrats.

"They feel he’s not listening to his constituents who want him to put his thumb down and not keep funding it," she said.

Friederich also reported that some Jefferson County Democrats also have expressed frustration with their congressman.

The county central committee overwhelmingly passed a resolution last month threatening the congressman with its formal censure if he did not explain his vote in favor of the Bush Administration’s controversial warrantless wiretapping program included in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, said Jefferson County Democratic Chairwoman Teri Nomura.

Dicks posted a statement on his congressional Web site explaining the vote. His staff members also contacted the Jefferson Democrats, Nomura said.

"I look at Dicks and he has a pretty good voting record on a lot of things, but he tends to stand by the military," Nomura said. "So, for the real progressives and the liberals, they don’t like that because we have this unjust war, we have a giant debt and all these people killed unnecessarily."

Nomura said her local Democrats will conduct an endorsement process later this month, but she said she wasn’t sure if Dicks could muster up enough support, especially with Richmond in the race.

Here's a link to the full story in The Daily World.

You can understand why the Libertarian Party is complaining about the "Top Two" primary election slated for Aug. 19. It's highly unlikely that any Libertarian will be one of the Top Two in any race.

For Immediate Release

Further information:
Rachel Hawkridge – 206-769-2492
Richard Shepard – 253-383-2235

Libertarian Party says Washington State defying U.S. District Court!

By continuing with its plan for a “Top Two” primary, Washington State is defying the U. S. District Court, Western Division. The Court issued a permanent injunction against Washington’s Top Two primary, signed by Judge Zilly. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that on its face, the Top Two was constitutional, didn’t change the fact that an injunction had already been issued.

=> Read more!

The Tacoma City Clerk's Office has put out a call for volunteers to serve on the committees that will write "for" and "against" statements for Proposition 1, which seeks to abolish term limits for the City Council.

The statements will be published in the Voter's Pamphlet.

Councilwoman Connie Ladenburg wants to do away with the current 10-year limit. Last week, the City Council agreed on a 5-4 vote to put the issue to voters Nov. 4.

Mayor Bill Baarsma adamantly opposed the resolution, arguing that any changes in the City Charter should go through the formal charter review process.

To apply for either committee, write a letter of interest and send it to Yvonne Yaskus at the Clerk's Office by 5 p.m. July 21.

Letters may be sent electronically to yvonne.yaskus@cityoftacoma.org, or the old-fashioned way to the City Clerk's Office, 747 Market Street, Room 220, Tacoma, WA 98402.

The council's Appointments Committee will consider the appointments at its July 28 meeting.

Here are a couple of club announcements:

The 2nd and 29th Districts Republican Club will host a candidate forum on Wednesday, July 9. Featured guests include Secretary of State Sam Reed and Pierce County executive candidates Shawn Bunney and Mike Lonergan. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in Dryer's Fellowship Hall, 220 S 134th St., Parkland. For information, contact Bob Jewell at 360-893-1712 or bobjewell@hotmail.com.

There's an update to the previously announced July 15 meeting of the 25th District Republican Club. Attorney General Rob McKenna can't make it. Instead, state House candidates Ron Morehouse and Sharon Hanek will be the featured guests. The event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Puyallup Public Library. For more information, contact Bob Nielson at rhneilson@earthlink.net.

Backers of the Top Two primary in Oregon submitted more signatures to the secretary of state there today, likely assuring its place on the November ballot.

The initiative would create a top two primary similar to Washington's new law. One difference would be that if a candidate is endorsed by a political party, that information will be included on the Oregon ballot along with the candidate's own stated party preference. Party endorsements are not mentioned on Washington's ballot.

Still, the two candidates with the most votes – regardless of party – would advance to the general election.

The sponsor of the Oregon measure is Phil Keisling who served as secretary of state from 1991 to 1999. Oregon now has a closed primary and party registration. As such, voters get the ballot of the party for which they registered. Only that party's candidates will appear on the primary ballot.

Washington approved its top two primary in 2004 but it was held up by a lawsuit. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Washington's law earlier this year, which should make it more difficult for Oregon's parties to argue that the initiative in unconstitutional.

Here's what Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, has to say about the Sonics settlement. Murray, a member of the task force to meet this summer on King County local taxes, said he hasn't read the settlement but has been briefed.

"My concern is that some of the sources we're looking at give me puase. An example would be the convention center and some of the funding that would come out of the money that we're getting out of the convention center... I think we need to look at renovating and expanding the convention center before we talk about diverting that money into KeyArena."

He said the Legislature wasn't involved in the deal-making. "That wouldn't be appropriate."

"We have time now to look at our options through this task force. Again, I think we need to be very cautious about where we get the money so that we don't hurt other needed projects or tax sources."

"I'm not saying we won't act, but I think we need to be deliberative. We have time ... using public money for the use of sports facilities is very controversial and I think we need to be very careful."

On whether the less-than-optimistic revenue forecasts have any effect on this, he said, "It's certainly something we have to take into consideration."

Update 2:37 p.m.: I just talked to Rep. Ross Hunter, who's also on the task force. Here's what he had to say after reading the settlement:

"It's very vague and it's intended to be vague," he said. "They want the state to take some action that makes $75 million available to this. Obviously we could just give them $75 million, which is unlikely – heavily unlikely. Or we could allow the city to shift funds from one account to another."

That fund-shifting is in reference to a pool of unused money from the Seattle hotel-motel tax that pays for the convention center. While Murray didn't seem hot on the idea, Hunter described it as excess money that could be used without affecting the convention center's future.

"If it's in Seattle's best interest to remodel KeyArena and attract a professional basketball tenant, that would be a reasonable basis."

He said projected budget shortfalls and decreasing revenue forecasts could have an effect on the political wrangling. "We have a number of things that are more important than dealing with this problem."

He said he's a skeptic on the idea of subsidizing sports teams. "It's just not attractive to me. I don't think that's what we're doing here."

"If the basis is, we want to spend taxpayer dollars to subsidize players' salaries, then no."

It should be noted that neither House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, nor Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, are willing to talk today. (Brown did issue a statement yesterday, though.)

Here's a copy of the Sonics settlement.

And here's a copy of some of the statements from the involved parties.

I'm working on a follow-up with legislators. Look for their comments soon.

Update 12:23 p.m.: I've realized (thanks to Rep. Ross Hunter) that our settlement is missing page 2. I'm working on it and will re-post.

Update 12:55 p.m.:Fixed.

I got the release below today from Darcy Burner's campaign:

“After the fire that destroyed our home yesterday, Mike, Henry and I spent last night together at the home of close family friends in Redmond. For all of those who have been asking, thank you again for your expressions of concern.

“Considering the circumstances, we are holding up well. I am particularly relieved to see that my son Henry seems to be fine this morning. He has been playing with Bruce Wayne, our golden retriever, who miraculously survived the fire inside the house. This whole ordeal has reminded me once again of the importance of what really matters in life: family and friends.

=> Read more!

The Sonics and City of Seattle announced a deal today that allows the Sonics to leave tomorrow in exchange for up to $75 million to buy out the remainder of its KeyArena lease.

In addition, the NBA will work on getting another team in Seattle, though there's no guarantee.

It's now up to the Legislature: If they don't finalize an arena funding plan next year, the city automatically loses out on $30 million of the payment – and the possibility of an NBA team in its future.

We'll post reactions here.

Update 5:51 p.m.: I just got off the phone with Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina, chairman of the House finance committee. He had this to say:

On whether legislative leaders were involved in the negotiation, since it requires Legislative action: I would be surprised. It would be atypical for Seattle.

On whether this will be a top priority next session: I don't think this is the top priority for anyone next session... transportation, economy, education funding, healthcare - those are the most important issues that face them. That's what we're going to focus on. Part of our job is dealing with how all the tax policy works, local and state...

On City of Seattle lawyer Tom Carr's statement that the state would lose $20 million in sales tax revenue if they didn't act next year to ensure Seattle keeps the stadium: All the economic models that I've ever seen show that people who would go to basketball games and go out to dinner and do all those other things are likely to do something else anyway, so that the tradeoff doesn't exist ... I haven't really seen an economic model from an economist who is not employed by either a city that wants to have a basketball team or the teams themselves that show actual new revenue.

Hunter said a task force dealing with local taxes in King County, including the stadium tax, will meet July 16 "to try and sort these things out and this is one of the issues."

He also said he hasn't read the agreement and didn't know exactly what was required of the Legislature in the deal.

Update, 6:32 p.m.: While we accumulate politicians' responses here, what do you think? Click on our Hot Button poll and tell us whether you think the city got a good deal or not.

Update, 6:43 p.m.: Here's what Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, had to say in a release:
"No matter where you place the blame for things not coming together, there are a lot of people who are very disappointed that professional basketball is leaving Seattle.

At the end of the 2008 session, the Legislature created a task force to figure out how best to use existing revenues in King County. A Key Arena upgrade is on the list, as are a number of other worthy projects.

The task force is still doing its work, and so it's just too early to say whether or not the Legislature will authorize the extension of current taxes to support professional basketball in Seattle.

But it's too early to say for a number of other reasons, too. We don't have a replacement team ready to step into the breech. We don't know what the Key Arena needs are. We don't have a proposal to evaluate. Is the Legislature going to fund it? We don't yet know what 'it' is.

Keep in mind that public financing for profession sports is about as hot-button a political issue there is. A third of lawmakers are going to be supportive, a third are going to opposed, and a third are going to need to see the details. Let's wait until there are some details to discuss.

If - after the details are made clear and the task force has done its work - a Key Arena upgrade pencils ahead of other projects, the Legislature could authorize the use of public dollars for another sports arena in Seattle. But not unless and until that happens first."

From the state Republicans:

During Christine Gregoire’s recent appearance on the Dave Ross show, the governor made a statement that brought to mind Hall & Oates’ No. 1 single from 1984: Out of Touch. When asked about the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Gregoire said, “We are on schedule with the viaduct. There has been no delay whatsoever.”

Now, read this:

You're out of touch/
I'm out of time/
But I'm out of my head when you're not around.
Reaching out for something to hold/
Looking for a love where the climate is cold.

Yep, I totally see the viaduct connection ... But I'm left with the feeling that referencing a song that hit the top of the charts more than two decades ago is, well, out of touch.

With that in mind -- and the little music-related snafu from last week (I'm looking at you, Democrats) -- I've browsed my iTunes for some newer material. Feel free to use these.

- "Trying to find a balance," by Atmosphere. That would be nice for a budget-related press release. Don't listen to the words and we'll all be OK.

- "Your cover's blown," by Belle & Sebastian. Perfect for occasions when one party exposes some sort of scandal.

- "Worms," by Beth Orton. Self-explanatory. Sample lyric: "They've got a wishbone where their backbone should have grown."

- "Liars," by the Nextdoor Neighbors (out of Olympia!). Sample: "You say you don't like these games, then I don't know why you play them so well."

- "Forecast Fascist Future," by Of Montreal. Doesn't that sound scary?

Some important stuff is happening, so I'm wrapping this up. Feel free to add your own suggestions. Keep in mind that I will ignore any that were made in a year beginning with 19.

Yesterday, Dino Rossi's campaign released this proclamation on his web site, saying he beat Gov. Chris Gregoire in June fundraising.*

* Through June 29.

Gregoire's campaign responded with this, which says, essentially, that Rossi's campaign was out of line... Not because the claims aren't true, but because there's no way to know at that point whether it was true or not because there was a day left in the month.

Well, one of you has to be right. We won't know for a bit, but let's not fight about it until then, OK?

In the meantime, you could call out each other's campaigns (and uber-powerful campaign supporters, the BIAW and Big Labor) for attacking your candidate baselessly.

Tacoma City Councilman Mike Lonergan asked the city's legal staff to find a way to keep Robert "The Traveller" Hill from attending future City Council meetings following Hill's conduct last night, which included removing some of his clothes and once again mentioning masturbation.

Hill, whose campaign for Pierce County sheriff recently ended after he pleaded guilty to forgery, arrived at the council chambers wearing a jumpsuit and hat.

He spoke to the City Council during the public comment portion of the meeting, and then took a seat in the front row. At some point, he removed the jumpsuit and sat in his underwear in a way in which he was exposed to a council member seated at the dais, City Manager Eric Anderson said.

Tacoma police escorted Hill out of the council chambers wearing only a T-shirt and underwear. He returned about 10 minutes later with the jumpsuit covering his lower half.

Hill spoke again at the end of the meeting during Citizens' Forum, the once-a-month forum in which citizens are allowed to address council members about issues that are not on the meeting agenda.

As he has done before, Hill used the forum to talk about masturbation, Lonergan said. Mayor Bill Baarsma banged his gavel and brought the comments to an end.

Lonergan then issued his challenge to the city's legal staff to find a way to keep Hill from making future appearances. "It's getting very old," Lonergan said this morning.

Lonergan said he was particularly disturbed because a young boy was present in the council chambers, and it's possible that children were watching the meeting on television.

The Washington State Republican Party has weighed in on the Lynn Kessler is-she-or-isn’t-she endorsing John Ladenburg for attorney general drama.

Ladenburg recently told our Inside the Editorial Page blog he’d patched it up with House Majority Leader Kessler and said she would support him. Our editorial page folks checked with Kessler, who said she won’t be endorsing anyone for attorney general.

Today the Republicans pounced.

"Being caught in a bald lie is a disgrace for anyone who aspires to be Attorney General," said Washington State Republican Party Chairman Luke Esser. “His dishonesty to a newspaper raises doubts about whether John Ladenburg has the integrity to be Attorney General. Ladenburg is falling behind in the race, so he’s claiming supporters he doesn’t have to try to catch up. How much lower can Ladenburg and his campaign sink?"

You can read the full post here.

In order of appearance:

The 25th Legislative District Democrats will meet July 10 at 7 p.m. at the Puyallup Public Library, 324 South Meridian, to listen to candidates and consider endorsements for the Aug. 19 primary election. Candidates for various state and legislative offices have been invited to attend or send representatives. For more information, contact Charley Stokes at cwstokes@earthlink.net or 253-861-8744.

The 25th District Republican Club will meet on July 15 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Puyallup Public Library. Attorney General Rob McKenna will be the featured guest as part of the club's continuing "Meet the Candidate" series. For more information, contact Bob Nielson at rhneilson@earthlink.net.

Update: Nielson says McKenna got double-booked and won't be able to attend the Republican club's event. Instead, state House candidates Ron Morehouse and Sharon Hanek will attend.

From environmental reporter Susan Gordon, who attended yesterday's science summit in Bremerton:

Monday's event at the Kitsap Conference Center was a like a family reunion for the Dicks family.

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks and his son, David, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership, each took a turn at the podium.

David, a new dad, even showed off a picture of his 10-day-old daughter, Danika Dorothy Dicks, cuddling up next to a tiger cat. Also in the audience: the baby's grandma, Suzie Dicks, and great grandma, Eileen Dicks.

Congratulations to David and his family. Still, the Dicks clan has a long way to go to catch up with that Ladenburg dynasty.

TNT photographer Dean Koepfler posted a gallery of photos from Gov. Chris Gregoire's campaign appearance in Tacoma yesterday. The governor spent a couple of hours job-shadowing an in-home health care worker.

Since the photos are elsewhere on our Web site, here's a link to Dean's photos.

As a side note, we got this query today from a Republican activist in Pierce County: "In order to offer balance in your news reporting do you plan to give Dino Rossi the same coverage you gave Governor Gregoire in the article by Niki Sullivan?"

Was Rossi in T-town yesterday cleaning out a bed pan? No? Then I'm not sure how we're supposed to "balance" the story. Our core mission is to cover news in the South Sound (mainly, south King to north Thurston counties). Gregoire came to Tacoma and did something a bit unusual for a governor. That's a news story. Not a big one, but it's a story, which is why we put it on the front of our local section. If Rossi wants to do a job shadow in Pierce County, or do something else that's newsworthy (Tall Ships volunteer?), we'd make an effort to cover it.

Our goal is to cover either of the candidates when they make appearances in Pierce County (we'll also try to have a little coverage of the other eight candidates for governor). In today's media-and-politics climate, I expect we'll get more queries and criticism during the next few months. but keep this in mind: Pierce County is likely to be a battleground in the governor's race. In their 2004 contest, Rossi won it by 4 percentage points. I assume that means we'll have many more stories about Gregoire and Rossi visits to the South Sound between now and Nov. 4.

A final thought (because I can't resist): Darcy Burner's house burned down today. Since Dave Reichert's house is still standing, as far as I know, I don't anticipate "equal coverage" for him today.

From the AP:

REDMOND - Fire has damaged Democratic congressional candidate Darcy Burner’s Ames Lake-area home.
The fire began around 7:30 a.m. at 3630 West Ames Lake Drive Northeast, said fire authorities.

Burner, her husband, Mike and son Henry were getting ready for the day when they noticed the fire, said Sandeep Kaushik, Burner’s spokesman. Everyone made it out without injury, but the house is “badly damaged”, he said.

The family does not know where they will spend the night.

Update 10:45 a.m.: I just got off the phone with Sandeep Kaushik, Burner's spokesman. He says the fire was "very serious" and that, when he talked to Burner an hour ago, she described it as a "total loss."

"They're OK but obviously pretty shaken up," Kaushik said. Burner was in the home with her husband, Mike, and 5-year-old son, Henry, when the fire started. He said Henry was the first one to notice the fire and that it may have started near his room.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Kauskik is headed out to Burner's home now and will have more information soon. The Redmond Fire Department's line is busy.

Update 11:54 a.m.: Just got off the phone with Kaushik, who's now with Burner and her family at the house. He said the fire started a little after 7 a.m. Darcy and her husband were asleep.

Henry first noticed the fire, which probably started in his room. They're still not sure how, but Kaushik said it might have been a lamp.

Henry did exactly what he should have, Kaushik said. "He came running out and saying 'Mommy and Daddy, there's a fire.' Darcy got Henry out of the house as quick as she could."

Mike stayed behind to try to find their puppy, but the house "went up in a matter of minutes."

He said the gas main may have blown. Everyone but the family cat got out fine. Most of the family's belongings have been destroyed, Kaushik said.

"They're OK. They're a little shaken up, but thankful to have avoided what could have been a real tragedy."

Kaushik said the whole roof is collapsed and the inside is burned out. The sides of the house are still standing. The fire is extinguished, but there's still some smoke and firefighters are working to salvage what they can from the home.

Update 3:24 p.m.: I just talked to Kaushik again. Couple of things:

- They think the fire was started by a faulty lamp.
- Burner is going to take a few days off to get things back together, then she'll start back up with the campaign again. "The campaign is going to go on."
- Firefighters were able to salvage almost nothing.
- "Firefighters found Bruce Wayne (the Golden Retriever puppy) in the wreckage of the home he kind of miraculously survived. He was coughing a little bit." Charlotte the cat didn't make it out, as we previously posted.

As I reported last month, average residential property values fell last year across Pierce County. It’s the first time folks at the assessor-treasurer’s office can remember a decline in average residential values countywide.

But let’s keep things in perspective. Data from the assessor’s office show this year’s falling values are just a blip compared to the substantial gains in average Pierce County values over the last four years.

Here’s a spreadsheet that shows the average residential property values in Pierce County cities and school districts from 2004 to 2008, as determined by the assessor’s office. Don’t have Excel? Here are the five cities where average values grew the most during that four-year period:

Pacific 112%
Ruston 83%
Edgewood 71%
Wilkeson 69%
Gig Harbor 69%

Which city saw the lowest average increase in property values? The part of Auburn that lies in Pierce County saw average values rise “only” 34 percent.

Average values countywide fell just 1.3 percent in 2007. That doesn’t include some steep declines since the beginning of the year. But I feel a little richer anyway.

I wasn’t able to reach County Executive John Ladenburg yesterday for comment on the County Council Rules Committee decision to table his land preservation proposal indefinitely. But the executive e-mailed me late in the day. Here’s his response:

As I said in my editorial, I think it would be good to let voters decide. They may decide the best time to buy open space is when prices are depressed and interest rates are low.
John W. Ladenburg
Pierce County Executive