I just got back from the weekly press briefing with City Manager Eric Anderson. (Unlike Speaker of the (state) House Frank Chopp, Anderson does not give away Junior Mints at these affairs, but I somehow manage). Here's a bit of what he had to say:

On the budget forecast
"There isn't any real change at this point. If we're lucky, we'll have more" than they projected, he said. But he didn't think they'd find any extra money. He said the next update would come at the end of September or early October.

He also said that, in about three weeks, budget matters will be "all-consuming."

On the all-but failed sale of the Rhodes building to the Tacoma Housing Authority and subsequent effort by some local lawmakers to strike a deal
"I have not been approached."

On the 'class & comp' study, which will help the city set new wage classifications and compensation rates for city workers:
"We're currently surveying compensation for the classes created."
What?
Basically, the company hired by the city is comparing the city's different job classifications – lawyers, public relations folks, police – to comparable jobs elsewhere. They'll determine if the City of Tacoma is paying enough, then recommend changes.
Anderson said the goal is for the city to pay in the 70th percentile for comparables. In other words: They won't offer the highest salaries, but they'll pay enough to attract solid applicants.
Once they get the recommendations, the city will "see if we think it's reasonable. Once we think they are, we'll send to the council."
He said they haven't gotten a peek at the results (so there's no telling whether you, city employee, will get a raise.)

=> Read more!

For Sunday I'm taking a look at an interesting (to me anyway) phenomena from the August 19 primary: late-arriving ballots were slightly more conservative than early-arriving votes.

Given how the votes are counted, that meant that some Democratic leads evaporated and some Republican leads grew larger between Election Night and the final tally.

Chris Gregoire's day-after-election lead over Dino Rossi of 4.1 percent fell to 1.9 percent. Terry Bergeson's 11.2 percent lead over Randy Dorn fell to 5.8 percent. And Rob McKenna, Dave Reichert and Doug Sutherland saw their leads grow as vote-counting concluded.

The question is why? Do Republicans hold onto their ballots longer? Did some of the late campaigning help Republicans? Did undecideds break toward Rossi.

I ask some folks for theories Sunday. Feel free to get a head start and give yours now.

In February, our D.C. reporter, Les Blumenthal, reported that the federal highway trust fund was expected to run out of money next year due to declining gas tax revenues.

Turns out, the problem was worse than feared. U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said today that the highway trust fund will run out of money this month.

From The Associated Press:

Peters blames the shortage of funds on the high price of gasoline, which has prompted Americans to drive less. And by driving less, they use less fuel and pay less in federal gasoline tax.
At a midday press conference Friday, Peters said the agency will have to delay payments to state road and bridge projects that the federal government is helping finance.
At the same time, she wants Congress to pass legislation that includes $8 billion to help cover the shortfall.
Four times this year, Republicans in the Senate have blocked a measure that would shore up the fund.

Last February, Blumenthal reported that Tacoma and Pierce County leaders were watching the situation and worrying about the impact on local projects. For example, Pierce County has 140 bridges that need replacing or maintenance, and 90 percent of the funding comes from the federal government.

Sen. Patty Murray told Blumenthal at the time that she'd been raising red flags about the trust fund, and she complained that President Bush and congressional Republicans were blocking a fix.

She issued a statement today saying that's finally about to change.

Senator Murray, who chairs the Transportation and Housing Appropriations Subcommittee, has been sounding the alarm about the Highway Trust Fund for more than two years. This year, she helped draw up a legislative solution, which would restore to the trust fund more than $8 billion that was taken out of it at the end of 1998. The House has passed a similar measure by a 10 to 1 margin, but Republicans in the Senate have blocked the solution repeatedly.

Today, after opposing it for months, the Bush Administration finally abandoned its veto threat and endorsed the legislative fix, asking Congress to get it to the President’s desk by next week.

“The Highway Trust Fund is now bankrupt. It’s too bad that it has taken an emergency to force the Administration to pull its head out of the sand and appreciate how serious this problem is.

“If we don’t pass a solution fast, we’ll be forced to cancel critical highway construction and repair projects that ensure our roads and bridges are safe and secure.

“This crisis could lead to millions of construction layoffs across this country at a time when the unemployment rate is already the highest it has been in nearly five years.

“We have brought legislation to the Senate floor multiple times to help resolve this crisis, yet Republicans have repeatedly blocked our efforts. Now that the Administration is on board, it is critical that my Republican colleagues stop denying that we face a crisis in this country and help us pass a solution.”

The Supreme Court just issued a ruling on a challenge to keep Initiative 1029 off the ballot. Opponents claimed the petitions were wrongly worded, saying I-1029 would be an initiative to the Legislature, not an initiative to the people.

An initiative to the Legislature means there would be no public vote on it this year, in 2009 at the earliest.

Bottom line: It will be on the Nov. 4 general election ballot.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2008
Contact:
Brian Zylstra
Deputy Communications Director
(360) 902-4173

State Supreme Court decision leaves I-1029 on the ballot

OLYMPIA – The State Supreme Court this morning issued a summary decision dismissing a challenge by opponents of Initiative No. 1029 that the measure not appear on the November General Election ballot.

The court’s order means that I-1029 will be on the ballot this fall.

“We greatly appreciate the Supreme Court’s prompt and timely consideration and decision in this case,” said State Elections Director Nick Handy. “The 300,000-plus voters who signed these petitions will be pleased that this matter will be on the November ballot.”

=> Read more!

Brushes with fame to pass along ...

Bob Lawrence, a Republican national delegate from Pierce County, posed for a photo with John McCain's mother, Roberta, during his stay in the Twin Cities this week.

And Bob's wife, Judy, spoke with Sen. McCain and wife Cindy about her son, Michael Zarling, who is in Iraq on his second tour of duty with a Stryker Brigade.

Dick Muri, the Pierce County Councilman and a fellow delegate, posted photos on his blog, and said I could share them here.

Lawrence said he was stuffing relief packages for hurricane victims when he saw 96-year-old Roberta McCain walk by.

He told her that he knows she's a Navy person, but would she mind posing for a photo with an Air Force man.

"She said, 'Normally I wouldn't but since you have a McCain button I will,'" Lawrence told me yesterday. "She's a very sharp lady. For 96, this gal could pass for 75."

Lawrence's wife Judy turned up in a photo with Sen. and Mrs. McCain the same day.

From Muri's blog:

Judy's husband Bob Lawrence mentioned to Cindy McCain that we had a mom here whose son was on his second Stryker Brigade tour in Iraq. She immediately asked who and then grabbed Judy's hand and said I am sure John would like to talk to you. Cindy told John about Judy's son and Senator McCain told Judy not once but twice how proud he is of Michael's service and devotion to our country.

Can’t get enough of your favorite Pierce County Council member on television? Better tune in today. It’s your last chance to catch his or her show for two months.

The Rainier Communications Commission will stop airing Council Corner shows beginning Saturday until after the November election. The shows feature County
Council members talking about pet projects and issues. Each of the seven council members has a half hour show, and each show is broadcast several times a week.

Why the hiatus? The shows could be considered free advertising for incumbents running for office. As it happens, all seven council members are running for various offices this year.

How much free advertising do they get? A look at the RCC schedules shows Council Corner aired 76 times over the last two weeks, for a total of 38 hours. Here’s a breakdown of how often each council member’s half-hour show ran during that time:

Council member # Shows
Shawn Bunney 12
Roger Bush 10
Tim Farrell 12
Barbara Gelman 7
Calvin Goings 12
Terry Lee 17
Dick Muri 6

If you find yourself suffering withdrawal symptoms, the RCC will still broadcast County Council meetings.