The Society of Professional Journalists national ethics committee is calling foul on the Washington News Council for conducting an online poll on a complaint against KIRO TV.

The Washington Secretary of State had complained to the News Council, a self-appointed watchdog group, about KIRO's pieces on voter registration irregularities. KIRO declined to participate in a hearing. So the News Council posted an online poll, which turned out lopsided against KIRO.

"A hearing can be worthwhile if all parties voluntarily participate and work toward a common understanding," the SPJ said in a news release. "The committee strongly objects to having a public online vote, or virtual hearing, on journalism ethics.

“The news council is wrong to emulate the ‘American Idol’ model of voting for a ‘winner,’” said Andy Schotz, chairman of SPJ’s Ethics Committee. “Gimmickry is a major step backward if the council wants to appear professional and credible.”

Click here to see the results of the News Council's "virtual hearing." The full press release is below.

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Gov. Chris Gregoire is taking her bill-signing show on the road next week to sign a bunch of transportation-related bills. And a few others, too.

She's going to the Seattle Aquarium at 2 p.m. Tuesday to sign the Alaskan Way Viaduct Bill, Senate Bill 5768.

Later on, she'll sign a dozen other bills, including the newspaper tax break (HB 2122), tax breaks for solar and enviro stuff (SB 6170), document fees to pay for programs for the homeless (HB 2331), electric cars (HB 1481), Apple Health for Kids (HB 2128) and the Olympic varmint, er, marmot bill (SB 5071).

Early Wednesday afternoon, the Guv will be in Tacoma to sign the 2009-11 state transportation budget. That's at 2 p.m. at the Convention Center, 1500 Broadway. There's $5 billion worth of projects in the overall $7.5 billion budget, including Interstate 5 carpool lanes through Tacoma.

Later that afternoon, 4:30 p.m. she'll sign the Highway 520 bridge bill (HB 2211) in Grays Harbor. That's going to create a bunch of jobs down there because that's where most of the bridge pontoons will be built.

Looks like the Domestic Partnerships bill is on tap for a signing ceremony on Monday, May 18 in Seattle. (Don't know location, yet.) So, that will officially kick off the Referendum 71 campaign that seeks to overturn the expansion of gay rights in the bill.

And the state operating budget is supposed to be signed Tuesday May 19. I'll miss that one. I'm having two teeth pulled instead. It was a tough choice for me, but the tooth-pulling comes with Vicodin. The budget doesn't. (Although it probably should, given the amount of pain in it).

Gov. Gregoire’s Schedule May 11 through May 15, 2009

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A call from Tim Eyman prompted me to take another look at the compilation of bills that I posted on the blog over the last couple days, specifically, Senate Bill 5433.

That bill is awaiting action by Gov. Chris Gregoire. It would give locals governments some flexibility in how they can spend the sales tax money they already collect, hope to impose. The bill also would give the King County Council a new taxing option. The council, without a public vote, could raise property taxes by 7.5 cents per $1,000 in property values to raise money for Metro Transit. (I got that wrong before. I thought it required a public vote.)

As I recall, the county could raise $25 million to $30 million a year with the property tax. So, even though the council is complaining about not getting the wherewithal to impose a motor vehicle excise tax of 1 percent countywide to collect $120 million a year, it does get half of that with the property tax and the $20-per-vehicle license tab fee.

This is from my legislative roundup, which is on the blog and will run in print on Sunday.

Transit taxes: SB 5433 also would let transit agencies such as Pierce, King County Metro and Intercity imposed a $20 annual vehicle registration fee with a public vote -- Sound Transit could not -- and let the King County Council (without a public vote) raise property taxes by 7.5 cent per $1,000 in property values for transit.

Just think, Kopachuk could become "Joe Turner State Park".

I've lost track of what the Gig Harbor Peninsula community and the state Parks and Recreation Commission are doing about possibly mothballing Kopachuk state park. But Jason Mercier of the Washington Policy Center reminded me of it in his blog posting about the state budget.

Mercier is much further ahead of me in reading the state budget. His blog posting made mention of how State Parks is being encourage to turn over its parks to others who might want them -- counties, tribes, etc.

But the counties are looking to do the same thing, so maybe State Parks should be looking further down the line. "Jim King Jr. State Park?" You'd get to park free, but you have to go on police call at least once a day.

Maybe we can just give the Peace Arch to Canada. Ya think?

Here is a link to the center's blog.

The Secretary of State’s Office has named Pierce County elections manager Lori Augino the County Election Employee of the Year.

The award recognizes Augino’s work in 2008, a challenging year for county elections officials. They implemented the county’s new ranked choice voting system and the state’s new “top two” primary. They also oversaw regular general elections for state and federal offices amid historic voter turnout.

“Through it all, Lori maintained her cool, and showed her staff how to push forward,” Secretary of State Sam Reed said in announcing the award. “She has worked extremely long days, resolved significant challenges and maintained grace under fire.”

Augino has worked at the auditor's office since 1995 and has been elections manager since 2000. She received the award at a statewide conference Wednesday.

Here’s the full press release:

May 7, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed honored Lori Augino of the Pierce County Auditor's Office as the County Election Employee of the Year during a statewide conference on Wednesday, May 6.

Augino, who joined the Auditor's Office in 1995, has served as Pierce County's Election Manager since 2000.

"For many years, Lori has been a valuable resource for the elections community in our state. She has consistently provided constructive input on policy decisions, pending legislation, and proposed administrative rules," said Reed, who presented the inaugural award during the annual statewide Elections Conference, held at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound.

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Just in time for Bike to Work week next week, the City of Tacoma is rolling out a map of bike friendly streets.

“We’re encouraging people to bike to work that week,” said Diane Wiatr, city mobility coordinator and urban planner. “And certainly after that, too.”

About 42,000 employees work in the downtown area, she said, and the map is intended to help people find routes that aren’t too steep.

“Coming in it’s downhill, but getting out of town can be difficult,” she said. The map has chevrons indicating grade.

It was put together with the help of the Tacoma Wheelmen’s Bicycle Club, which has been promoting biking in Tacoma since 1888.

“They used to ride from here to Mt. Rainier,” Wiatr said. “It’s amazing because they were on these big clunkers. They didn’t even have a water bottle.”

Tacoma is also starting to design a “mobility master plan,” which means taking lofting urban planning concepts and asking, “What should we do on this particular street?”

The commuting map can be downloaded at PierceTrips.com or here on the News Tribune’s Political Buzz Blog.

On Saturday, a bike swap will be held on the University of Puget Sound’s campus from noon to 5 p.m. Vendors will have vintage bikes for sale and there will be opportunities to buy, sell and swap equipment.

“My daughters bike is too small,” Wiatr said. “Someone is going to be really happy to have it at a cheap price and I’m going to be really happy to have it out of my garage.”