The Pierce County Council this afternoon appointed 15 people to write “for” and “against” statements on the three proposed amendments to the county charter that will appear on the November ballot.

Any nominations for the oddest pairings?

Here’s the press release announcing the appointments:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 18, 2009

Fifteen Pierce County residents will represent their fellow citizens in formally supporting or opposing the proposed amendments to the Pierce County Charter that voters will see on the November ballot.

The County Council this afternoon unanimously appointed up to three members to citizen committees that will write “for” and “against” statements for the 2009 Pierce County voter’s pamphlet. More citizens applied to serve on some of the committees than there were available slots, Council Chair Roger Bush said.

“We’re grateful to everyone who stepped forward to perform this important function of our elections process,” Bush said. “This was a difficult process and a tough decision to make, but I think the citizens will be well served by the result.”

• Proposition 1 would move the election of the County Executive and County Councilmembers to odd-numbered years by 2015, and would increase the term limits of the executive and councilmembers from two to three consecutive four-year terms (same as the limits currently in effect for the auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff). The “for” committee will include Mark Lindquist, Rick Talbert and Charla Neuman; the “against” committee will be John Hathaway, Sherry Bockwinkel and Larry Faulk.

• Proposition 2 would move the election of the auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff to odd-numbered years by 2015. The “for” committee is composed of John Herr, Alex Hays and Doug Richardson; the “against” committee will be John Earl (no additional candidates applied).

• Proposition 3 would eliminate Instant-Runoff Voting and restore the primary election for Pierce County elective offices. The “for” committee will be Pat McCarthy, Karen Vialle and John Herr; the “against” committee will be Kelly Haughton, Richard Anderson-Connolly and Lyz Kurnitz-Thurlow.

State law allows local legislative bodies to appoint committees of up to three members to support and oppose ballot measures at least 45 days before the voter’s pamphlet is published. Given that deadline, the newly created committees will have until Aug. 24 to submit their statements to the Pierce County auditor.

CONTACT: Brad Chatfield, Council Communications Manager, 253-798-6626

That's the word from the Secretary of State's office, and those election folks are the ones who should know.

I got an e-mail on behalf of a candidate, someone who thought candidates were being unfairly (and illegally) denied access to homes in gated communities and could not doorbell. Her e-mail is below, but I deleted her name. She was well-meaning, but wrong.

Hi Joe,
Can you print some information for the public regarding the legal right of candidates to enter gated communities to campaign.
It would be useful to the great number of non-partisan candidates running this year.
I know there is precedent on this issue, but some people get very mean and threatening.
Thanks for your help.

…and no, this is not for me, it’s for others less experienced and the people who live out in the south county in all these new gated places.
Thanks!

Here is the official word from state election folks:

Joe,

Gated communities are private property. We don't know of any basis on
which candidates can demand to enter private property, even for purposes of campaigning.

=> Read more!

This year’s budget trouble at Pierce County’s Chambers Bay Golf Course may spill over into next year as well.

Deputy County Executive Kevin Phelps told the County Council this afternoon that “the likelihood is strong” that Chambers Bay will finish this year with a budget deficit. And he also expects the course to run a deficit next year as well.

But Phelps said the county will come out ahead when revenue from the 2015 U.S. Open championship is taken into account. He told the council that payments of up to $5.5 million from the United States Golf Association in coming years will more than cover those deficits and pay for course improvements needed for the championship.

“Yes, we think there will be a deficit,” Phelps told the council. “We’re doing everything we can to minimize it.”

As I reported earlier this month, Chambers Bay finished the first half of the year with a deficit of more than $700,000. While a strong August and September might diminish the deficit, it’s likely the course will finish this year in the red.

County officials say the recession has taken a toll on the number of golfers willing to pay up to $169 a round to play the nationally acclaimed University Place course.

While the course is making enough to cover its operations, it’s doubtful it will generate enough income to cover an $800,000 debt payment due in December.

Phelps has said the course may borrow from the county general fund or sewer fund to cover the deficits. He told the council that guaranteed payments from the USGA – payments due under the county’s contract to host the U.S. Open – would be used to repay any interfund loan.

The County Council will have the final say over how the county covers the Chambers Bay deficit. Previously the council pledged to sell land near Chambers Bay to help repay the $21 million golf course debt, if necessary.

In other Chambers Bay news:

=> Read more!

OK, August seems a little early for election season, but here we are anyway geared up for a slate of primary contests for municipal offices. Believe it or not, there's actually some drama on the ballot today.

Look for coverage here and on the homepage, starting at about 8:15 p.m. Here are the storylines we're watching closely.

• Will voters oust embattled Federal Way Municipal Judge Michael Morgan in the primary? Normally, muni court judge races fly under the radar. But Morgan's behavior in office has earned him a reprimand from the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and five challengers. Morgan has made a fight of it, outspending the other candidates to keep his job.

• Will Tacoma School Board Director Connie Rickman survive a crowded primary against five challengers? Rickman was the most vocal supporter of controversial former superintendent Charlie Milligan. Rickman hasn't reported spending any money, so she may be counting on name familiarity and the fact that any detractors may split their votes among the challengers.

• Who will contend in November in Tacoma for two open City Council seats representing south and east districts? In Puyallup, who will survive the three primary races for council?

• Which of several heavyweights will emerge from the fight over the much coveted King County executive slot?

• Will Seattle voters bag the proposed grocery bag tax? (My guess: Yes.)

What are your predictions?

This just in...

Washington’s unemployment rate dipped in July

OLYMPIA – Washington’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 9.1 percent in July, down from June’s revised rate of 9.2 percent, according to the state Employment Security Department.

The state gained an estimated 4,000 non-agricultural jobs over the month, seasonally adjusted.

=> Read more!

Of course, those meetings on Wednesday and Thursday will be closed to the public, but at least we know there are happening, right?

The commission is looking to replace Jeff Koenings, who announced his resignation way back in December 2008. Here is The Olympian story on his departure (ouster?).

Naturally, the commissioners will be looking for a replacement who can balance the needs and desires of the sports fishermen, commercial fisherwomen and the tribes. Of course, that's impossible, but they will look for that person, nonetheless.

WASHINGTON FISH AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION
SPECIAL MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

August 19-20, 2009

The Commission has called a special meeting to interview candidates for the Department Director position. The public is not permitted to attend the interviews, which will be conducted during executive session. The public portions of this meeting will be recorded and the audio will be posted on the Internet by the day after adjournment. To listen to the audio afterwards, visit our website at: www.wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html

For additional information, contact the Commission Office at (360) 902-2267

Should voters who sign initiative and referendum petitions be allowed to remain anonymous? Or are petition forms and the names recorded there public records and available for inspection under state open government laws?

Those are the issues in a lawsuit filed by backers of Referendum 71, which seeks to repeal recent expansions in gay partnership rights. Protect Marriage Washington claims that signers would be subject to harassment and even violence if their names were known. They claim their First Amendment rights to petition the government are threatened by disclosure of the names.

The state attorney general will argue to keep the records open because any assertion of privacy by the backers of the referendum are outweighed by the public policy of open government.

The same lawyers are asking the state Public Disclosure Commission to seal the names of donors to the campaign.

The case is Doe v. Reed and is to be heard before U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle on Sept. 3.
Here is the filing by state Deputy Solicitor General James Pharris.

It had all the hallmarks of a typical political Robocall.

The phone rings and instead of a live person it is the recorded voice of someone well known. They tell you about one of the candidates running and urge you to vote for them.

In this case it was former Seattle Mayor Charley Royer who endorsed candidate Jordan Royer, who happens to be his son.

The effectiveness of Robocalls has been debated and debated but they are cheap and if the potential voter isn't home and the answering machines picks up they just might think the famous person actually called (I've received many breathless calls in the days leading up to big elections from voters telling me they are so disappointed because they weren't home when Alan Alda or Barbara Bush and Colin Powell or Hillary Clinton called).

But such calls are never effective in circumstances like this: the call came to my brother Denny who lives in the North End of Tacoma, far from any precincts where Jordan Royer – candidate for Seattle City Council – will appear on the ballot.

Really, the 253 area code should have given it away.

At least it didn't cost Royer votes like the 2002 Norm Dicks Robocalls. Imagine picking up the phone and hearing the booming voice of the congressman urging you to give him your vote – at 6 in the morning! The vendor, apparently, didn't get the whole different time zones thing.

Which is the opposite of what Gov. Chris Gregoire has said.

Race to the Top is the special $5.3 billion pot of money set aside by the Obama Administration to encourage states to reform their education systems. Gregoire has said she doubts the state would be eligible because it hasn't met many of the criteria set up – making sure each classroom has a competent teacher, improving achievement in low-performing schools, having a good data collection system to measure results, offering charter schools.

Gregoire said perhaps the state would be ready for a second round of funding if the next session of the Legislature acts on some of these issues.

But a report by The League of Education Voters asserts that the state meet minimum eligibility and should apply for funds now.

"In the wake of the WASL and AYP results announced last week showing flat scores and little progress in closing the achievement gap, Washington State needs this funding more than ever to improve our schools and increase student achievement," LEV said in a statement. "And despite some rumors to the contrary, Washington does meet the minimum application eligibility requirements for the Race to the Top Fund. A bold application would make Washington a legitimate contender for this funding, which would give a much-needed boost to the state's education system."

"While almost every other state in the nation is discussing how to compete in the Race to the Top, Washington State seems to be engaged in a Race to the Sidelines," said Chris Korsmo, executive director of the league.

About 60 or so folks from MoveOn.org are out in front of The News Tribune building, showing their support for health care reform.

Here is the message they sent out earlier to rally the troops.

Join us at the office of the Tacoma News Tribune to deliver personal Letters to the Editor about the need for a REAL Public Health Insurance Option. Our representatives are currently home for their August break and it is vital we make som...(more)e publicity especially for Maria Cantwell. She is a major voice on the Senate Finance Committee. If you can, bring signs!

Over 50 people demonstrating in favor of the "Public Option" in the nation's health care debate stand behind David Winchester, Coordinator of MoveOn Tacoma Council, as he delivered letters in support of the issue at the front desk of The News Tribune, Monday. Peter Haley / The News Tribune

This is one of your larger cases, as the state Department of Revenue pointed out.

This guy allegedly kept almost all the sales tax he collected for five years on about $10 million worth of work.

Marysville Drywaller Charged with Tax Fraud

Everett, Wash., Aug. 17, 2009 — The owner of Marysville-based Master’s Touch Drywall was charged today with stealing nearly all the sales tax he collected on jobs between 2003 and 2008.

Mark D. Standley, 53, was charged in Snohomish County Superior Court with multiple felony counts of first-degree theft, and filing false tax returns.

Standley is accused of reporting less than one half of one percent of more than $10 million in gross revenue he generated on drywall jobs between 2003 and 2008, and remitting to the state less than $3,000 of the nearly $855,000 in sales tax he collected from customers on those projects.

=> Read more!

The county will be mothballing 39 parks but will continue to operate 140 parks, including the Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

The 39 mothballed parks will remain open for use but will not be maintained. In December crews will fence playground equipment, lock and secure restrooms, post signs and lock gates in the 39 parks in potential annexation areas of Burien, Kent, Renton, Kirkland, Issaquah, Seattle, Federal Way, Redmond and SeaTac.

Effort to bridge budget shortfall means King County no longer funding urban local parks

King County Executive Kurt Triplett today announced he will zero-out funding for parks from the General Fund in 2010 by mothballing 39 parks in urban unincorporated areas. The move will save $4.6 million and is one more way to cover a $56.4 million shortfall in projected tax revenues needed to maintain 2009 service levels.

All the parks proposed for mothballing are in potential annexation areas of cities and primarily used by local residents but maintained with countywide general fund tax dollars.

=> Read more!

I wrote a story over the weekend about the debut of this e-mail alert system. It will be a few more days before it's operational for Pierce County residents.

BY Joseph Turner
The News Tribune
A glitch has delayed Pierce County’s connection to a statewide datebase that sends e-mail alerts to people who want to be notified when a registered sex offender moves next door.
Dawn Larsen, director for projects for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, said data on an estimated 600 sex offenders in Pierce County was successfully uploaded over the weekend. However, there was a problem uploading up-to-date pictures of the offenders, she said.
That problem should be remedied in a few days, she said.
There are 2,555 sex offenders registered to live in Pierce County, but only about 600 of them are in the notification database – only those who are classified Level II and Level III offenders. Those are the two groups considered most likely to commit another sex crime.
When it is connected, Pierce will become the 36th of 39 Washington counties to be connnected to the statewide alert system. Citizens who sign up will be notified by e-mail when a sex offender moves to within one mile of whichever location citizens choose - their homes, their work place, their child’s day care center, or all of those.

If you want to be notified by e-mail when a sex offender moves into your neighborhood, go to http://www.icrimewatch.net/washington.php and click on “Register for Email Alerts.” The system should be up and running in Pierce County in a few more days.

Kopachuck state park had been one of those slated for closure, and it's not out of the woods yet.

Subject: Kopachuck Park Celebration – September 13, 2009

Earlier this year the citizens of the State of Washington met the challenge of the announcement to close Kopachuck and Joemma State Parks with a remarkable grass roots effort. The result is that Kopachuck and Joemma State Parks were taken off the closure list for this budget session.

To celebrate the efforts of the citizens in the saving of Kopachuck and Joemma, POP (Preserve our Park) is sponsoring a Family Day at Kopachuck State Park on September 13, 2009 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Families will enjoy the live folk music of Flannel Asparagus, participate in guided trail hikes, face painting for the kids, and food concessions which will support POP. POP is also sponsoring a huge, hand crafted Thank You Tree which everyone will be invited to participate in and to sign their thanks to the Governor and Legislature.

=> Read more!

Their numbers in the Legislature are so small that any announcement from House Republicans is like whistling in the wind (can anyone hear them?), but that's not stopping GOP budget leader Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, from coming out with his Top Ten budget ideas.

Writing the news release at least kept Brendon Wold busy for part of the summer.

Here's an interesting one, only because you don't often see Republicans talk about increasing spending much. Of course, if the state were to spend more on K-12, it would have to make corresponding cuts in other programs to keep GOPers happy.

3. K-12 Education: Do not defer the beginning funding of HB 2261 to the 2013-15 Biennium. If this is the panacea for our new definition of basic education, then there is an obligation to prepare and implement a funding plan beginning much sooner. That plan should replace the Student Achievement Fund and the Education Legacy Trust Account, not augment them.

Here's the rest:

House Republican budget leader releases 'top ten' budget ideas for improving state's budget outlook

'We can either change the way government delivers services, or we can continue with broken promises, drastic cuts, and rollercoaster spending,' says Alexander

Rep. Gary Alexander, R-Olympia, released today his top ten ideas for improving Washington state's budget outlook over the next biennium and into the next decade.

"We have to look at doing some things differently," said Alexander. "We're still stuck using the same failed policies that led to a $9 billion budget shortfall last session and which will lead to another $9 billion – or more – shortfall in 2011. We can either change the way government delivers services, or we can continue with broken promises, drastic cuts, and rollercoaster spending.

=> Read more!

The secretary of state's office continues to examine the signatures submitted to place Referendum 71 on the November ballot. The measure seeks to repeal expansions of gay partnership rights passed during the last legislative session.

Here is a link to the latest report. It shows that if the rate of signature rejection stays where it is now the sponsors will end up with enough valid voter signatures to qualify.

Error rates do change during the process, however, so both sides will continue to monitor the process carefully.

Someone kindly forwarded to me this e-mail from (temporary) King County Executive Kurt Triplett about the county's concerns about the potential for really bad flooding this fall and winter because of defects in an earthen berm next to the Howard Hanson Dam.

As I do when I get forwarded e-mails, I cut and pasted it to protect the sender, then asked King County folks to authenticate it.

More later.

From: KC Global Announcement
Sent: Mon 8/10/2009 1:43 PM
To: ZZGrp, All King County E-Mail Users
Subject: Elevated flood risk in Green River Valley

Dear King County Employee,
You will learn and hear more in the coming weeks about a potentially serious flooding situation King County is preparing for that could have serious impacts for residents, businesses and county employees who live or work in the lower Green River Valley

The Army Corps of Engineers has notified the county that it is working to find a solution to serious structural issues in an earthen bank next to the Howard Hanson Dam in the Green River Valley.

Until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can make repairs, it will limit the amount of flood water it stores behind the dam but in the meantime, residents, businesses and farms below the dam should prepare now for a higher risk of flooding. This includes people who work at more than one dozen King County facilities downstream of the dam, such as King County Elections, Animal Care and Control, the Department of Development and Environmental Services, and numerous Public Health clinics, among others.

=> Read more!

After hyping a Longview meeting today as a chance for supporters of health care reform to show support, an Obama campaign related website is now saying the event won't happen.

This was the meeting first set up by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray to hear a report of a commission looking into the benefits and hazards of declaring Mount St. Helens a national monument. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and Third District Rep. Brian Baird were also set to attend.

Wednesday, the Obama group – Organizing for America – began touting it as a health care reform event and was inviting supporters to attend. The website even had a means for folks to RSVP.

Eli Zupnick, a Murray spokesman, said Wednesday afternoon that the event was not intended to discuss health care reform though it was open to the public. He said it was the county commissioners who chair the commission who canceled the event, saying it had been misrepresented by some websites. Here is their press release.

UPDATE: (6:22 a.m. Thursday) All lanes opened this morning at 4 a.m.

This is really short notice, but the Washington State Department of Transportation has decided to shut down the mainline of Interstate 5 through Tacoma tonight at 11 o'clock and divert those four or five lanes of traffic into a single lane.

The diversion will last until 4 a.m. Thursday. It will be done to allow DOT and other work crews to set up some equipment for the Nalley Valley Viaduct replacement project.

Just to be clear, here's what's going to happen: If you drive southbound on I-5 past the Tacoma Dome, you'll come upon the three-lane off-ramp that carries traffic onto westbound Highway 16 at the Nalley Valley Viaduct. Actually, the two far right lanes carry traffic across the viaduct. The third lane (the far left one) is a collector-distributor that takes you either to the 38th Street off-ramp (and toward the Tacoma Mall or other stores there) OR, if you stay in the collector-distributor lane, it will take you past the 38th Street interchange and you can get back onto the southbound I-5 mainline.

Here's the DOT news release:

Construction closes I-5 lanes in Tacoma overnight Wednesday, Aug. 12

TACOMA – A change in work plans means crews close the southbound I-5 mainline near Nalley Valley overnight Wednesday, Aug. 12. Southbound traffic will be diverted off I-5 to the 38th Street collector-distributor lanes and then back to I-5 using the 38th Street on-ramp.

=> Read more!

About $100 million worth of the pontoon work for the 520 bridge replacement project will be done in Tacoma, but the bulk of it will be done down south in Grays Harbor County.

WSDOT picks the Aberdeen Log Yard as its preferred site for SR 520 pontoon construction

ABERDEEN – The Washington State Department of Transportation announced today that the Aberdeen Log Yard is the preferred location for a new construction facility to build SR 520 bridge pontoons.

=> Read more!

On one side are the berm proponents, those who think it will be just fine to have the Sounder train climb from Freighthouse Square to a bridge over Pacific Avenue via an earthen berm.

On the other side are those who prefer a post-and-beam structure – essentially a viduct – to do the same work.

Tacoma cartoonist R.R. Anderson weighs in with his perspective.

The latest C-3 report from Protect Marriage Washington must have assumed that the group would prevail in its request that it not be required to disclose names of donors.

The report, filed August 10, which shows donors to the campaign for the previous week listed only initials of those who gave money. That's not what state law requires and the Public Disclosure Commission staff has contacted the committee.

"We've asked them to report the actual names," said PDC spokeswoman Lori Anderson.

Last week an attorney representing supporters of R-71, which seeks to repeal enhancements of gay partnership laws passed this year, asked the PDC to exempt disclosure of donors. He asserted there have been threats of violence and harassment against donors (R-71 has already succeeded in sealing the names of those who signed petitions).

The PDC, however, rejected a request for an emergency meeting and scheduled the matter for its regular August 27 meeting. In the meantime, current law prevails which requires the disclosure of donors names and towns.

Signatures on the referendum are still being verified by the secretary of state.

This is all moving kind of fast. U.S. Rep. Brian Baird has just posted an announcement on his web site that he will now set up five town hall meetings in his district to discuss health care reform.

"Frankly, I have had concerns about how we can have constructive dialogue and, unfortunately, in response to some of the things we've been seeing across the nation I have said some things myself that I regret," Baird said.

"I want to express that regret directly and announce that we will be holding a series of five town halls so people can express their opinions and ask questions. My hope and trust is that we can have the kinds of informative exchanges that I have valued for so long and that reveal the very best of public discourse."

The first is set for Vancouver's Skyview High School at 7 p.m. next Tuesday.

Baird, D-Vancouver, has a longer statement on the issue here.

This is a second roundtrip train between Portland, Ore. through Tacoma and Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. site of the 2010 winter in February.

Service will begin Aug. 19 (next Wednesday) when a northbound train pulls into Vancouver at 10:45 p.m. The next morning, the train will leave Vancouver at 6:40 a.m. and will arrive in Portland at 2:45 p.m.

Here is the news release from Amtrak Cascades.

The Amtrak folks managed to bury a huge bit of news at the very bottom of this news release, too. Apparently, all of the Talgo trains, which have been off line for more than a year, undergoing repairs, will be back in service.

Nothing official has come from U.S. Rep. Brian Baird's office but several Democratic organizations are recruiting people to show up to the Cowlitz Event Expo in Longview tomorrow at 2 p.m. for a meeting with U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.

Organizing for America, the successor to Barack Obama's on-line campaign, includes an invite on its website, even including a means for RSVPing for the event.

"Our representatives are under attack by Washington insiders, insurance companies, and well-financed special interests who don't go a day without spreading lies and stirring up fear," is the message on the website. "We need to show that we're sick and tired of it, and that we're ready for real change, this year.

"Please come to the event, and make sure that the most powerful voices in this debate are those calling for real reform.

"Please try to arrive by noon; space is available on a first-come, first-served basis."

Another e-mail was sent to members of the public employees union, AFSCME.

The irony is that supporters of health care reform have accused opponents of manufacturing "grassroots" opposition – dubbed Astroturf. But this event seems intent on urging organized groups to come and and give grassroots support for reform.

Baird has said that he won't schedule town halls during this August congressional recess because other such meetings have been met with rowdy and sometimes hostile crowds opposed to the health care bills.

Now it gets even more curious: Eli Zupnick, one of Murray's spokesmen, says the event has been scheduled for some time to hear the recommendations of the Mount St. Helens Commission. While it is open to the public, the purpose is to listens to members of the commission which was charged with making recommendations about national monument status for the volcano.

Zupnick said he was unaware of the web posting by Organizing for America.

During the discussion of the request by proponents of Referendum 71 to keep secret the names of donors to the campaign, I brought up the last time a similar request was made.

That was in 1994, also surrounding a ballot proposition dealing with gay rights. That year, two initiatives that sought to ban passage of laws giving civil rights protections to gays and lesbians were on the ballot. Opponents, calling themselves Hands Off Washington, asked the PDC for an exemption from disclosure rules.

Opponents were willing to disclose the names and amounts given by donors. But they opposed a recent PDC rule requiring that the occupations and employers of donors also be listed. In January, the PDC passed a temporary exemption – timed to give the Legislature time to address the issue.

The exemption was repealed six weeks later when the Legislature failed to act. Opponents of those initiatives claimed the extra information could lead to harassment and discrimination against donors.

In 1995, the Legislature passed a law eliminating the requirement that donors' occupations and employers be listed. That section, however, was vetoed by then-Gov. Mike Lowry.

Now it is the other side of the issue seeking exemptions from disclosure. Backers of R-71, which would repeal recently passed gay partnership laws, have already succeeded in getting the names of those who signed the referendum sealed. They now seek to have all information about campaign donors sealed as well.

The PDC will meet August 27 to discuss the request.

Pearse Edwards, communications and external relations director for Gov. Chris Gregoire, is trading in Gregoire for North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue.

Edwards just dropped by the office in person to say he's leaving in early September. If he didn't set the record for tenure as a governor's spokesperson, he came close. His tenure was 19 months.

"It's an an opportunity to go home and be close to family," Edwards said. "And to give back to the state that gave me so much when I was growing up."

(Polished professionals learn to talk that way.)

Gregoire's office combined the two jobs of communications director and external relations, so not only was Edwards the main spokesperson for the governor he also oversaw her constituent relations staff.

The Guv has liaison folks in Vancouver, Pierce County Eastern Washington and King County-and-north.

Edwards said The Guv's office will be advertising for a replacement for him "soon."

(No. I won't be applying for the job. Nor will I be going after the chief of staff job that is opening up with the departure of Cindy Zehnder.)

Would he close Chambers Bay?

Here's a link to the New York Times article about Chavez loyalists calling for the closure of golf courses in Venezuela. It started after Chavez attacked golf as bourgeois.

Perhaps he would have some affection for the Scottish Links course because he had special contempt for golfers who use carts. Carts are not available for most golfers at Chambers Bay.

If you’re driving in unincorporated Pierce County today, you might see something you haven’t seen in a while: county road crews removing illegal signs.

The county’s public works department is launching a new crackdown on signs illegally posted in public rights of way. It’s the result of a deal over sign code enforcement struck last month between the County Council and County Executive Pat McCarthy.

As I reported in May, the county’s enforcement efforts lagged for months even though the council set aside money for the popular enforcement program. The council followed up in June by modifying the county budget to require public works to spend at least $50,000 to enforce the sign code this year.

Under the agreement between the executive and council, the public works department will revive its enforcement effort.

It won’t be full time, as in the past. But today the department launches a countywide crackdown on illegal signs in public rights of way. It’s expected to last about three weeks.

Thereafter, crews will revisit the worst intersections monthly and will sweep the busiest arterial roads each quarter. The new enforcement effort is expected to cost about $95,000 a year.

Here’s the press release announcing today’s crackdown:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 10, 2009

County road crews are set to begin removing illegally-placed signs in the right of way following the recent agreement involving Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, the County Council, and Public Works and Utilities.

Illegal sign removal will begin county-wide on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The initial roundup is expected to take up to three weeks to complete.

After that, the worst intersections will be revisited monthly, and high volume arterial roads will be swept quarterly. As illegal sign volumes drop at any given location, the next worst spots will be targeted.

=> Read more!

Son–of–Everett Pete Jackson has identified the secret for projecting winners in both the Seattle mayor election and the King County executive election: Everett roots.

Find his piece here.

Pierce County officials are mulling job cuts and fee hikes to balance the 2010 budget even as they consider additional measures to keep the county in the black this year.

Increases in building, planning and parks and recreation fees likely will be part of the 2010 budget to be unveiled by County Executive Pat McCarthy next month, budget director Pat Kenney told the County Council at a budget meeting this morning.

Kenney also spoke of job cuts – possibly in the form of layoffs or furloughs – and said the county will seek to raise the cost of health care for county employees.

Kenney’s message was short on details, which will come when McCarthy unveils her budget. But he made it clear that even with fee increases big spending cuts are coming to county government.

“We are going to be having more cuts that have a bigger impact in 2010,” Kenney told the council.

Pierce County already has been through two rounds of budget cuts this year. The executive and council have cut more than $12 million – or about 4 percent – from the county’s general fund, which includes basic services ranging from law enforcement to elections.

Results have varied by department. The planning department, for example, is closing its development center for nine days this year because of furloughs. And the parks department is cutting back on maintenance.

Despite those budget revisions, Kenney said the county is still expected to finish the year with $4.5 million less revenue than budgeted. That could be higher or lower, depending on what happens later this year with sales taxes, property tax receipts and other income.

=> Read more!

...but the commission will be happy to take up the issue at it's regular meeting August 27.

A lawyer for the backers of Referendum 71 have asked that the names of all future donors to the campaign be sealed. Not only that, the sponsors are asking that the names on reports already filed with the commission be sealed as well. (See item below).

Threats of violence against backers and sponsors has been cited as the reason for keeping the names secret.

Here's the letter the PDC staff sent to attorney Stephen Pidgeon.

Supporters of Referendum 71, which seeks to repeal the gay partnership laws passed this year by the state Legislature, have asked the state Public Disclosure Commission to block release of the names of donors to the campaign.

In a letter to the commission, R-71 attorney Stephen Pidgeon said threats against backers have been made and more will be exposed if the donor names are released.

"The reason for the emergency request is because of recent threats levied by opponents to the measure against the lives and property of principals involved in this Referendum at any level," Pidgeon wrote.

He included several e-mails and web posting that include threats of violence.

Backers have already received a temporary court order barring release of the names of those who signed the referendum.

There is slight precedence for blocking campaign finance information. In 1994, the commission released a group called Hands Off Washington from including the occupations and employers of those who donated to the campaign. The group was formed to oppose two initiatives that would have prevented the Legislature from passing laws giving civil rights protections based on sexual orientation.

Here is Pidgeon's letter:

=> Read more!

As I reported previously, the Pierce County Council’s rules committee took

testimony Monday from people who want to write statements for and against three proposed amendments to the county charter. Those statements will appear in the November voters pamphlet.

Among those who testified: County Executive Pat McCarthy, who recently asked to write the statement against Amendment No. 1, which would move elections for council and executive to odd years and extend term limits for those offices from two to three consecutive terms.

McCarthy restated her opposition to the amendment Monday, though her remarks were cut short by a two-minute limit on testimony. Here’s her prepared testimony for the rules committee:

Council Rules and Operations Committee
Ballot measures
Aug. 10, 2009
Prepared testimony, Pat McCarthy

I sent you a letter last month indicating that City of Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma, state Auditor Brian Sonntag and I want to serve on the committee against Proposition 1, the charter amendment that asks voters to extend term limits and move the Executive and Council elections to odd-year cycles.

I'm here today because of your announcement Friday that you would be holding this meeting.

Of course, I think my interest in this matter should be obvious. I did not ask for this charter amendment, and I do not support it.

But voters would likely assume that I do support this since it only applies to the Council and the Executive. I should be given the opportunity to explain my position in the voters' pamphlet.

I have a number of other concerns about Prop 1.

1. One key issue is the cost.

As you know, the state constitution requires that we hold elections for judges and the prosecuting attorney in even-numbered years. So if we move other county races to odd years, then we will be required to host elections every year. That will substantially increase the cost of elections in Pierce County.

And what if the Ranked Choice Voting amendment fails, and we continue to operate two systems? Again, this would dramatically increase our election costs.

Given how many conversations I've had with the Council about the budget this year, I'm sure you can understand my concern. At a time when we're doing everything we can to maintain county services, increasing election costs does not fit with the priorities, including the Council's own "guiding principles" for the 2010 budget.

2. A second concern of mine is the dual nature of the amendment.

I believe that the amendment contains two separate issues: extending term limits, and moving the elections to odd-numbered years.

There is no compelling reason to combine them, and I worry that it hurts our credibility with voters.

3. Finally, I'm concerned about the process.

There is no urgent need for this charter amendment. There is no emergency.

The County Charter provides for a process to review and update the charter. As we saw just a few years ago, that charter review process is thorough and open, and it is driven by citizens. Basically, it protects us from ourselves.

Extending term limits and shifting election years should be vetted by the Charter Review Commission, where it would enjoy a robust debate before a decision is made to put it on the ballot.

I appreciate that Bill Baarsma and Brian Sonntag share my beliefs in this matter. They are upstanding, civic-minded Pierce County residents. I hope you would agree that Pierce County voters would benefit from their opinion.

So, I respectfully request that you name the three of us to the committee that will write the opposition statement to Prop 1 in the voters' pamphlet.

##

The Pierce County Council is expected to decide next week who will write statements for and against three proposed amendments to the county charter.

This morning the council’s rules committee took testimony from people interested in writing statements about the charter amendments. The statements will appear in the local voters pamphlet for the November election.

The council can name committees of up to three people to write “pro” and “con” statements on each proposed amendment. In most cases, the council will have at least one person to choose from. Here’s a list of the people who have expressed interest in writing “pro” or “con” statements about the amendments:

• Amendment No. 1 would: (a) move the election of council members and the executive to odd-numbered years by 2015; and (b) increase term limits for council members and the executive from two consecutive four-year terms to three consecutive four-year terms, consistent with term limits in effect for auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff.

Pro committee candidates: none.

Con committee candidates: Bill Baarsma, Pat McCarthy, Brian Sonntag, Kelly Haughton, Richard Anderson-Connolly, Sherry Bockwinkel, Geraldine Budrovich, Malcolm Russell, Yolanda Markle, John Hathaway, John Herr, Ken Paulson.

•Amendment No. 2 would move the election of auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff to odd-numbered years by 2015.

Pro: Sherry Bockwinkel, Geraldine Budrovich, John Hathaway, John Herr

Con: John Earl

•Amendment No. 3 would eliminate ranked choice voting and restore the primary and general election system for all county elective offices in accordance with state general election law.

Pro: John Herr, Pat McCarthy

Con: Kelly Haughton, Richard Anderson-Connolly, Lyz Kurnitz-Thurlow

The committee forwarded the names to the full council without recommendation. The council is scheduled to make a decision Aug. 18.

Interested in writing one of the statements? Here’s more information.

Former state Sen. Jeralita Costa, a Snohomish County Democrat, has been hired for $57,240 a year to become an advocate for female inmates who are victims of staff sexual misconduct.

This job was created by the state Department of Corrections as part of a deal with some inmates at Purdy who said they were assaulted.

I wrote a story about this a couple years ago, but I'll have to look it up in the TNT library. Also, I recall getting a couple e-mails during or right after this past legislative session about the deal that had been struck by lawyers for the Purdy inmates and DOC, but I was swamped at the time.

I'll see if I can find those, too.

UPDATE: (3:38 p.m.) I'm having trouble with the link I wanted to post to a Seattle Times story that Jennifer Sullivan wrote and which ran in The News Tribune in late June about a settlement. The state settled for $1 million. Later, perhaps.

And from DOC:

DOC Appoints Jeralita Costa to Victim Advocate Post

OLYMPIA – The Department of Corrections has selected a long-time advocate and former state legislator to provide advocacy services for female offenders in women’s prison facilities who are victims of staff sexual misconduct.

Jeralita “Jeri” Costa will serve as the agency’s Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Victim Advocate, a position that was established as part of a stipulated agreement between DOC and plaintiffs in a 2007 class action lawsuit alleging sexual misconduct by agency staff.

=> Read more!

Chambers Bay Golf Course’s bottom line isn’t the only casualty of the recession. The county also is having a hard time finding a developer to build a clubhouse, restaurant and lodging at the course.

The county wants a private developer to spend its own money to build upscale facilities to match the elite course. Ideally, the clubhouse and other facilities would be open in time for the 2015 U.S. Open championship.

When the course landed the championship last year, county officials thought developers would jump at the chance. But that hasn’t happened.

The county received only four responses from developers when it solicited proposals last year. Later, it began talks with KemperSports, which manages Chambers Bay. But KemperSports asked the county to invest in the project, which could cost $15 million to $80 million, depending on the size of the facilities. That idea didn’t go over well with county officials.

Earlier this year a group of unnamed local investors approached the county about building the facilities. But Tony Tipton, the county’s Chambers Bay project manager, said that deal fell through when the group couldn’t secure financing.

Tipton said the county continues to have “low-level discussions with different developers.” But he said there are no firm negotiations.

“It’s a very tough market out there right now, particularly in the hospitality industry,” Tipton said. “There’s not a lot of construction of new hotels going on around the country right now.”

In the meantime, the county is making do with a temporary clubhouse.

Wanna have some say about what the Pierce County voters pamphlet will say about three proposed county charter amendments? Better wave your hand quickly.

At 10 a.m. Monday the County Council's Rules Committee will consider appointing committees to devise "pro" and "con" statements for the voters pamphlet for these charter amendments:

• Amendment No. 1 would: (a) move the election of council members and the executive to odd-numbered years by 2015; and (b) increase term limits for council members and the executive from two consecutive four-year terms to three consecutive four-year terms, consistent with term limits in effect for auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff.

•Amendment No. 2 would move the election of auditor, assessor-treasurer and sheriff to odd-numbered years by 2015.

•Amendment No. 3 would eliminate ranked choice voting and restore the primary and general election system for all county elective offices in accordance with state general election law.

Today the council issued a press release seeking volunteers to write "pro" and "con" statements on the amendments:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aug. 7, 2009

The Pierce County Council is seeking those who support or oppose the three propositions headed for the November ballot.

The council’s Rules and Operations Committee on Monday, Aug. 10, will consider resolutions appointing members to the “pro” and “con” committees for propositions 1, 2 and 3. The statements they write will appear in the Pierce County voter’s pamphlet.

=> Read more!

Had I been good at math, I'd be a doctor or something. So, for now at least, I'm gonna let state Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, explain why he thinks Referendum 71 may end up failing to make the ballot.

The referendum seeks to put before voters the issue of changing laws regarding gay partnerships – the so-called everything-but-marriage law.

Backers of the referendum (opponents of the partners law) turned in 137,689 signatures of voters. They need to have 120,577 valid signatures to make the November ballot. The secretary of state's office is now verifying the signatures to make sure they are from registered voters and are not duplicates.

That has left backers and opponents to speculate as to whether there are enough valid signatures. And they read the tea leaves of daily counts of valid vs. invalid signatures to feed the speculation.

Here is today's analysis by Murray:

Statement from Sen. Ed Murray on R-71 signature count

The current rate of invalid signatures reported by the Secretary of State’s office in the R-71 signature count gives me great hope that the referendum won’t make the ballot.

However, there’s a bit of confusion out there about how the count is trending because of an inconsistency in the math used to report the rate.

The Secretary of State’s blog first reported that the error rate had to stay under 14.2 percent for the referendum to qualify – referred to as ‘the cushion.’

That cushion was derived by dividing the number of signatures turned in (137,689) by the number needed to qualify (120,577) and subtracting 1.

With the cumulative invalid rate of 13.3 percent as of Wednesday, many have been led to believe that the referendum supporters are within their cushion.

“This is wrong.

That because in its subsequent reporting of the daily signature check, the Secretary of State’s blog reversed its math, dividing the number of signatures verified by the number examined.

It’s confusing when one method is used to determine the overall rates and the opposite method is used in the daily reports.

If the Secretary of State’s blog had first used the math that it is using now, it would have divided the total they need to verify (120,577) by the total number they will count (137,689) --and, again, subtracted 1 -- for a maximum invalid rate of 12.4 percent.

Or, if the Secretary of State’s blog were still using the math it began with, the current error rate would be 15.4 percent, rather than 13.3 percent.

We know that 15.4 percent is higher than 14.2 percent, and 13.3 percent is higher than 12.4 percent.

Either way, when consistent methods are used, the current rate of invalid signatures clearly suggests that R-71 won’t make the ballot.

We wrote a few days ago about the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee's targets for the 2010 election. None are in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert and the 8th District has been a target of Democrats since he was elected in 2004. It bothers Democrats that the district keeps voting for Democrats for president (Clinton, Gore, Kerry and Obama) but the party can't make inroads on the congressional seat.

Now comes the latest shot at Reichert, part of a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee effort related to the health care debate. It accuses Republicans of supporting health insurance companies, not citizens in need of affordable care.

Reichert is one of seven Republicans who will be the target of radio ads that began this week. He'll also face calls, e-mails, letters and comments on tele-conferences – the emerging electronic alternative to live townhall meetings. (Republicans and conservative groups are also urging their supporters to attend Democratic townhalls – both the live and electronic versions).

Here's the text of a radio ad aimed at Pennsylvania Rep. Charles Dent. The Reichert ads are similar:

“Blocked” – 60 second radio ad

Announcer: “Health care bills. Every year, the cost goes higher…. Making it harder to make ends meet.

“But year after year, Congressman Charlie Dent opposed reforms to make health care more affordable.

“Congressman Dent’s gotten nearly 75 thousand dollars from the insurance industry while we’ve gotten stuck with runaway healthcare costs. And what do the insurance companies get? Record profits.

“Call Congressman Dent – tell him not to side with insurance companies… and start supporting real health care reform…

“To lower costs by forcing insurance companies to compete.

“Prevent companies from denying your coverage.

“And keep your current coverage if you’re happy with it.

“Tell Congressman Dent it’s not about insurance company profits. It’s about people.

“Paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, www.dccc.org . Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.”

The recession may be taking a toll on Pierce County’s Chambers Bay Golf Course. According to its latest financial report, the upscale public course in University Place is running a deficit of about $450,000 through the first six months of the year.

That’s in part because about 3,000 fewer golfers than budgeted played the course in the first half of the year. And many of those who did play the course took advantage of discounted rates offered late in the day. The average greens fee for the second quarter was just $88 per round; the county expected to average $107.

Also troubling: food and beverage sales – a bright spot last year – are coming in lower than budgeted.

Still, it’s too soon to declare the season lost. Last year also started badly at Chambers Bay. But a great third quarter helped the course eke out a small surplus for 2008.

You can download a PDF copy of the latest financial report here.

Update: The course's deficit to date actually is $710,729. That's about $450,000 more than the deficit the county budgeted through June. Like many courses, Chambers Bay expects to lose money early in the season, then make up for it when warm summer weather brings more business.

Bottom line: the course is about $450,000 off budget.

There’s been a lull in the chatter about Pierce County’s budget problems since the County Council approved a second round of budget cuts back in June. But beginning next week you’re going to start hearing a lot about the 2010 budget.

Though County Executive Pat McCarthy won’t release her proposed spending plan until late September, the council will have a budget retreat Tuesday morning to discuss the 2010 budget.

By all accounts, things look grim.

“It looks like the cuts we’ve made so far are really child’s play compared to what we’ll see in 2010,” Deputy Executive Kevin Phelps told me in a recent interview.

The county already has cut more than $12 million – or about 4 percent of its general fund budget – in 2009.

County officials have said for months that more cuts are likely in 2010. But whatever cuts have been contemplated to date apparently aren’t enough. Last week McCarthy asked department heads to cut more from their proposed 2010 budgets. She didn’t specify an amount.

Meanwhile, the council plans to expedite its own budget review process. A draft of its budget review calendar (here’s a copy in Microsoft Word format) shows final approval of the 2010 budget tentatively scheduled for Nov. 10. That’s two weeks earlier than the usual final approval on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Council Chairman Roger Bush, R-Graham, said the expedited review process will give the council wiggle-room for last minute changes.

Mark your calendars: The council will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Room 1045 of the County-City Building to discuss the 2010 budget. McCarthy is expected to release her proposed budget Sept. 22 or 23. She’ll make a formal presentation to the council on Sept. 29.

Still smarting from a legislative session in which they got spanked, the Washington State Labor Council will be holding its annual convention later this week east of the mountains.

I scanned the agenda, looking for a panel discusion on "Don't get angry, get even" but couldn't find it. There was this, however,

After a challenging legislative session in which corporate interests superseded those of working families, the WSLC will be making significant changes in its political program to better target labor's support to the legislators who have truly earned it, regardless of party affiliation. Those changes -- outlined in the newly published 2009 WSLC Legislative Report -- will be discussed at the convention.

Here's the news release. Stuff starts Thursday.

Holt Baker to keynote WSLC convention opener Thursday
Health care, immigration also on agenda at Aug. 6-8 meeting in Wenatchee

The 2009 Convention of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO convenes this Thursday at the Wenatchee Coast Hotel and Convention Center, and will feature keynote speaker Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO. (See the convention's tentative agenda below.)

=> Read more!

Dave Ammons at SecState's office sends an update on petition signature checks for Referendum 71. He notes the error rate is still fairly low, with a couple percentage points as a buffer.

I put in bold face the reason for the bad signatures: Most simply are not registered to vote. A lesson to be learned there.

FYI: State Election workers, on the second day of checking signatures for Referendum 71, have now processed over 11,000 names, and the campaign's error rate continues at a low 12.31 percent level.

As of close of business Monday, 11,502 signatures have been checked, and 10,087 have been accepted and 1,415 have been rejected, mostly because the person does not show up on the voter rolls. Teresa Glidden, supervisor of the initiatives and referendum desk, notes that the error rate will vary somewhat from day to day. The petitions are checked in no particular order and a future batch may have a better or worse error rate.

The important number to remember is that referendum sponsors need 120,577 valid signatures to earn a place on the November ballot. That is equal to 4 percent of the total vote for governor last fall. Sponsors submitted 137,689 signatures on July 25.

R-71 sponsors are seeking a statewide public vote this fall on Washington's new "everything but marriage" law that expands rights and privileges of state-registered domestic partners so that they are equal to those of opposite-gender married couples.

The bill, Senate Bill 5688, ordinarily would have taken effect July 26, but is on hold while the referendum sponsored by foes is pending. The signature-by-signature check began last Friday.

Two groups, WhoSigned.org and the Washington Coalition for Open Government, have requested copies of the petitions, but the sponsors have a federal court order blocking the Secretary of State from releasing the public records until a full hearing is held on Sept. 3 in Tacoma.

David Ammons
Communications Director
Office of Secretary of State

The Associated Press has an interesting story on the first cut of possible targets by the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee.

To make the list of 70, a district has to have elected a Democrat by less than 55 percent of the vote or given John McCain a majority in the 2008 election.

Oregon offers three such targets, California two and Idaho one. And Washington? Zero.

And what if Democrats use the same criteria to develop their target list? They'd focus on the 8th Congressional District where Barack Obama won with 56 percent of the vote but incumbent U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert won with 53 percent.

But we probably don't need statistics to know Reichert will be targeted again, even though Democrats have not won the seat since it was created following the 1980 census.

It is interesting that David Wu and Peter DeFazio are among the targets in Oregon. Wu received 71.5 percent of the vote and DeFazio 82.34 percent. Neither had a GOP opponent in the general election, of course. But that suggests an even higher mountain to climb for the GOP.

Here's a cool map that shows 2008 results.

Here's the AP story

=> Read more!

Cindy Zehnder, chief of staff for Gov. Chris Gregoire for the past two years, just called to say she is stepping down from that job.

(Actually, she called me 50 minutes ago, but she said the news was embargoed until 12:30 p.m. today because she and The Guv are going to announce it to Gregoire's cabinet at their meeting during the lunch hour.)

Zehnder said she and the governor are talking about the possibility of moving elsewhere in Gregoire's administration, so she might not be going far.

If you recall, former DSHS Secretary Robin Arnold-Williams moved from that post to the head of Gregoire's policy shop not too long ago.

UPDATE: Here's what her boss had to say:

Gregoire’s statement on chief of staff departure

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire today released the following statement on Cindy Zehnder leaving as chief of staff:
“It is bittersweet to hear of Cindy’s announcement to pursue other opportunities. Her gracious strength is something I admire and will greatly miss. In her tenure as chief of staff, she has supported me and led this team through two very difficult legislative sessions, multiple natural emergencies, and a deluge of every day matters that required constant diligence.
“Given these accomplishments and around the clock commitment, I understand now is the time for change. I wish Cindy extraordinary happiness in her next endeavor.”

I think Zehnder was in the top echelon of cabinet salaries at about $163,000, although hers was not a cabinet post, per se.

Zehnder used to be president of Television Washington. I found the original news release that announced her appointment to the chief of staff job, which appears below.

=> Read more!

Christopher Liu sent an e-mail to inform others of his decision to leave the agency, and it was kindly forwarded to the TNT.

Liu's salary in April 2008 was $120,000 or so. Still is, according to The Guv's budget office. (The state salary schedule that usually comes out on Jan. 31 of odd-numbered years still is under production at the governor's budget office. And I'm trying to get it so we can post it on our Web page.)

To all,
The start of the fiscal year is often a time to reflect back as well as look ahead. With that in mind, I’d like to draw your attention to the amazing work this Lottery team has done in just the short time since I’ve been lucky enough to join the agency. I have set very high goals and the Lottery team has worked hard—together--to accomplish those goals, which include strengthening our relationship with retailers to provide the best possible business advice and make a case for other local businesses which may be interested in selling lottery products. We’ve diligently worked to grow relationships with the Legislature.

=> Read more!

If you're mulling over your primary ballot this weekend and want more information about the candidates, check out our online voter guide that went live this weekend.

We've now been doing the voter guides for several years and they've always proved popular with Web site users. We think that they provide an extra layer of information beyond the official voters guides put out by the county and state. Along with biographical information, we're able to ask candidates specific questions relevant to their races.

This year, we're seeing several hotly contested primaries. In Tacoma, four candidates are running to unseat school board member Connie Rickman and two City Council districts have three-way races. There's a surge of interest in the Puyallup City Council, with no fewer than three primaries. Of course, up in Federal Way, a crowd of candidates is trying to oust controversial Municipal Court Judge Michael Morgan.

We'll continue to cover these and other races on this blog and in print, but the voters guide is a good way to start sizing up the candidates.