Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle (user search)
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  Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle (search mode)
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Author Topic: Washington 2020: The Calm Before the Drizzle  (Read 837130 times)
Frodo
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« on: August 09, 2008, 11:12:30 AM »

A question for Washington residents:

What are the prospects for Sound Transit 2 passing muster with voters this November?  Do you think it will suffer the same fate as Proposition 1 (combining mass transit expansions with highway construction) did?
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Frodo
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« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2008, 05:27:30 PM »

Yea, I'm pretty sure the field would clear for McKenna rather quickly as well, but never underestimate the clusterf**ck that is the WSRP.

It doesn't seem as if McKenna is interested in winning his party's 2012 nomination for governor.
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Frodo
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« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2008, 09:54:01 PM »
« Edited: October 22, 2008, 09:55:33 PM by Frodo »

You all are talking (well, typing) as if Governor Gregoire is doomed to defeat (at least coming up with scenarios involving Dino Rossi as a possible rising star for GOP hopes in 2012).  Is she?  I haven't seen any new polls out, but the most recent one I thought I have seen has her leading by about 1% -basically a dead-heat. 
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Frodo
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« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2008, 11:13:41 PM »

How is Proposition 1 (aka, Sound Transit expansion) faring in the polls right now? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #4 on: May 05, 2009, 01:01:38 PM »

Just how conservative is Lt. Gov. Brad Owens?  I always heard him talked about as a 'conservative Democrat', but what does that really mean in Washington state's context?  Is this primarily in reference to being 'pro-business', or what?
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Frodo
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« Reply #5 on: August 11, 2009, 06:25:46 PM »

As a supporter of his efforts to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel (and finally get something done for a change instead of continually going through the endless Seattle process...), I'm endorsing Mayor Greg Nickels in this race, but I would be just as happy with Joe Mallahan if he were to win this. 
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Frodo
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« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2009, 07:40:29 AM »

Can anyone explain the differences in policy positions between the various King County Executive candidates? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2009, 08:36:33 AM »
« Edited: August 20, 2009, 08:39:02 AM by Fading Frodo »

Glad to see Mallahan is in the lead, however narrowly.

How much of a percentage of the vote will he likely get in the general election when he and McGinn face off again in November?  Is it safe to assume that Nickel's voters will vote for him?
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Nickels loses ground; Mallahan takes lead

By Jim Brunner
Seattle Times staff reporter


Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels' chances of re-election slipped Wednesday as new vote totals showed him still in third place, and falling further behind challengers Joe Mallahan and Mike McGinn.

With tens of thousands of votes remaining to be counted, neither Nickels nor his rivals were ready to call the election.

Mallahan now leads with 26.8 percent of the vote. McGinn is in second with 26.5 percent. Nickels is third with 25.2 percent. The top two will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.

Wednesday's count of about 16,000 Seattle ballots left Nickels more than 1,000 votes out of second place. He was just 455 votes out of second place on election night.

King County Elections estimates about 50,000 ballots remain to be counted in the city.

Seattle political consultant Michael Grossman said Nickels is finished if he doesn't show some momentum today when another large batch of votes is tallied. "I think that will be decisive," he said.

It might actually be better for Nickels to lose in the primary at this point, Grossman suggested, because he'd face a brutal and difficult task in a general election.

"His brand as a politician is so tainted voters are not going to listen to anything he [Nickels] has to say," Grossman said. "Short of some egregious behavioral quirk that McGinn or Mallahan could exhibit, it's hard to see how it is going to turn around for him."

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Frodo
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« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2009, 09:57:34 PM »

Edit edit: My knuckles are really bleeding and I'm not sure why.  Pretty sure this is related though.

Maybe they're telling you to get a well-deserved break from the computer, and give them a rest?  Tongue
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Frodo
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« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2009, 08:17:29 PM »

How much of a percentage of the vote will Mallahan likely get in the general election when he and McGinn face off again in November?  Is it safe to assume that Nickel's voters will vote for him?
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Can anyone answer these questions?
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Frodo
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« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2009, 10:47:31 AM »

Maybe third time's a charm:

How much of a percentage of the vote will Mallahan likely get in the general election when he and McGinn face off again in November?  Is it safe to assume that Nickel's voters will vote for him?
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And while I'm at it, does anyone have any idea who stands a better chance of becoming Seattle mayor this November -McGinn or Mallahan? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2009, 09:39:19 PM »

Any recent polls on the Seattle mayoral race? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #12 on: September 22, 2009, 09:37:28 AM »

I wonder how annoyed Tim Eyman is at being ignored like this.

I fear that the lack of media attention will allow it to slip through. It's kind of silly because I-1033, if it passes, will have a far, far, far greater impact on this state then R-71 ever will, and of course that impact will be horrendously negative.

Speaking of I-1033, how is that faring in the polls right now? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #13 on: January 30, 2010, 07:04:08 PM »

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/kplu/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1605804/KPLU.Local.News/Washington.Gets.$590M.To.Improve.Seattle.To.Portland.Rail.Service

Washington and Oregon received a total of $598 million to help build faster rail in the Seattle-Portland-Vancouver corridor. Washington received $590 of that money (take that Oregon!).

I suspect the federal funding Washington received is largely a result of Sen. Murray's influence as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and her chairmanship of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation.   As her reelection approaches, there may be more stories like this.  Our senator may fly under the radar, but she actually is very influential.

Isn't she the third-ranking member of the Senate Democratic leadership?

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Frodo
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« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2010, 08:57:59 PM »
« Edited: March 22, 2010, 09:19:21 PM by Frodo »

I would like to thank McKenna for having made my choice in the 2012 gubernatorial election that much easier:

McKenna: New health care law violates state's rights

Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna on Monday said he would fight to repeal the new, comprehensive national health care measure Democrats passed Sunday night.

"I believe this new federal health care measure unconstitutionally imposes new requirements on our state and on its citizens. This unprecedented federal mandate, requiring all Washingtonians to purchase health insurance, violates the Commerce Clause and the 10th amendment of the US Constitution," McKenna said in a statement. "I'm concerned that the measure unconstitutionally requires all Washingtonians to purchase health insurance and places an extraordinary burden on our state budget by requiring Washington to expand its Medicaid eligibility standards in violation of our state's rights guaranteed under the10th amendment."

McKenna and other Republican attorneys general from Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, Nebraska, Texas, Pennsylvania, Utah, North Dakota, and South Dakota say they'll file a lawsuit against the federal government. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the new law soon.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, a Democrat who was previously attorney general, says she opposes McKenna's move and said she'd file her own legal brief against McKenna.

"I totally oppose what he's doing," the governor told reporters.

"He doesn't represent the people of Washington who would get assistance so they could afford quality health insurance. He doesn't represent the thousands of small businesses that would benefit from tax credits to provide coverage for their employees. He doesn't represent the thousands who will no longer be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. He doesn't represent the half million young people in our state who would be covered under their parents plan until they are 26. He doesn't represent our state's Medicare recipients. He doesn't represent the taxpayers of Washington."

From a political standpoint, McKenna's move is interesting. He is widely considered the presumptive GOP nominee for governor in 2012 and many believe the Democrats would have a tough time finding someone who could beat him. By joining the Republican fight against health care reform he can shore up his support on the right. However he also risks alienating Democrats and moderates he's going to need to win over to make it to the governor's mansion.
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So how do you think this impacts his chances at becoming the next governor of Washington state?
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Frodo
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« Reply #15 on: March 31, 2010, 12:44:40 PM »

Does anyone know if Democrats will be able to maintain control of the Washington and Oregon legislatures, or if they will be overwhelmed by Republicans this year? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #16 on: April 15, 2010, 05:57:07 PM »

Why isn't Tim Eyman running for office in his own right instead of continually hiding behind his initiatives?  This would be the perfect year for him to do that. 
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Frodo
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« Reply #17 on: April 22, 2010, 09:41:24 PM »

SUSA has potentially very good numbers for I-1077

A proposed initiative would create an income tax in Washington state on people making $200,000 per year and on couples making twice that. It would also cut the state's portion of the property tax by 20%, and end the business and occupation tax for small businesses. Do you support or do you oppose this proposed initiative?

66% Support
27% Oppose

Question wording is bit too favorable for the "Support" side IMO; it frames the initiative pretty much exactly how they want it to be looked at.


While I would very much like for this initiative to pass, what chance would it have of being upheld in court if it did?

No one really knows. The precedent hasn't been tested by the State Supreme Court in decades.

Out of curiosity -assuming it does reach the state Supreme Court, on what basis would they overturn an income tax initiative once voters approve it?
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Frodo
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« Reply #18 on: April 22, 2010, 10:13:05 PM »

SUSA has potentially very good numbers for I-1077

A proposed initiative would create an income tax in Washington state on people making $200,000 per year and on couples making twice that. It would also cut the state's portion of the property tax by 20%, and end the business and occupation tax for small businesses. Do you support or do you oppose this proposed initiative?

66% Support
27% Oppose

Question wording is bit too favorable for the "Support" side IMO; it frames the initiative pretty much exactly how they want it to be looked at.


While I would very much like for this initiative to pass, what chance would it have of being upheld in court if it did?

No one really knows. The precedent hasn't been tested by the State Supreme Court in decades.

Out of curiosity -assuming it does reach the state Supreme Court, on what basis would they overturn an income tax initiative once voters approve it?

I am pretty sure the state constitution does not allow for an income tax.

If it doesn't, it is veiled in ambiguity, as I see nothing in Article VII that explicitly forbids the taxation of income (itself a form of property, as I understand it).
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Frodo
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« Reply #19 on: June 07, 2010, 09:08:01 PM »

Looks like the pot initiative is screwed.  Too bad, we could have had pot and booze on the same ballot.

In times as economically challenging as these, I don't blame people for having higher priorities on their minds than legalizing pot.
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Frodo
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« Reply #20 on: June 25, 2010, 09:51:49 PM »

Is there any possibility you (or someone) could do the same kind of analysis for Oregon?
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Frodo
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« Reply #21 on: June 25, 2010, 10:20:07 PM »

Also, does anyone here have any 'Patty Murray for Senate' sigs that I can use in mine? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #22 on: June 13, 2011, 10:04:17 PM »

Rob McKenna is making pleasant noises regarding K-12 and higher education funding:

McKenna's call to boost school funds short on details

By Jim Brunner
Seattle Times political reporter


State Attorney General Rob McKenna rolled out his 2012 campaign for governor last week with an attention-grabbing call to reverse decades of dwindling state support for public schools and universities.

Taking the stage at Bellevue's Sammamish High School, where he graduated in 1980, the Republican said the state should return to spending about three-quarters of its budget on education, as it did when he was young.

"We need to go back to a state commitment to funding education, a commitment where public education receives the kind of share of the budget it got when we were in school," McKenna declared.

But could he really deliver on that?

McKenna laid out ambitious specifics. He said K-12 schools should receive about 51 percent of the budget, instead of the current 40 percent. Colleges should have a 16 percent slice, McKenna said, double what they receive now.
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Frodo
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« Reply #23 on: August 12, 2011, 06:36:10 PM »

Is Washington state going to have major budget fights in the legislature every year now like California because of that 2010 ballot measure that mandated a 2/3 supermajority for tax increases?

We don't really have major budget fights here in Oregon but we do have a 3/5 supermajority requirement for tax increases.

I really think raising taxes should only need a simple majority Tongue

If anti-tax conservatives demand supermajorities of two-thirds or three-fifths, is it so unreasonable to demand similar-sized majorities for cutting taxes and spending? 
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Frodo
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« Reply #24 on: October 24, 2011, 06:46:21 PM »

Good news (of sorts) for those who care about transportation. 
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