So How Would You Spend $1,431,259?

Over the next 18 days the American Chemistry Council will finish spending all of it's $1,431,259 against Referendum 1. Referendum 1 is a measure to charge a 20 cent fee for throwaway bags at large stores in Seattle in an attempt to reduce waste and pollution.

According to the American Chemical Industry, Referendum 1 is the Seattle government's attempt to steal people's money by forcing them to pay an outrageous 20 cents for a bag if they forget to bring a reusable bag when they go to the store.

Let's just ignore the fact that the plastic bag industry makes an incredible estimated $4 billion each year in the United states from selling those "free" plastic bags you get at the grocery store. Who do you think pays that $4 billion? Could it be out of the pockets of consumers like you and me if we use plastic bags instead of bringing our own reusable bags?

So spending $1,431,259 is a small cost to them to try to preserve their profit making business.

Here's some of what the Campaign Against Referendum 1 has reported they are spending money on:

63,970 phone id calls... $51,035

2 ads in Seattle Times ... $43,154

Seattle Times.com ... $25,000

PI.com... $40,000

produce 60 radio spots... $9,351.46

run ads on KCMS-FM, KING-FM, KIRO-AM. KJR-FM. KPTH-AM, KRWM-FM, KTTH-FM, KVI-AM, KWJZ-FM, KOMO-AM, KMPS-FM, KZOK-FM, ... $247,055

3 tracking polls... $64,000

website design ... $8,935

conduct 1000 interviews, CHAID and cluster analysis ... $35,000

build voter file... $24,800

mailers to 105,000 voters-production... $41,881

4,700 voter registration letters... $11,156

22,140 Recruitment Mailers Production ... $17,830

Consulting - Pacific Issue Mgt... $20,000

Develop blogging campaign... $5,000

GC Strategic Advocacy Retainer ... $80,000

105,000 Mailers - Production... $51,375

Postage 105,000 mailers... $51,375

Email program -list match ... $4,998

graphic design and programming ... $12,900

graphic layout ... $5,400

copyrighting services ... $5,882

Blog strategist ... $882

Travel/office expense... $9,886

copyrighting services... $5,882

postage for recruitment mailers... $6,810

postage for mailers ... $27,795

e-mail program 3 rounds of e-mail blasts... $8,250

e-mail Program - Copy and design... $5,300

There's more but I think you get the idea.

So are you convinced yet? I think our local Seattle economy could use a little bit more economic stimulation before we should call uncle and give in to their oil profit motivated propaganda.

Vote Yes on August 18, 2009 on Referendum 1 and keep some of that $4 billion in spare change in your own pocket that they take from US consumers each year by pushing throwaway plastic bags .

Go to the Seattle Green Bag Campaign website to get more information about the citizens campaign to pass Referendum 1. They ask that you "Send a Message to Big Oil: Hands off Seattle. Vote Yes on Referendum 1.

WashPIRG Supports Creation of Consumer Financial Protection Agency

WashPIRG Explains “Game-Changer” Proposal To Reinstate Federal Financial Laws As Pro-Consumer Floor - Letter Shows Bankers Prefer “Failed Business As Usual System” --

Seattle, WA, July, 27 2009 – At the epicenter of the worldwide financial collapse was a lack of consumer protection that can best be remedied by establishing a “game-changer agency with only one job, protecting consumers” while simultaneously reinstating federal law as a floor not a ceiling of protection, according to WashPIRG’s State Advocate Blair Anundson.

At a tele-news-conference today, Mr. Anundson and WashPIRG’s Federal Consumer Program Director, Ed Mierzwinski, explained that the Congressional proposal to establish a Consumer Financial Protection Agency would also allow state attorneys general to once again vigorously defend the public against unfair financial practices. That authority had been drastically restricted by federal agency preemption rulings prior to the crisis.

“Since the financial crisis peaked in 2008, banks have been bailed out with billions of dollars of taxpayer funds but haven’t increased lending and haven’t stopped increasing unfair credit card and deposit account fees on consumers and small businesses,” said Anundson. “The solution is to create the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, a game-changer agency with only one job, protecting consumers.”

“Banks and big corporations are mounting a massive campaign to preserve the failed business as usual financial system,” added Mierzwinski. “One of the top bank lobbyists says their goal is nothing less than “to kill” the new consumer agency. They don’t have the money to make loans, but they do seem to have enough money to lobby against what could be the biggest reform since deposit insurance in the 1930s.”

The proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency is based on an idea from Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Warren. If enacted, it would consolidate all consumer protection activities involving over 20 laws and at least 7 agencies into one agency only responsible for consumer protection, while also redefining federal law as a floor not ceiling of protection and re-establishing the right of state attorneys general to enforce federal financial laws.

“We have an agency to keep toasters from exploding, but we don’t have one to keep credit cards and mortgages from exploding,” concluded Anundson.

-30-

WashPIRG is a non-profit, non-partisan public interest advocacy group.
For more information, go to www.washpirg.org.

WashPIRG, the federation of state PIRGs, and U.S. PIRG are founding members of Americans for Financial Reform (ourfinancialsecurity.org) a 200-group strong coalition of the nation’s leading consumer, civil rights, labor, community and investor protection groups.

The above is a press release issued by WashPIRG yesterday.

see also:

Politico "Barack Obama to create Consumer Financial Protection Agency"

Seeking Alpha "Big Finance vs Consumer Protection: Partisan Sheds Some Light"

Do you want to see a Consumer Financial Protection Agency? If so then write to your Congressional Representative and to your Senators. Washington State's two Senators are Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. Click on the links to send them an e-mail.

Mayor Nickels Supports Urban Forestry Commission

The Seattle City Council is currently in the process of passing legislation to create an Urban Forestry Commission. A bill introduced by Councilmember Nick Licata is currently before the City's Environment Committee for a vote. It is expected to pass this afternoon and go before the full Council for a vote in 2 weeks.

Mayor Nickel's has sent a letter to folks supporting the Urban Forestry Commission expressing his support. Below is the text of the letter.

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your letter and your support for Seattle's urban forest. Maintaining and enhancing our urban forest is important to Seattle's environment quality and community livability.

As you may know, I have adopted the goal of achieving an average of 30% canopy cover across the entire city. We recently reassessed our tree canopy and learned that after decades of tree loss, our canopy cover increased slightly to a current level of about 23% between 2002 and 2007. While we are pleased with our progress, we also are aware that more needs to be done to realize our vision of a thriving, sustainable urban forest.

I support the proposed Urban Forest Commission and look forward to working with its members. The majority of tree preservation and planting potential is on private property, and input from a commission will help inform the city's overall approach to boosting the urban forest. Advice on any proposed legislation also will be a key role for the Commission. I look forward to hearing the Commission's suggestions and input on a range of options before we move forward with a specific legislative proposal.

Thank you again for taking the time to write. If you have questions, please contact Tracy Morgenstern in the Office of Sustainability at (206) 386-4595 or tracy.morgenstern@seattle.gov.

Sincerely,

GREG NICKELS
Mayor of Seattle

Are Thowaway Bags Something to Get Worked up About?

On August 18, 2009 Seattle voters will have a chance to make a change in the way our society deals with thowaway bags. Will we be in the forefront of change or do we not have time to be bothered by the seemingly trivial issue? Will a $1 million advertising campaign by the American Chemical Society have an impact on the outcome?

Referendum 1, in an attempt to get Seattle consumers to use reusable bags, would impose a 20 cent fee on both plastic and paper bags.

So what the big deal?

Salon.com in a recent article entitled "Plastic Bags are killing us" gives a few insights into both plastic and paper bags and their problems.

-Every year, Americans throw away some 100 billion plastic bags after they've been used to transport a prescription home from the drugstore or a quart of milk from the grocery store. It's equivalent to dumping nearly 12 million barrels of oil.

-Only 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled worldwide -- about 2 percent in the U.S. -- and the rest, when discarded, can persist for centuries.

-The problem with plastic bags isn't just where they end up, it's that they never seem to end. "All the plastic that has been made is still around in smaller and smaller pieces," says Stephanie Barger, executive director of the Earth Resource Foundation,

-Bits of plastic bags have been found in the nests of albatrosses in the remote Midway Islands. Floating bags can look all too much like tasty jellyfish to hungry marine critters. According to the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation, more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic. The conservation group estimates that 50 percent of all marine litter is some form of plastic. There are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of ocean, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

-In the Northern Pacific Gyre, a great vortex of ocean currents, there's now a swirling mass of plastic trash about 1,000 miles off the coast of California, which spans an area that's twice the size of Texas, including fragments of plastic bags. There's six times as much plastic as biomass, including plankton and jellyfish, in the gyre. "It's an endless stream of incessant plastic particles everywhere you look," says Dr. Marcus Eriksen, director of education and research for the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, which studies plastics in the marine environment.

-It takes 14 million trees to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used every year by Americans, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Change has to start somewhere. Let's start here. Vote yes on Referendum 1.

Click here for the link to the Campaign website for GreenBagCampaign.org supporting Referendum 1.

Did Eyman Forget to Turn in all His Petitions for Initiative 1033?

I guess its time for another Eyman Initiative 1033 grassroots joke. In two separate comment threads over on Crosscut on Initiative 1033 Tim Eyman makes the following statement:

"out of 48,148 supporters who were mailed a I-1033 petition in February, an extraordinary 34,588 sent back a partially filled or fully filled petitions"

Over at the Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate, Andrew reported that:

"The Secretary of State's office tells NPI that they received 19,317 petitions, not all of which are full. Eyman claimed to have submitted 314,277 signatures. "

So what happened to the remaining 15,271 petitions from his grassroots supporters? Did Eyman lose the extra petitons? Or is it again just another example of Eyman trying to falsely hype what is really a dismal grassroots effort? Didn't Eyman get into trouble for something like this before? I think it was about not being paid when he was because he thought it sounded better to say he was working for free even when he wasn't.

I'm sure Eyman's not in any legal trouble on this, it's just another one of many times that he is fast and lose with facts and figures, trying to put a spin on something to say what he thinks people want to hear or what he thinks sounds better for his self image. In this he is trying to convince people what a tremendous grassroots effort this campaign is when in reality it was mostly a paid signature gathering effort funded over 86.5% by 3 individuals.

I suspect the truth is that he sent out 48,148 petitions and only received back 34,588 signatures. That means that out of the final 315,444 signature count, the rest were probably from paid signature gatherers.

34,588/315,444 = 10.96% of signatures turned in from mailing to "grassroots"
Could it be true that only 11% of Eyman's signatures were from the "grassroots" supporters?

Maybe as many as 1700 petitions came back if all were full. This seems like a much more realistic return rate based on Initiatve campaigns I've been involved with.

Moneywise it also seems accurate. 315,444 signatures total - 34,588 from grassroots leaves 280,856 he paid for. He spent $598,081 to get his signatures, including mailing, which is about $1.89 per signature for the total amount. This is in the ballpark for cost per signature in campaigns these days.

While we're at it we should actually note that Eyman did not collect 315,444 valid signatures. A small point but I am tired of Eyman's misrepresentations of fact. He had a 12% invalid rate which means that only 277,591 signatures were declared as valid. A minor point but lets keep our figures straight for the record.

List Growing of Organizations Opposing Initiative 1033

The list is growing of organizations opposing Eyman's Initiative 1033 which will be on the November 2009 ballot. I-1033 is Eyman's latest attempt to impose his Orwellian view of hogtying and limiting state, county and local government spending by ratcheting down revenues available every time there is a recession.

When times are good he will transfer funds mainly derived from sales taxes everyone pays, to reduce real estate taxes for the wealthy. The more property you own the more of a real estate tax break you will get. It's sort of a reverse perverse Robin Hood scheme that benefits large corporate land owners like Boeing and Weyerhauser and shopping mall owners and real estate developers and owners of McMansions and second homes.

Here's the latest list of organizations opposing I-1033. They would rather see our tax dollars go to provide services for everyone, not just wealthy property owners getting another tax break at the public's expense.

AARP Washington
Amalgamated Transit Union 1015
American Federation of Teachers Washington, AFL-CIO
Alzheimer's Association, Western and Central Washington Chapter
Asian Pacific Islander Coalition of King County
Central Washington Progress
Heart of America Northwest
King County Democrats
Lutheran Public Policy Office
Washington State Council of Fire Fighters
Fuse Washington
Futurewise
The Nature Conservancy of Washington
OneAmerica
Planned Parenthood Votes! Washington
Puget Sound Sage
Raising Our APA Representation
SEIU 775
Sahngnoksoo
Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter
Statewide Poverty Action Network
Surfrider Foundation
Transportation Choices Coalition
UFCW Local 21
Washington Association of Churches
Washington Bus
Washington Education Association
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
Washington State Council of County and City Employees, AFSCME Council 2
Washington State Hospital Association
Washington State Labor Council

You can go to the No 1033 campaign website to add your organizations name to the list and learn more about the campaign.

Campaign Against Seattle Bag Fee Tops $1 Million Dollars

It's Plastics. For those who remember Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate it's definitely plastics as to where the money is. Last Friday the American Chemistry Council dropped $500,000 into it's Stop the Bag Tax campaign. And a day ago they added another $300,000.

Except for $10,000 from Seven - Eleven, The American Chemistry Council has now contributed almost all of the $1,042,794 targeted against Referendum 1.

Referendum 1 is about a 20 cent fee on paper and plastic bags in major grocery stores. The idea is to provide an economic incentive for people to use reusasble bags. Referendum 1 is on the August 18, 2009 Primary ballot in Seattle.

Here is some information on plastic bags from http://www.reusablebags.com/

•The production of plastic bags requires petroleum and often natural gas, both non-renewable resources that increase our dependency on foreign suppliers. Additionally, prospecting and drilling for these resources contributes to the destruction of fragile habitats and ecosystems around the world.

•Annual cost to US retailers alone is estimated at $4 billion.

•When retailers give away free bags, their costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.

•When plastic bags breakdown, small plastic particles can pose threats to marine life and contaminate the food web. A 2001 paper by Japanese researchers reported that plastic debris acts like a sponge for toxic chemicals, soaking up a million fold greater concentration of such deadly compounds as PCBs and DDE (a breakdown product of the notorious insecticide DDT), than the surrounding seawater. These turn into toxic gut bombs for marine animals which frequently mistake these bits for food.

•According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion)

Reusable bags will save consumers money and reduce waste. It may be a minor inconvenience to get used to remembering to take your bags with you when you go shopping but it is a step in trying to live more environmentally. Vote yes on Referendum 1.

Tim Eyman's Initiative 1033 Overtaxed Hoax

Washington's state and local tax burden last year was ranked 35th (1 is highest) according to the conservative Tax Foundation. These figures include both state and local property taxes in their calculation.

These and other figures below are taken from data available at the Tax Foundation's website and point out the misrepresentation of Washington's tax situation as espoused by Tim Eyman and Initiative 1033.

The preamble of I-1033 claims that it is "to protect taxpayers by reducing our state's obscene and unsustainable property tax burden by controlling the growth of government to an affordable level." An another point it references "our state's crushing property tax burden."

Yet is it such a crushing burden compared to other states?

Analysis by the Tax Foundation showed Washington State ranking 23rd (1 is highest) in terms of property taxes on owner occupied housing. The figures are given in terms of median real estate taxes as a percentage of median home values. Washington State had a value of .82% for 2007, which came in 23rd when compared to the other states.

Some other higher state values for comparison are Texas 1.84%, Ohio 1.3%, Pennsylvania 1.39%, Illinois 1.53% and Michigan 1.38%.

Two comparable neighboring states were Oregon at .80% and Montana at .82%. California came in at .50%, below the national average which might explain some of their budget problems.

Another table compared state spending per capita. In 2007 Washington State spent $5780 per capita. This ranked us number 19 (1 is highest). Again not an alarming figure.

Another interesting figure was looking at income per capita. Washington State ranked 8th highest in income per capita at $48,574 in 2008. Income is obviously an indication of ability to pay taxes.

Ironically Washington State does not have an income tax even though an income tax is a fairer tax than a sales tax or property tax. If you have no income you pay no income tax. But property tax you have to pay whether you're working or not. This is also the case with a sales tax when you buy goods. And the business B&O tax is on gross receipts not net.

It is easy to demagogue issues like taxes which no one likes to pay. But taxes pay for basic services like police and fire protection, public safety, transportation, parks, education, health care for children, libraries, colleges, environmental protection, and help for the disadvantaged and elderly.

People want these services while not wanting taxes. But just like it costs money to maintain your home so it doesn't fall apart, taxes help to maintain our society. While taxes may be a burden, it's questionable whether they are an overburden for most people in Washington State.

We certainly could use a fairer tax system. An income tax is one you pay only if you're making money but people like Eyman have demagogued against that and politicians are afraid to make a change. Yet it is fairer than a sales tax which hits lower income people the hardest.

But I-1033 is not the answer to tax reform. It only makes things worst because it transfers money collected by sales taxes everyone pays to reduce taxes on property owners. This includes reducing taxes for large corporations like Boeing and Weyerhauser and shopping mall owners and real estate developers. The more property you have the more you'll benefit. I-1033 is basically another Eyman wealth transfer scheme from the poor to the wealthy who own property.

Eyman is correct when he says "during these tough economic times, struggling families and fixed income senior citizens desperately need and deserve meaningful property tax relief" The key word is "meaningful." I-1033 is not meaningful property tax relief for working families or fixed income senior citizens.

Meaningful property tax relief would be targeted to help those that need help most. I-1033 doesn't do that. The most relief goes to the largest property owners and those with McMansions and second homes.

Real property tax relief would be a targeted homestead exemption, exempting the first $50,000 or $75,000 of the property tax evaluation on your principal residence from taxation. Many other states do that.

Also circuit breaker legislation would provide relief, by also helping renters. Eighteen states have circuit breaker legislation to help lower income homeowners. Some 35% of Washington households are not owner occupied according to the Census Bureau.

Initiative 1033 is not the answer. It is not meaningful property tax relief for those who need it most. Vote No on I-1033 in November.

Waldo Woods Saved After 3 Year Battle!

The following is a Press Release just sent out by the Maple Leaf Community Council:

Maple Leaf Community Council welcomes MMSC Day School
Historic Waldo Hospital and significant urban tree grove to be preserved


MAPLE LEAF, SEATTLE – The Maple Leaf Community Council, an organization representing over 3,700 homes and businesses in north Seattle, publicly welcomes Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder (MMSC) Day School to the Maple Leaf community. MMSC closed purchase yesterday on historic Waldo Hospital (formerly the Camp Fire offices), which they will remodel into a school serving over 80 children and young adults. School officials have indicated they will preserve and remodel historic Waldo Hospital, built in 1924 for the purpose of educating new doctors, and preserve the significant urban grove of trees on the site.

“We welcome MMSC into the Maple Leaf neighborhood,” commented Maple Leaf Community Council Executive Board President Marc Phillips. “We have already had preliminary conversations and are very excited they plan to preserve the historic building and urban tree grove.”

The announced purchase closes a three-year effort by the Maple Leaf Community Council to positively affect planned development at the site. Original plans for over 40 high-priced townhomes would have removed nearly 90% of the trees on the site and potentially exposed the community to toxic dust. Despite multiple offers of alternatives to both the previous owners and the developer, which included securing a $300,000 King County Conservation Futures Grant to protect the grove of trees on the site, the project ended up in court where King County Superior Court Judge Timothy Bradshaw agreed with the Maple Leaf community’s position that neither the developer nor the City correctly followed state environmental protection rules.

“It is hard for me to overstate my excitement that MMSC plans to preserve both the building and the trees,” stated David Miller, Chair of the Maple Leaf Community Council’s Waldo Working Group. “Returning Waldo Hospital to its historical use as an educational institution is an amazing outcome.”

“I’ve spoken with MMSC,” continued Miller, “and they’ve indicated a strong desire to work closely with the community on student pick-up & drop off routing, permitting, and the possible addition of a new building to the grounds. We’re all looking forward to working closely with MMSC, working together with them to hasten the permitting process so they can open their school on time.”

Hundreds of people from across Seattle donated time and money to the three-year effort to save Waldo Woods and Waldo Hospital. This effort led directly to new tree grove protection rules, the first meaningful update to Seattle’s tree ordinance in over a decade, and a higher understanding of the need for lead dust policies in the City.

The Maple Leaf Community Council would like to particularly acknowledge the efforts of attorneys David Mann, Kathy George, and Charlotte Cassady, arborist Tina Cohen, architect Susan Boyle, the staff in the archives at the Chicago headquarters of the American Osteopathic Association, and the staff at the AT Still National Osteopathic Museum for their assistance at various times over the past three years.

The above press release is taken from an e-mail sent out by the Maple Leaf Community Council

Hutchison's Republican Media Consultant

Susan Hutchison, running for King County Executive, claims she is nonpartisan.

Hutchison's media firm, however, is the opposite of nonpartisan . A Google on Dresner, Wickers & Associates is unambiguous. "Dresner, Wickers & Associates is the go–to political consulting firm for Republican candidates, ballot initiatives, and major trade organizations."

Their campaign work according to their website includes "strategic communication, media production and placement, polling and focus groups, DWA is a full–service agency"

A look at their present and past clients confirms their Republican credentials. Highlighted as "current" clients are:

Presidential Candidate and former Governor Mike Huckabee, Arkansas
US Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota.

They claim as a current issues advocacy client the Building Industry Association of Washington.

Their international list of clients includes Vladmir Putin of Russia.

As past clients listed they include:

Attorney General Ken Eickenberry, Washington
US Senator Paula Hawkins of Florida
Governor Pete Wilson, California

Their past advocacy work also includes two Washington initiative campaigns, representing those opposed to medical malpractice suits and the BIAW.

In 2005 two measures were on the ballot regarding medical malpractice. DWA worked for "Doctors , Nurses and Patients for a Healthy Washington "running with the slogan "stop the greed, vote yes on 330, no on 336. " As Komonews.com noted "Insurance agencies and doctors wrote the measure (I-330), claiming skyrocketing legal fees jury awards are killing the medical profession." The other side of the medical malpractice issue was Initiative 336 pushed by the Trial Lawyers. In the end both measures lost at the ballot.

The second Washington measure they were involved in was working for "Workers Against Job Killing Rules" to pass Initiative 841 which tossed out the state's ergonomic rules that protected workers from injuries. Over half of the $1.4 million dollars to pass I-841 came from the BIAW.

Again the reality belies the myth that Hutchison is nonpartisan. She has contributed money to both Huckabee and the BIAW for example. Yes its guilt by association. You know her by her friends. Just as Rob McKenna was supported by the BIAW and then hired BIAW employees for his staff , expect that the BIAW will have representation in the King County Executives Office if she is elected.

Hutchison knew she couldn't win running as a Republican in King County. That's why she supported and worked for the effort to make the King County Executives Office nonpartisan.

Without the Party label, its much easier to deceive voters as to your real politics. But don't be taken in by her phony nonpartisan claims. She's a Republican and conservative to boot.

Tim Eyman's Initiative 1033 Grassroots Joke

We all love a good joke. Tim Eyman told one the other day on KING 5 News Up Front Blog. He was bragging about how much grasssroots fundraising support Initiative 1033 had gotten.

Initiative 1033 is Eyman's latest wealth transfer scheme. This one is to transfer state tax revenue, of which 57% comes from the state sales tax, to commercial and residential property owners in the form of reduced property taxes. The more property you own, the larger your tax break or loophole.

Anyway, twice on the Up Front blog comment thread Eyman couldn't resist claiming I-1033 has "a very broad base of grassroots support." He claims that he has "received 2063 individual donations totaling $664,769 so far. 2063 - that's really extraordinary..."

What's extraordinary is that how big a misrepresentation of the facts this is. The fact is that only 3 donors contributed some 86.5% of the money raised for I-1033.

Michael Dunmire of Woodinville gave $300,000. Tim Eyman borrowed $250,000 and loaned it to the campaign. And Kemper Holdings LLC of Bellevue owned by Kemper Freeman who owns Bellevue Square Mall gave $25,000.

These top 3 donors in the campaign contributed 86.5% of the total cash raised. This hardly sounds like a grassroots campaign to me. Especially since they spent $598,081 to get the signatures. That's an average of $1.89/signature.

I was also curious how Eyman's number of individual donations doesn't match up with what the Public Disclosure Commission has.

The PDC reports Eyman raised $664,769 through June. This is the figure he used in his comment. Yet the PDC website lists only some 897 contributions. A closer look revealed that sSome contributors gave 2 or 3 or 4 times, so the numbers of contributions is actually more than the number of contributors.

The PDC in addition lists without names or amounts some $20,345.56 Eyman reported as small contributions so I'm sure that this is where his 2063 "contributions" come from.

The funny part is that under named contributors he lists one person as giving 5 cents four different times. (That's 4 contributions!) Another gave 7 cents 2 different times (That's 2 more contributions!) and a third contributor gave 2 cents.

Manipulating numbers is so much fun. The number of contributions is obviously not the same as contributors and can easily be manipulated. And recording someone giving a nickel to I-1033 four times makes it easy to inflate the number of contributions made.

Have one person give me $25.00 in pennies one at a time and I'll have more grassroots support than Eyman. What a joke!

The Susan Hutchison Nonpartisan Myth

So if you made contributions to Dino Rossi, Dave Reichert, Mike Huckabee, Cathy McMorris, Mainstream Republicans, King County Republicans' Central Committee, George Nethercutt and George W Bush but not to any Democrats and Democratic organizations is it honest to call yourself nonpartisan? Susan Hutchison, running for King County Executive seems to think it is.

I think it's hypocrisy and deceptive politics. This morning on Upfront, Hutchison when asked if she was a Republican and conservative, evaded a direct response by stating that she was "running in a nonpartisan race and that's intentional." She claimed, "I'm a non-partisan, never affiliated with a party, you know we don't register in this state."

I looked up the word affiliate in the dictionary. While one definition of affiliate is "to take in as a member" a second definition is "to connect or associate (oneself with)" Since Hutchison is correct that no one registers by party to vote in this state, the next best way to identify party affiliation is by looking at who you connect or associate with by your actions.

So let's judge her by her political actions. One key way you determine party connection or association is by who you contribute money to. Back in April Erica C. Barnett of Slog searched for and found a very identifying list of candidates that Hutchison gave money to. She entitled her post "Susan Hutchison, Partisan Republican" Here is the list of donations Hutchison made, based on Erica's search of political donations made.


2008
$500 to Republican Congressman Dave Reichert
$375 to Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi
$250 to Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris (now McMorris Rodgers)

2007
$1000 to Citizens for Accountable Elections, the group that made the King County Elections Director a nonpartisan elected position
$700 to Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi
$500 to Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee
$100 to Republican King County prosecutor Dan Satterberg

2006
$2,000 to Republican Congressman Dave Reichert
$1,000 to Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris (now McMorris Rodgers)
$1,000 to Republican Douglas Robert Roulstone, who ran against Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen
$250 to Republican Supreme Court candidate Stephen Johnson, a darling of the religious right
$100 to the Mainstream Republicans of Washington

2005
$1000 to ChangePAC, a BIAW-funded group that supported Republican Dino Rossi
$500 to Republican Congreeman Dave Reichert
$250 to the King County Republicans' Central Committee
$100 to Conrad Lee, a Republican who sits on the Bellevue City Council
$50 to Jeff Sax, a Republican member of the Snohomish County Council
$50 to Jane Fellner, who ran against Seattle School Board incumbent Mary Bass

2004
$3,000 to Republican George Nethercutt, who ran against Sen. Patty Murray

2003
$500 to George W. Bush

In addition a check of 2009 campaign contributions at the PDC website found that in April she gave $800 to"nonpartisan" Reagan Dunn running for re-election on the King County Council.

Since 2003 Susan Hutchison has contributed some $13,525 to Republican candidates, Republican Party organizations and conservative causes according to public campaign fiance records. Of this no money was donated to Democrats or Democratic organizations. An additional $50 was donated to a Seattle School Board candidate that couldn't be identified as to party.

You know someone by the friends they associate with and support. Hutchison has supported the campaigns of George W Bush, George Nethercutt, Dave Reichert, Cathy McMorris, BIAW's ChangePAC, Mike Huckabee, Dino Rossi, the King County Republican Central Committee and Mainstream Republicans of Washington.

It's pretty obvious that her history is a strong affiliation with the Republican Party and conservative issues. Her "nonpartisan" gambit is just that, a campaign ploy to try to hide her political philosophy from the voter's of King County.

New Report Confirms Initiative 1033 Will Make Recovery Worse for Washington State

A just released report by the Rockefeller Institute of Government confirms analysis that Initiative 1033, if passed by voters in November, will likely make economic recovery in Washington State more difficult. While not directly addressing I-1033, the negative impact of the initiative is clear from the current economic figures.

Steeply declining revenue would reset the baseline from which next year's inflation plus population growth would occur under I-1033. Analysis by the Washington State Budget and Policy Center notes that deceases in revenue during a recession will permanently lower the baseline and revenue to fund government services in future years.

The Rockefeller Report is entitled "State Tax Decline in Early 2009 was the Sharpest on Record". Overall it notes that "State tax collections for the first quarter of 2009 showed a drop of 11.7%, the sharpest decline in the 46 years for which quarterly data are available. Combining the census Bureau's quarterly data with its annual statistical series, which extends back to 1952, the most recent decline in state tax revenues was the worst on record."

The figures given for Washington State in the report in Table 9 points to a 13.2% drop in sales tax and a 9% overall drop in quarterly state tax revenue comparing the January - March 2008 revenue to the January - March 2009 revenue.

The report also notes in looking ahead for all states that "The January - March quarter was the worst on record for states. The worst decline in sales tax in 50 years represents historic weakness in one of two major tax sources for states. Preliminary data for the April - June quarter suggest that fiscal conditions deteriorated even further ...Such extraordinary weakness in revenues, along with continued if more moderate growth in expenditures, make widespread budget shortfalls highly likely this year."

For Washington State a decreased revenue baseline under I-1033 will mean the emergency budget cuts this year become permanent budget cuts. There will be no new money to reduce classroom size or fund educational reform. Cuts to state health care are permanent. Cuts to all state services will not be restored. And future budget cuts due to the recession lowering the state's revenue baseline will be necessary.

A state budget that only keeps pace with inflation and population growth under I-1033 is at best only able to keep pace with decreased purchasing power and increased population growth. An ever decreasing ability to fund government services under the recession resetting baseline that I-1033 mandates allows its sponsor Tim Eyman to follow in the footsteps of conservative Grover Norquist and his goal to continually reduce government spending and drown it in the bathtub.

The problem with this philosophy is that it doesn't track reality. The free market economy does not solve many of society's problems. Government is needed to help meet basic needs and provide balance and legal protections from those motivated by self interest and greed. History has shown us the shortcomings of societies that only serve the privileged few. It is the vision of being compassionate and providing legal protections and helping people that sets us apart from those like Eyman that make it their life's mission to berate government serving people.

Taxes provide police and fire protection, free libraries, health care, roads and buses and sidewalks, education, environmental protection, parks and much more. Those that berate taxes like Eyman too often demagogue the issues while using these public services.

Eyman for example went to Washington State University and received a subsidy of his education because public tax dollars paid part of the cost. Maybe he should refund what the state paid for his education. Likewise he went to public school - maybe he should refund what others paid for his education there.

One could go on and on - the point is that government is not some evil leach sucking up tax dollars. It is providing benefits day in and day out that we all use and too frequently take for granted. Taxes are part of the cost we pay to live in our society. While no one really likes to pay taxes, we all benefit from the multitude of services government provides.

You can also find a write up of the Rockefeller Institute report in today's New York Times.

Seattle's Conifer Forests Disappearing - Invasive Plants a Big Problem

A new report released by Seattle Urban Nature finds that conifer forests are a vanishing resource in the Puget Sound region. Conifer trees are not regenerating in sufficient numbers to perpetuate healthy forests into the future. Instead, these forests are becoming dominated by English holly, sweet cherry, English ivy and other invasive species that are suppressing the growth of native plants. With less than 300 acres of conifer forests remaining on the 8000 acres of public lands within the City of Seattle, these forests urgently need our care and protection.

Seattle Urban Nature, a science focused non-profit organization dedicated to healthy urban forests, released this new report on the “State of Seattle’s Conifer Forests” as part of SUN’s on-going Seattle Citywide Habitat Assessment (CHA). This report provides a comprehensive independent analysis of the existing condition of conifer forested habitat in Seattle’s parks and open spaces, and can be applicable to other cities in Puget Sound region.

Less than 200 years ago, majestic conifer forests dominated the landscape of the Puget Sound region. As our region has grown in the past 100 years, Seattle’s forests have declined due to impacts from activities such as logging and urbanization. Conifer trees can live for more than a thousand years and are iconic symbols of the Pacific Northwest. Conifer forests provide people with important ecosystem services year-round. They improve our water and air quality, stabilize soils, slow and absorb storm-water and rain water, sequester large amounts of carbon, and provide beautiful places for urban residents to enjoy. They also provide vital habitat for native wildlife and birds.

According to Mark Mead, Senior Urban Forester with Seattle Parks, “The remaining coniferous forests of Seattle are under threat from invasive species and lack of direct action over the past 100 years. We (parks) appreciate SUN’s efforts to research this problem and provide more direct, applicable science to this effort. Through the Green Seattle Partnership (GSP), the City of Seattle is partnering with citizens and major non-profit organizations to take on the challenge of restoring over 2500 acres of forested areas to near native-like conditions in Seattle’s park lands. The GSP is focusing on the re-establishment of the native coniferous forests of the city.”

Unless we begin to actively manage these forests to reduce the impact of habitat loss, invasive species and other urban pressures, we stand to lose an incredibly valuable cultural and ecological resource. Seattle’s remaining conifer forests are in decline and places like Lincoln Park, Seward Park and Schmitz Park will no longer be the treasures that they are today. It’s up to the community at large to reverse these trends, and efforts like the GSP are helping. This information will help city managers, forest stewards and the general public to better understand our urban forests and support a sustained effort to restore and preserve these locally rare habitats.

Background and Methodology

In 2005, SUN launched a citywide forest monitoring program known as the Citywide Habitat Assessment (CHA) to monitor declines or improvements in the state of Seattle urban forests. This assessment builds on data collected during SUN’s 1999-2000 Seattle Public Lands Habitat Survey, which provided vegetation information for 8,000 acres of public lands throughout Seattle. Two previous reports from this effort have been published: Conifer/Deciduous Mixed Forests in Seattle, and The State of Seattle’s Madrone Forests, which are available on our website. Three additional habitat types, riparian, wetland and deciduous forests, still remain to be surveyed.

During 2008, SUN staff established 16 permanent monitoring plots in conifer forests throughout Seattle. These 1/10th acre plots were randomly chosen from all conifer forests on public lands identified during SUN’s 1999-2000 Seattle Public Lands Habitat Survey. Information gathered on the permanent plots included the species, diameter, height and density for all trees, including all non-native, invasive, tree-like shrubs such as English holly (Ilex aquifolium) and cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus). In addition, percent cover data for shrubs, vines and herbaceous species were recorded. Collected data were analyzed to gain an understanding of forest structure and composition as well as to identify threats to the health of these urban forests.

Funding for this project came from the Washington Department of Natural Resources Community Forestry Grant, the Bullitt Foundation, and individual donors.

Note: The above is copied from a press release by Sharon London of Seattle Urban Nature and is posted with their permission here to help publicize their efforts. I saw no reason to try to rewrite what they put together so well. They are doing a tremendous service to Seattle by making this information available to the public. Their efforts deserve our attention and support. Steve Zemke

Nickels and Mallahan Lead in Fundraising in Seattle Mayor's Race

While incumbent Mayor Greg Nickels has raised the most money in Seattle's Mayoral race, both he and Mallahan have about the same amount of money in the bank at this point. Greg Nickels has raised $481,279 through June 30, 2009 and spent $161,554. This leaves him with $319,395 cash on hand.

Contributors listed as working for the City of Seattle made up about one quarter of Nickels' contributions - $126,816.

Meanwhile Joe Mallahan has raised some $296,985 and only spent $17,110. This leaves him with $279,875 cash on hand. The bulk of Mallahan's money has come from his own pocket at this point. In May he made a $200,000 contribution to his campaign.

About one quarter of the rest of Mallahan's contributions also came from where he worked. Contributors working for T-Mobile gave Mallahan some $28,890.

Below are listed contributions and expenditures for the other candidates also running for Mayor. The figures are from those filed with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission for filings through June 30, 2009.

name .....contributions.......expenditures

Jan Drago.....$59,964.....$1.436

Michael McGinn.....$48,918 .....$5,339

James Donaldson.....$$22,777 .....$10,672

Norm Sigler .....$11,006.....$$6,471

The Primary date is August 18, 2009. The top two vote getters go on to the November General Election Ballot.

Larry Phillips Leads Fundraising for King County Executive

In the latest fundraising totals available from the Washington State's Public Disclosure Commission, King County Counclimember Larry Phillips has raised some $395,173 through June 30, 2009 in his bid to fill the King County Executive seat vacated by Ron Sims.

Fellow King County Councilmember Dow Constantine has raised some $282,033.

The sole Republican running in the race Susan Hutchinson reported raising $211,976.

Representative Ross Hunter has raised some $194,382.

State Senator Fred Jarrett has raised $87,100.

Only two of these candidates will go on to the November election. The Primary Election date is August 18, 2009. All King County voters will be mailed a ballot several weeks before the primary.

The deadline to register to vote for the Primary is July 16, 2009 for mail in and address changes.
You can register in person at King County Elections in Renton through Monday August 3, 2009. More information on registering to vote in King County can be found on the King County Elections website.

You can check your registration on line by going to the Washington Secretary of State's website as well as register on line. The on line registration deadline is July 16, 2009.

Only Four Seattle City Council Candidates Raise over $10,000 in June

Candidates running for Seattle City Council have only about 1 month left before the August 18, 2009 Primary. The two top candidates in each race will go on to the November election. Here are the latest monthly fundraising totals as of June 30, 2009.

Sally Bagshaw has raised the most money so far at $122,940. Richard Conlin has raised the second largest amount at $115,003.

Four Seattle City Council candidates raised over $10,000 in June.

Martin Henry Kaplan .....$42,035
Sally Bagshaw .....$18,750
Jordan Royer .....$14,924
Robert Rosencranz .....$12,134

The information below first lists how much total money the Seattle City Council candidates reported raising through June 30, 2009 and how much of that they have spent. The third figure is how much they raised during the month of June, an indication of campaign momentum.

name ...amount raised ...amount spent ...amount raised in June

City Council Position 2 - Incumbent is Richard Conlin

Richard Conlin .... $115,003.... $39,066 ......+9096
David Ginsberg.... $28,194.... $26,065 .....+1991

City Council Position 4 - Incumbent is Jan Drago (retiring)

Sally Bagshaw .... $122,940.... $44,106 .....+18,750

David Bloom .... $50,535.... $13,417 .....+6,676

Dorsol Plants .... $3,365.... $1782 .....+335

City Council Position 6 - Incumbent is Nick Licata

Jessie Israel .... $49,940.... $12,030 .....+8,804

Martin Henry Kaplan .... $61,3681.... $5,500 .....+41,035

Nick Licata.... $82,547.... $35,368 ....+7,437

City Council Position 8 - Incumbent is Richard McIver (retiring)

Bobby Forch ....$28,960....$0 .....+4445

David Miller .... $49,930.... $18,666 .....+5309

Mike O'Brien .... $60,633.... $15,580.....+3,354

Robert Rosencrantz .... $93,411.... $42,863 .....+12,134

Jordan Royer .... $81,347.... $29,988.....+14,924

Rusty Williams .... $44,701.... $15,164.....+2760

Information was obtained from the following websites: Washington State Public Disclosure Commission and City of Seattle Ethics and Election Commission . You can check out more information including who has donated to which campaigns by going to these sites.

The Primary Election is August 18, 2009.

Initiative 1033 - Eyman's Latest Wealth Transfer Scheme for the Rich

Old dog Eyman just ain't learning any new tricks. Initiative 1033, which he filed today with the Washington State Secretary of State is just another old trick to transfer money from the poor to those better off, namely property owners.

Eyman latest scheme puts a limit on state, county and city revenue growth by limiting year to year growth to the previous year plus local population growth and a national inflation index. Because it's indexed to the previous years growth, every time you have a bad year or two, revenues the government will be able to spend will decrease from its previous high

When you have bad times economically that's usually when more people need help from government. But Eyman does not propose decreasing the sales tax, which is regressive. Last year 57% of state tax revenues came from the sales tax.

Eyman proposes that instead money over his national inflation and population increase will go to help reduce taxes on those that own property. For homeowners the US Census Bureau last year said that some 65% of Washington State households were owner occupied. That means that 35% of households in the state will see excess money collected from sales taxes, for example, go as a tax break to those able to afford homes.

This is very much a reverse Robin Hood economic model Tim Eyman style. Tax the poor and transfer the money to help the wealthy pay lower property taxes. We've already been classified as the most regressive state in the country on taxation. This will only make things worse.

If you truly want to help the people who need help on property taxes the most, low and middle income people trying to make a go of things, help them on the property taxes. Things like a Homestead Exemption on one's principal residence or circuit breaker legislation would be the right way to go.

Initiative 1033 is not an answer to property taxes problems. If it qualifies for the ballot, voters would be wise to reject Eyman' latest wealth transfer scheme for the rich.