by Normandy Park City Councilman Shawn McEvoy says it’s time the Highline area is represented by someone who lives here, and not in West Seattle.
So McEvoy, now serving his second term as an elected member of the city council (he was appointed to fill a vacancy in 2002), recently announced that he is a candidate for the county council from District 8.
The district includes Normandy Park, Burien, the western reaches of SeaTac and Tukwila, North Highline, West Seattle, Vashon and Maury Islands.
McEvoy makes an obvious point.
Former District 8 King County Councilman Dow Constantine, who was elected county executive last fall, lives in West Seattle. So does his replacement to the District 8 seat, former Seattle City Councilwoman Jan Drago.
District 34 State Sen. Joe McDermott, who is not seeking re-election so he can run for Drago’s seat, also lives in West Seattle – as does District 34 State Rep. Eileen Cody.
“I think the voters [in these districts] outside of West Seattle feel under represented, even ignored,” McEvoy said. “The political process is heavily skewed to West Seattle. We want representation …
“I have the qualifications, I have the experience, and I can do a better job than the other guy,” he continued. “I understand the issues of King County, the problems and challenges facing King County, and the issues in District 8.”
His time on the city council – including serving four years as Normandy Park mayor – also gives him the “demonstrated experience to develop a responsible budget, the demonstrated experience to respond to public concerns, and demonstrated leadership skills.”
King County Council District 8 includes White Center, North Highline, Burien, Normandy Park, the western reaches of SeaTac and Tukwila, West Seattle, and Vashon and Maury Islands.
McEvoy also points with pride to his “strong environmental record,” including salmon habitat recovery efforts in Miller Creek and the Cove that received national recognition from Trout Unlimited.
He is on the steering committee for Water Resource Inventory Area 9, which is responsible for Chinook salmon protection in the Duwamish/Green River watershed.
A five-point “immediate action plan” is the framework for McEvoy’s campaign:
- Better communication by King County government with the public.
- Enhanced county partnerships with the cities.
- Ensure that “service levels and funding match. “If we haven’t got the money, don’t spend it.”
- Stabilize funding of county services.
- “Work with county employees to solve problems” from budget-cutting job furloughs to streamlining the way services are provided “to make the county better to work for all of us.”
These address what McEvoy called King County’s “image and relationship problems with mayors, city councils – and citizens,” who see county government as “bloated, dictatorial, inefficient and Seattle-centric.”
In the interview, which took place before this week’s county council vote on a proposed sales tax increase and then a proposed property tax “reallocation” to help fund the sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices and the courts, McEvoy said, “I’m a strong believer in public safety.
“When [Sheriff] Sue Rahr and [Prosecutor] Dan Satterberg tell me it’s important to have these funds [generated by a 2-cent increase in the sales tax], I believe them.”
Asked about contracts negotiated by public employee unions, which include pay raises and benefit increases at a time the county is facing another multi-million-dollar revenue shortfall, McEvoy added he would “certainly support a study to see if public contracts are in line with the private sector … or not.
“Whether we look to the unions as a first place to cut, [the cost of county government] is still an open question. But public safety and public health are, to me, number one.”
Noting a recent Puget Sound Regional Council projection that the area will experience a lot of growth by 2040, McEvoy said more roads probably will be needed.
He added his interest in “quicker buses” that provide service every 10 minutes to provide “a good, cost-effective people mover.”
Although he was “initially skeptical of light rail,” McEvoy said “it has started to make sense to me … we need to look at all [transportation] options and go with what makes sense.”
But county residents “don’t see much in return” for the taxes they pay the county,” he continued. A “classic example” is the way Metro bus service was reallocated. Although more routes were supposed to go to the county rather than Seattle, “it hasn’t worked out that way.”
[PHOTO CREDIT: City of Normandy Park]
Our sister site The B-Town Blog is holding its first-ever 34th District Candidates Forum Tuesday night, April 27th, from 7pm – 8:30pm at the Highline Performing Arts Center, which is less than 5 miles south of White Center at 401 South 152nd Street in Burien.
This free event will be hosted by KVI Radio Host John Carlson, and it should be a lively evening (you do the math: conservative radio talk show host + 3 Dems + 1 Indie + a stage + YOU = ???).
The goal of the forum of course is to allow YOU, our Readers a chance to actually question the candidates yourself, in hopes that it will help make your mind up for the primary election, which will be held Aug. 17th.
KVI's John Carlson will host.
In alphabetical order by last name, here are the four candidates you’ll get to grill:
Remember, one of the four candidates you’ll meet Tuesday night will go on to become your new representative in Olympia in January 2011.
So come on down and let them know what’s on your mind!
| Apr |
| 27 |
| 7:00 pm |
There have been some great, classic Candidate Debates in political history:
- Lincoln-Douglas 1860
- Kennedy-Nixon 1960
- Carter-Reagan 1980
- Carlson-Locke 2000 (Carlson-Locke? Well, anyway…)
And now…the 34th District Candidates Forum…2010!
Yes, our fellow Americans, you heard read it here first. You read it here because our sister site The B-Town Blog is pleased to announce that they’ll be hosting a gathering of the four announced candidates for 34th District State Representative, Position 2, which of course includes White Center.
It’ll be held Tuesday, April 27, from 7pm to 8:30pm at the Highline Performing Arts Center, next door to Highline High School on SW 152nd just down the road a bit in Burien.
We’re expecting a big turnout and a lot of energy at this event. Since no incumbent is running (current State Representative Sharon Nelson is running for the Senate this go-round) this is the first open seat for Position 2 in quite a while.
In alphabetical order by last name, here are the four candidates you get to grill:
The source of most of the questions to be asked will be YOU, the curious and informed citizen. Yep, you can ask whatever you want. No kidding. This event is open to everyone and there is, of course, no cover charge.
Remember, one of the four candidates you’ll meet April 27 will go on to become your new representative in Olympia in January. So let them know what’s on your mind! Bring your neighbor. Bring your friend. Bring your vote-canceling spouse!
The primary is set for August 17. The two candidates with the highest number of votes move on to duke it out in the General Election, set for November 2. We’ll be covering that for you, too.
As the big day gets closer, we’ll be announcing more info on the format, so be sure to stay tuned (you can subscribe to our RSS Feed here).
Aren’t you glad you don’t live in North Korea or Cuba? Nights like April 27 just don’t happen often in those parts.
On Monday (April 5), we received a press release stating that 34th District candidate Sabra Schneider was withdrawing from the race for Rep. Sharon Nelson’s seat (Pos. #2) due to a torn ACL and MCL in her knee.
This injury would allegedly prevent her from engaging in doorbelling or meetings she “had planned to do over the course of this campaign.”
We’ve put calls in to both Sabra and her P.R. agency to get more info, but have not yet heard back.
The only other inkling of confirmation of this news is her Facebook Page, which states:
It’s been a rough week full of very hard decisions. I’m very sorry to tell everyone I suffered a bad injury to my knee last week that will prevent me from going forward with the campaign. Your support has meant the world to me and I’m looking forward …
Sabra’s withdrawal will narrow the field of candidates for this position down to four from five:
- Joe Fitzgibbon
- Mike Heavey
- Geoffrey “Mac” McElroy
- Marcee Stone
In the meantime, here’s the press release in all its glory, as received from Michael King at WinPower Strategies:
SCHNEIDER TO WITHDRAW
SEATTLE – Today, 34th District State House candidate Sabra Schneider released the following statement:
“It is with great regret that I’m announcing my withdrawal from the race to fill the House seat being vacated by Representative Sharon Nelson. One week ago, I tore the ACL and MCL in my knee, which I had previously injured two weeks ago. My doctors have informed me that the injury will require several months of rehabilitation. Given this fact, I do not believe I can engage in the doorbelling or meetings I had planned to do over the course of this campaign. Connecting with voters, while doorbelling, at community meetings and in person is a critical part of my campaign. I’ve elected to end my campaign and focus on healing my knee. I look forward to continuing to serve the community.”
“I want to thank the hundreds of people who have signed up to support the campaign over the past six weeks, as well as the people that have made financial contributions to this effort. I’ve been incredibly honored by the support and encouragement from the public. I also want to wish the field of Democratic candidates, each of whom would represent our district well in Olympia, the best of luck in their campaigns. I will make no endorsement today, but I look forward to hearing their visions for moving our district and our state forward.”
Read our previous coverage of Sabra’s original campaign announcement here.
| May ’09 |
| 16 |
| 10:00 am |
State Senators Joe McDermott, Eileen Cody and Sharon Nelson will take questions and speak with area residents before taking part in the White Center Spring Clean up on Saturday, May 16th starting at the Jim Wiley Community Center.
The meeting is set for 10am, and the center is located at 9800 Eighth Avenue SW in White Center (map below).
“It certainly has been a difficult session where we were forced to make some very tough decisions. I think people have questions that they want answered, and this will be a great opportunity for that to happen,” Sen. Joe McDermott, D-West Seattle, said. “Knowing how our district feels will help us as we plan the future.”
“After 105 days away, it’s always good to come home and hear what our neighbors are thinking,” Rep. Eileen Cody, D-West Seattle, said. “We know our district well, but it’s always a good thing to learn more.”
The legislators plan to volunteer at the White Center Spring Clean Up following the town hall, from 8:30am to 2pm.
For more information call (206) 694-1082 or emailing info@wccda.org.
“We hope that people come to the event after they spend some time volunteering at the Spring Clean Up, or come with us after we’ve completed the town hall,” Rep. Sharon Nelson, D-Vashon Island, said. “This is combination of events of a terrific example of an engaged citizenry.
According to The Seattle P-I, King County Councilmember Dow Constantine will announce Monday that he is running for the King County executive position being vacated by Ron Sims, who has been nominated for a post in President Obama’s new administration.
Constantine, who has served as a councilman since 2002, joins fellow Councilman Larry Phillips as the only candidates who have formally declared their intentions to seek King County’s top job.
He currently represents District 8, which includes White Center, West Seattle, Burien and Vashon Island.
Read the full story here.
According to Washington State election returns as of around 10pm Tuesday night, it looks like Margarita Prentice will continue to represent Legislative District 11 for the White Center area.
| Candidate | Vote | Vote % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
(Prefers Democratic Party)
|
3,388 | 69.81 % | ||
|
(Prefers Democratic Party)
|
1,465 | 30.19 % | ||
| Total Votes | 4,853 | 100.00 | ||
Please note that these are not final results, but when you see trends in the 69-70% range it’s pretty clear who will win.
Final results can be found here.
Oh yeah, and some African-American guy named Obama is your next President too…
| Nov ’08 |
| 4 |
| 3:00 pm |
It only happens once every four years, so you might as well get out and enjoy Election Day 2008 at Big Al Brewing, where a potluck viewing party will happen.
Big Al Brewing Co. is located at 9832 14th Ave SW in White Center; phone: (206) 453-4487
Here are the details:
- Potluck dinner – bring a small main dish and a small side dish so there will plenty of “food distribution” for all
- Tasty beverages
- Watch election night results on the big screen
- Doors open 3pm (or after you’ve voted) and will stay open until midnight
- Ice Cream will be provided by Ann and Justin at Full Tilt Ice Cream
- Donations: Some rocky times are around the corner and many of our neighbors will be caught short and unable to provide for their families. You can help by bringing non-perishable food items for the White Center food bank or with a donation of $20 or more receive a unique limited addition “Obama brick” as an election night keepsake
B-Town Blog’s Mark Neuman filed this late-night missive with Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer around 11pm Thurs. night:
Scott -
Got back, about an hour ago, from the City of Burien’s community meeting at Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church earlier tonight (Thurs., Aug. 28). Topic: proposed annexation of North Highline and the temporary withdrawal of the City of Burien’s request to pursue said annexation.
About 45 people attended, and one could reasonably assume that a goodly portion of the attendees (this correspondent included) would have preferred to view, live, the televised acceptance speech of Senator Obama. Must rely on delayed broadcast for that.
About half of those in attendance were Boulevard Park residents, and about half of those are home owners. As noted by one attendee, most everyone there was Caucasian and not exactly springing from the younger side of life.
But all were earnest, many were skeptical, and few were without opinion.
While this was only my second meeting regarding the annexation proposal, I believe I came away with some accurate observations:
Burien City Manager Mike Martin is a very decent fellow, with a reserve of patience greater than that which most folks, myself included, would likely muster and maintain in assemblages such as tonight’s.
“This annexation, if approved, will be revenue neutral,” Mike said. “This move would not make a dime for Burien, nor cost Burien a dime. In that sense, financially, annexation as proposed would be a wash.”
Mike said this several times, not because he is a repetitive person, or one who forgets what he just said, or loves the sound of his voice.
The reason Mike said this more than once is because it is the truth and because some in the audience either weren’t listening or suffer from CDS (Chronic Disbelief Syndrome).
With respect to emergency services, I think it’s pretty clear that the King County Sheriff’s Department works quite smoothly with local police departments.
And for Pete’s sake, does anyone really think the good men and women of any Fire Department would indeed fail to respond to an emergency because it’s occurring a block or two beyond a city boundary? Of course this won’t be allowed to happen.
The only things that should be left to helplessly smolder are the scare tactics of some and the ignorant fears of a few others.
Scott, I know you were looking for a Wake ‘Em Up in The Morning Headline, but frankly, I think the temporary withdrawal of the annexation request is a wise, brief and prudent move.
Perhaps the headline for this report should be: Extra! Extra! Sometimes Truth is Dull.
Well, gotta go, Scottso. Somewhere sits a PBS station ready to roll tape on Barack and Michelle and those two cute kids of theirs.
| Aug ’08 |
| 28 |
| 6:30 pm |
The City of Burien will be holding a series of informational open houses, at various locations, to answer questions about what annexation will mean for the people within the proposed annexation area.
This is a great opportunity for area residents to investigate what the City of Burien’s plans are, ask questions of city officials and determine the impact that annexation might have on your lives.
The first open house is coming up Thursday, Aug. 28th:
WHEN: Thursday, August 28, 2008 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Boulevard Park Presbyterian Church, 1822 South 128th Street
Format:
- There will be a presentation followed by a Question and Answer session.
- Refreshments will be provided.
- Supervised play activities for children will be available
- Interpreter services can be arranged if requested in advance
Download a pdf version of the flyer for the Open House.
More info at the City of Burien website.
MAP:
| Sep ’08 |
| 2 |
| 7:00 pm |
The Washington State Boundary Review Board for King County will be holding a meeting on the proposed annexation of White Center’s “North Highline” area on Tues, Sept. 2nd at 7pm at Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd in Seattle (see map below).
As always, the meeting is open to the public.
There proposed annexation area can be seen here:
Here’s the official notice via the King County website:
WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY
| YESLER BUILDING, ROOM 240 |
400 YESLER WAY |
SEATTLE , WA 98104 |
|||
| PHONE: 206.296.6800 |
TTY: 206.296.1024 |
||||
CITY OF BURIEN – NORTH HIGHLINE ANNEXATION – FILE NO. 2281
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY will hold a public hearing at the hour of 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. If required Thursday, September 4, 2008 has also been set aside. The hearing will take place at the Riverside Residences Inn, 11244 Tukwila International Blvd, Seattle, WA. The Hearing Room/Building is located behind the main building of the Inn. The purpose of the hearing is to consider proposed annexation to the City of Burien of an area known as “North Highline” all in King County, Washington.
To reclassify certain Real Property lying northerly of the City of Burien and the City of Sea-Tac City Limits, lying easterly of the City of Seattle City Limits, lying westerly of the City of Tukwila City Limits, lying southerly of SW ll2th St., SW 116th St., South 107th St, and described as all or portions of Section 1 and Section 2, Township 23N. Range 3E and Sections 4 through 9, Township 23N, Range 4E, W.M., all in King County, Washington.
A COMPLETE LEGAL DESCRIPTION IS ON FILE AND AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE OF THE BOUNDARY REVIEW BOARD.
The Boundary Review Board conducts all meetings and hearings in locations that are wheelchair accessible. Any person requiring other disability accommodations or special assistance should contact the Boundary Review Board staff at least two business days prior to the meeting.
The Boundary Review Board telephone is 206-296-6800. For TTY telephone services. please call 711.
Each request for accommodations or assistance will be considered individually according to the type of request, the availability of resources and the financial ability of the Board to provide the requested services or equipment.
DATED at Seattle, Washington, this 21st day of July 2008.
WASHINGTON STATE BOUNDARY
REVIEW BOARD FOR KING COUNTY
Lenora Blauman
Executive Secretary
Map to Riverside Residences Inn:
View Larger Map
Election Day is coming up Tues., Aug. 19th, and since 2004, 141 poll sites have been consolidated or closed due to accessibility problems or from being under-utilized.
In fact, since the 2004 election, 20 sites were moved or in some cases demolished or impacted by construction, affecting 17,221 poll voters.
Which brings up the question: Do you know where to vote Aug. 19th?
Voters affected by the change should receive a new registration card in the mail with the name of their new assigned poll site. If you are a voter affected by recent polling place changes, you may be voting in a different location than you have in the past.
Before Tuesday, Aug. 19, King County is urging voters to confirm the location of their assigned polling place either by calling the voter hotline at 206-296-VOTE or by visiting www.kingcounty.gov/elections and entering in their names and dates of birth or addresses in “Your Voter Guide” section (direct link here). This online tool is custom-designed for each voter with the location and map to his or her assigned poll site, sample ballot, and official candidate statements.
“We’re close to one week away from the primary and we want to make sure poll voters know where to vote on Aug. 19,” said Sherril Huff, Elections director.
In addition to receiving a letter and a new voter notification card with information about their new assigned polling place, voters affected by the most recent polling place closures and consolidations will also receive a phone call prior to Election Day reminding them of the closure. These phone calls will begin Tuesday, Aug. 12.
For a list of recently affected poll sites and precincts, click here.
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