The following resolution passed the 46th District Democrats on Thursday, August 16th, 2012:
WHEREAS, 46th District Democrats favor open space creation in densifying urban neighborhoods, e. g. Thornton creek daylighting at Northgate which has given Northgate a new identity, and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit intends to vote August 23, 2012 to sell to the University of Washington the air rights above the sound Transit University District Station as a site for faculty housing, and
WHEREAS, Phil Thiel, University of Washington Department of Architecture Professor Emeritus, proposes the site be preserved as an open space plazato provide a public meeting ground to serve the broader community, and
WHEREAS, Sound Transit has refused to hear the Thiel alternative, and
WHEREAS, the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA) requirements have not been met,
NOW THEREFORE, the 46th Legislative District Democrats urge Sound Transit to delay the vote until SEPA is complied with and the Thiel proposal is given a fair and honest hearing.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Chair's Note, June 2012
In 2003, one of my last classes at the University of Phoenix was State and Local Government. One of my projects was to attend a local political meeting, and I found the 46th LD meeting just up the road. That was May, 2003, a meeting that will live in infamy. LaRouche supporters standing on chairs singing protest songs until the police came to take them outside. I couldn’t wait to get involved.
I was elected as an At Large member in 2005, KCDCC Male Rep in 2007 and Chair in 2009. It has been a lot of work, and a lot of fun.
In 2009, my youngest son moved up from California to live with me. He is a great kid. I have tried my best to find a balance between my family and my political activism, and it’s a very hard balance to find. I’m afraid searching for that balance is outside of my technical and leadership skills that have served the district so well over the past 10 years.
The June meeting of the 46th District will be my last meeting as Chair. I am not abandoning the ship, I’m simply asking for someone else to step forward to take the captain’s chair. Shea starts high school in September, and I want to give the new chair the time to learn the details in time for us to have a successful election, helping President Obama and all of our statewide candidates win state-wide majorities with the help of the strongest and most capable Legislative District in the State. I’m VERY proud of this district and the many people who work so hard to keep it together. The Eboard is ready to help a new chair get the job done.
Can you believe that 128 people filed to be PCOs?! The next highest number was the 36th and 34th, which were tied at 111. Scott and his team are continuing to call new people to ask them to step up, and we appoint new PCOs at every meeting. That’s the kind of strength I’m talking about.
The June meeting will be at Aljoya, and I’ll be talking about how the District Organization operates, how people can get involved, and we’ll also do a PCO training to show Votebuilder and how we can be most effective for the Primary and General Elections.
Thank you for the past 10 years. I couldn’t have done it without the examples of our former chairs.
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Congratulations on your 46th LD Endorsement
Congratulations to the Candidates and the ballot measure endorsed by the 46th LD Democrats at our endorsement meeting last week.
Our endorsement makes you eligible for inclusion in our Primary Election Guide. For this primary we are printing 20,000 copies. The Election Guide will be distributed to voters' doorsteps by our PCOs and 46th LD volunteers.
As a former candidate, I know the expense involved in getting your message to voters. When I ran in 2009, the 46th did a traditional "lit drop" where I delivered thousands of expensive mail pieces to them to bundle in a mass with a gaggle of other candidates. Voters got a pile of stuff dropped on their doorstep. I'm telling you, this is MUCH better and significantly less expensive.
We've handed out and displayed samples at prior meetings. If you'd like to see a sample, let me know.
Our Primary Election Guide is supported by advertising dollars. We already have a little over one-third reserved, so do not delay in your space reservations. Space is on a first-come, first served basis.
Full page: $1,200
Half page: $600
Quarter page: $300
Deadline for advertising copy and your check is June 8.
Contact me at this email address with reservations and/or questions.
Congratulations again,
David Miller
Elections Chair
46th LD Democrats
Endorsed candidates and issues, in no specific order. Where two candidates are listed for the same office, it is a Dual Endorsement.
Our endorsement makes you eligible for inclusion in our Primary Election Guide. For this primary we are printing 20,000 copies. The Election Guide will be distributed to voters' doorsteps by our PCOs and 46th LD volunteers.
As a former candidate, I know the expense involved in getting your message to voters. When I ran in 2009, the 46th did a traditional "lit drop" where I delivered thousands of expensive mail pieces to them to bundle in a mass with a gaggle of other candidates. Voters got a pile of stuff dropped on their doorstep. I'm telling you, this is MUCH better and significantly less expensive.
We've handed out and displayed samples at prior meetings. If you'd like to see a sample, let me know.
Our Primary Election Guide is supported by advertising dollars. We already have a little over one-third reserved, so do not delay in your space reservations. Space is on a first-come, first served basis.
Full page: $1,200
Half page: $600
Quarter page: $300
Deadline for advertising copy and your check is June 8.
Contact me at this email address with reservations and/or questions.
Congratulations again,
David Miller
Elections Chair
46th LD Democrats
Endorsed candidates and issues, in no specific order. Where two candidates are listed for the same office, it is a Dual Endorsement.
| Susan | Owens | SCOWS, Position 2 |
| Steve | Gonzalez | SCOWS, Position 8 |
| Bruce | Hilyer | SCOWS, Position 9 |
| John | Ladenburg | SCOWS, Position 9 |
| Bill | Bowman | KC Superior Court, Position 19 |
| Scott | Johnson | KC Superior Court, Position 20 |
| Elizabeth | Berns | KC Superior Court, Position 25 |
| Hong | Tran | KC Superior Court, Position 29 |
| Ken | Schubert | KC Superior Court, Position 40 |
| Kimberly | Allen | KC Superior Court, Position 30 |
| Judy | Ramseyer | KC Superior Court, Position 46 |
| Suzan | Delbene | WA-01 |
| Laura | Ruderman | WA-01 |
| Jim | McDermott | WA-07 |
| Maria | Cantwell | US Senate |
| Jay | Inslee | Governor |
| Bob | Ferguson | Attorney General |
| Jim | McIntire | Treasurer |
| Peter | Goldmark | Lands Commissioner |
| Mike | Kreidler | Insurance Commissioner |
| John | Urquhart | King County Sheriff |
| Kathleen | Drew | Secretary of State |
| Craig | Pridemore | Auditor |
| David | Frockt | 46th Senate |
| Gerry | Pollet | 46th House Seat 1 |
| Sarajane | Siegfriedt | 46th House Seat 2 |
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
46th District Democrats make Nominations for the State Legislature for the 2012 Election
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
46th District Democrats make Nominations for the State Legislature for the 2012 Election
The 46th District Democrats welcomed new members from Lake Forest Park and Kenmore this week, including guest and 32nd District Senator Marilyn Chase. The district expands in 2013 to add these two Northshore cities. The monthly general meeting included a candidate forum and was held in the Elks Club Lodge just over the LFP city boundary on 145th Street NE. The 46th District, which has long been recognized as one of the State’s most progressive districts, is anchored by the University District in the south and includes the North Seattle communities along the western shore of Lake Washington as well as the Greenlake neighborhood.
As expected, attendance at the Sunday April 15th’s Democratic Precinct Caucuses was down from the huge crowds experienced in 2008, but the 200 PCOs and members who gathered at Thursday’s general meeting were enthusiastic about supporting Barack Obama for President, Jay Inslee for Governor and other Democrats near the top of the ballot for statewide office. Thursday night, they were attentive and focused as they listened to many candidates running for the state legislature and other local and judicial offices.
Following Washington State Democratic Party Rules, the 46th District Precinct Committee Officers cast ballots to officially Nominate their preferred Democratic candidates in the three Legislative District races. The Nomination process identifies the official Democrat in these races prior to candidates filing for office with the County Auditor and Secretary of State. This step is required because the State of Washington does not have a true “primary” election, but holds an election on August 7th, 2012 to narrow the field to the top two vote-getting candidates.
Candidates earning the 46th District nominations were:
Candidates for statewide, congressional and judicial positions were also in attendance to build support within the district membership in preparation for the 46th District Democrats’ Endorsement Meeting in May. PCOs and members were particularly interested in the candidates running for an open seat on the State Supreme Court against Republican Richard Sanders, who lost his seat in 2010. Sanders, a Vashon Island libertarian, was narrowly defeated by Charlie Wiggins after 16 years on the court. Other challengers for this open seat include Appellate lawyer Sheryl Gordon McCloud, former Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg and King County Superior Court Judge Bruce Hilyer.
Delegates and Alternates elected at the Precinct Caucuses are encouraged to attend the Legislative District Caucus to elect Delegates and Alternates to the Congressional District Caucuses for the 1st and 7th Congressional Districts, and approve the 46th District 2012 Platform. This meeting will be held on April 28th, 2012 10:00am, at Ingraham High School, 1819 N. 135th Street, Seattle.
The 46th District Democrats will meet again on May 24th at Olympic View Elementary School for the Endorsement Meeting.
Contact: Chad Lupkes, Chair, 46th District Democrats
chair@46dems.com
Phillippa Kassover, Executive Board Member
phillippakassover@yahoo.com
###
46th District Democrats make Nominations for the State Legislature for the 2012 Election
The 46th District Democrats welcomed new members from Lake Forest Park and Kenmore this week, including guest and 32nd District Senator Marilyn Chase. The district expands in 2013 to add these two Northshore cities. The monthly general meeting included a candidate forum and was held in the Elks Club Lodge just over the LFP city boundary on 145th Street NE. The 46th District, which has long been recognized as one of the State’s most progressive districts, is anchored by the University District in the south and includes the North Seattle communities along the western shore of Lake Washington as well as the Greenlake neighborhood.
As expected, attendance at the Sunday April 15th’s Democratic Precinct Caucuses was down from the huge crowds experienced in 2008, but the 200 PCOs and members who gathered at Thursday’s general meeting were enthusiastic about supporting Barack Obama for President, Jay Inslee for Governor and other Democrats near the top of the ballot for statewide office. Thursday night, they were attentive and focused as they listened to many candidates running for the state legislature and other local and judicial offices.
Following Washington State Democratic Party Rules, the 46th District Precinct Committee Officers cast ballots to officially Nominate their preferred Democratic candidates in the three Legislative District races. The Nomination process identifies the official Democrat in these races prior to candidates filing for office with the County Auditor and Secretary of State. This step is required because the State of Washington does not have a true “primary” election, but holds an election on August 7th, 2012 to narrow the field to the top two vote-getting candidates.
Candidates earning the 46th District nominations were:
- 46th District Senate Seat: Sen. David Frockt, who was appointed to the vacant Senate seat after the death of Sen. Scott White;
- 46th District House Seat 1: Rep. Gerry Pollet, who was appointed to the vacancy created when Frockt was appointed to the Senate; and
- 46th District House Seat 2: Sarajane Siegfriedt, a human services advocate and long time party activist.
Candidates for statewide, congressional and judicial positions were also in attendance to build support within the district membership in preparation for the 46th District Democrats’ Endorsement Meeting in May. PCOs and members were particularly interested in the candidates running for an open seat on the State Supreme Court against Republican Richard Sanders, who lost his seat in 2010. Sanders, a Vashon Island libertarian, was narrowly defeated by Charlie Wiggins after 16 years on the court. Other challengers for this open seat include Appellate lawyer Sheryl Gordon McCloud, former Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg and King County Superior Court Judge Bruce Hilyer.
Delegates and Alternates elected at the Precinct Caucuses are encouraged to attend the Legislative District Caucus to elect Delegates and Alternates to the Congressional District Caucuses for the 1st and 7th Congressional Districts, and approve the 46th District 2012 Platform. This meeting will be held on April 28th, 2012 10:00am, at Ingraham High School, 1819 N. 135th Street, Seattle.
The 46th District Democrats will meet again on May 24th at Olympic View Elementary School for the Endorsement Meeting.
Contact: Chad Lupkes, Chair, 46th District Democrats
chair@46dems.com
Phillippa Kassover, Executive Board Member
phillippakassover@yahoo.com
###
Monday, April 16, 2012
Opportunities in the 46th Legislative District
To all of our 2012 candidates and campaigns,
We would like to let you know about three opportunities to get your message in front of our members and the voters in the 46th Legislative District.
The LD Caucus Call will be mailed out to close to 320 Delegates and Alternates elected during the Precinct Caucuses on April 15th. This will be published this Wednesday, so opportunities are limited. We will be publishing an updated version for the 28th, however, so please keep this in mind through the month of April. Don’t forget, the LD Caucus will be on April 28th at Ingraham High School, and all candidates asking for our Endorsement in May are welcome to stop by.
The Demogram is our monthly newsletter, published online as well as printed for our members who have asked for a paper copy. We have around 400 members at this point, but the Demogram goes out to around 1,000 people directly. This is an ongoing opportunity for all candidates, endorsed or not. Once we’ve endorsed in a particular race, however, advertising in the Demogram is limited to endorsed candidates..
The prices for the LD Caucus Call and the Demogram are on the Demogram page at the very bottom. Here is a link:
http://46dems.com/demogram.php#advertising
The third opportunity is our 2012 Primary Election Guide. This is what is delivered door-to-door by our Precinct Committee Officers to the voters in our district. In 2010, we printed 10,000 and it had a significant impact on many of the races. The Election Guide is what we provide to our PCOs for purposes of “dropping” lit. Individual fliers will not be distributed by the 46th Democrats to PCOs, although PCOs and volunteers from your campaigns are of course welcome to distribute your own literature in our district on their own.
Ad space in the Election Guide is limited to Nominated and Endorsed candidates, and we try to make this budget neutral to the 46th and affordable to campaigns by pricing the ad revenue equal to the printing cost. Our research and history with this format demonstrates that this represents a significantly lower cost to your campaign than traditional lit dropping of individual campaign flyers, and it also helps our organization grow by presenting a strong list of candidates. Part of the Election Guide is a sample ballot that is very popular to help our voters go from the top to bottom of the ballot with our endorsed and nominated candidates.
We’ll be in touch immediately following the Endorsement meeting on May 24th with the price list for the various ad sizes, so if you plan to ask for our endorsement please have your ad ready to go so we can get them printed and distributed on time. The ad copy deadline for our Primary Election Guide will be the first week of June. Just for clarity, we print one Election Guide for the Primary Election, and another for the General Election. Advertisement copy is transferable between these two, but will need to be purchased separately, as our budget for each depends on that specific election.
You can see a PDF of our 2011 General Election Guide here (http://46dems.com/2011/generalelectionguide.2011.pdf).
Ad Formats
For the Demogram and LD Caucus Call, the format we use to publish is Microsoft Publisher. Ads should be in .pub or .svg formats. Second best is a high-resolution, non-compressed .jpg. or .gif graphics format. Other formats are possible with enough lead time.
For the 2012 Primary Elections Guide, all advertisements should be submitted in high-resolution .pdf format in the precise size purchased.
Please consider these opportunities carefully!
Please let us know if your campaign is interested in taking advantage of any of these opportunities. Ad revenue helps us with our budget and enables us to fund our operations, help our endorsed candidates and also help our brother and sister Legislative Districts around the state. The 46th is a strong district, and with your help we can have a significant impact on the upcoming elections for Congress and the State Legislature.
We hope to hear from you soon!
Chad Lupkes, Chair (chair@46dems.com)
David Miller, Elections Committee Chair (elections@46dems.com)
We would like to let you know about three opportunities to get your message in front of our members and the voters in the 46th Legislative District.
The LD Caucus Call will be mailed out to close to 320 Delegates and Alternates elected during the Precinct Caucuses on April 15th. This will be published this Wednesday, so opportunities are limited. We will be publishing an updated version for the 28th, however, so please keep this in mind through the month of April. Don’t forget, the LD Caucus will be on April 28th at Ingraham High School, and all candidates asking for our Endorsement in May are welcome to stop by.
The Demogram is our monthly newsletter, published online as well as printed for our members who have asked for a paper copy. We have around 400 members at this point, but the Demogram goes out to around 1,000 people directly. This is an ongoing opportunity for all candidates, endorsed or not. Once we’ve endorsed in a particular race, however, advertising in the Demogram is limited to endorsed candidates..
The prices for the LD Caucus Call and the Demogram are on the Demogram page at the very bottom. Here is a link:
http://46dems.com/demogram.php#advertising
The third opportunity is our 2012 Primary Election Guide. This is what is delivered door-to-door by our Precinct Committee Officers to the voters in our district. In 2010, we printed 10,000 and it had a significant impact on many of the races. The Election Guide is what we provide to our PCOs for purposes of “dropping” lit. Individual fliers will not be distributed by the 46th Democrats to PCOs, although PCOs and volunteers from your campaigns are of course welcome to distribute your own literature in our district on their own.
Ad space in the Election Guide is limited to Nominated and Endorsed candidates, and we try to make this budget neutral to the 46th and affordable to campaigns by pricing the ad revenue equal to the printing cost. Our research and history with this format demonstrates that this represents a significantly lower cost to your campaign than traditional lit dropping of individual campaign flyers, and it also helps our organization grow by presenting a strong list of candidates. Part of the Election Guide is a sample ballot that is very popular to help our voters go from the top to bottom of the ballot with our endorsed and nominated candidates.
We’ll be in touch immediately following the Endorsement meeting on May 24th with the price list for the various ad sizes, so if you plan to ask for our endorsement please have your ad ready to go so we can get them printed and distributed on time. The ad copy deadline for our Primary Election Guide will be the first week of June. Just for clarity, we print one Election Guide for the Primary Election, and another for the General Election. Advertisement copy is transferable between these two, but will need to be purchased separately, as our budget for each depends on that specific election.
You can see a PDF of our 2011 General Election Guide here (http://46dems.com/2011/generalelectionguide.2011.pdf).
Ad Formats
For the Demogram and LD Caucus Call, the format we use to publish is Microsoft Publisher. Ads should be in .pub or .svg formats. Second best is a high-resolution, non-compressed .jpg. or .gif graphics format. Other formats are possible with enough lead time.
For the 2012 Primary Elections Guide, all advertisements should be submitted in high-resolution .pdf format in the precise size purchased.
Please consider these opportunities carefully!
Please let us know if your campaign is interested in taking advantage of any of these opportunities. Ad revenue helps us with our budget and enables us to fund our operations, help our endorsed candidates and also help our brother and sister Legislative Districts around the state. The 46th is a strong district, and with your help we can have a significant impact on the upcoming elections for Congress and the State Legislature.
We hope to hear from you soon!
Chad Lupkes, Chair (chair@46dems.com)
David Miller, Elections Committee Chair (elections@46dems.com)
Wednesday, March 07, 2012
News from the Chair, March 2012
The news as we approach the end of the Legislative Session in Olympia is both good and bad.
The good news is that Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney was able to get a very important bill passed to keep the housing assistance going to the homeless and to those in the most need of help by their government. This effort is something we can all be thankful for, and Phyllis deserves the credit.
Rep. Gutiérrez Kenney has also announced that this will be her last session in Olympia. She was first appointed in 1997 to fill the House vacancy left by Senator Ken Jacobsen when he moved from the House to the Senate. Over the last 15 years she has been a champion for our values and our platform, but her activism didn’t start then. It goes farther back than most realize. The online version of this article has links to several sources on the web for her history, and it’s a very rich history full of caring for her family, her friends and her community. We’re all grateful for the time that she has spent using her experience for the betterment of everyone in Washington State.
- Historylink.org: Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney (b. 1936)
- Historylink.org: Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney is appointed to the Washington State House of Representatives on January 5, 1997
- Ballotpedia: Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney
The bad news out of Olympia started on Friday, March 2nd. After working hard all session to find compromises and agreements with both political parties, Senate Democrats found themselves betrayed by three of their own, who used their votes to push through a State Budget that does not reflect the hopes or dreams of the people of Washington. Instead, it guts our most important programs. Engrossed Senate Bill 5967 was replaced by a “striker” amendment, basically a Frankenstein replacement bill, which the Senate Democrats fought to defeat for most of the session on Friday night until it was finally adopted by a vote of 25 to 24. Now it’s up to the conference committee to try and repair the damage.
The Senators who used their votes to empower the Republican Party and the conservative movement this past Friday are: Sen. Rodney Tom (D-48), who is running for reelection in 2014; Sen. Jim Kastama (D-25), who is running for Secretary of State in 2012; and Sen. Tim Sheldon (D-35), who is also running for reelection in 2014. We also need to be aware that our own Senator David Frockt led the charge on amendment after amendment to the final budget bill to try and restore the cuts to things like education and family planning. He managed to get the only amendment that passed through, one restoring $500,000 to the Leadership 1000 college scholarship program. Bravo!!
Now both the House and the Senate need our voices to be heard in support of our values, and we need to get busy preparing for the 2012 (and 2014) elections to make sure this never happens again.
Our March meeting will move quickly with some presentations about our new district that have been delayed for a while, and an important discussion on Local Issues for our 2012 Platform. I hope to see you there! And a last note, our April meeting will be at a new location. Watch for it!
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
Thursday, March 01, 2012
Rep. Gerry Pollet comments on the retirement of Representative Phyllis G. Kenney
Dear Friends,
Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney has been a groundbreaking leader for social justice, working families and opportunity for all the peopleof Washington. All of our state, and the 46th legislative district in particular, owe her a great debt and her tireless and inspirational leadership is irreplaceable.
Phyllis has served as a longtime mentor to me, first in her service as an officer and Chair of the 46th District Democrats, and, now, having the honor of serving as her seatmate in the House of Representatives. No freshman Representative could have a better mentor.
While slight in stature, Phyllis’ heart is unmatched in size. In her fifteen years of service in the legislature, Representative Gutiérrez Kenney has worked to provide housing for the homeless, protect the rights of workers, and to provide training and education to people from all walks of life seeking to better their lives. Thousands of students recognize Representative Gutiérrez Kenney as the mother of our state’s Opportunity Grant Program.
Representative Gutiérrez Kenney’s leadership is reflected in the tremendous work chairing the Community Development and Housing Committee. The latest of her many accomplishments, a bill that expands a highly successful program supporting local services for the homeless, passed the Senate last night and will be on the governor’s desk in the coming days. I cannot think of a more fitting way for Phyllis to end her career here in the legislature.
I am thankful for the short time I’ve served alongside with Representative Gutiérrez Kenney, and will continue to seek her guidance and input as part of our 46th District’s legislative team. I know that her leadership for the Latino Advocacy and Leadership Institute will continue to provide inspiration and new leaders for our state in the coming years. I look forward to assisting her in this important work.
Representative Gerry Pollet
Announcement from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney
Dear neighbors,
Earlier today I announced my retirement to my fellow lawmakers and I sent out a statement to the press. I am including it below. Please know that I am grateful for your support and for your friendship and that my decision to retire does not mean we will lose contact. I truly hope we can stay in touch as I continue to serve you in other capacities.
“I feel truly honored that the people of North Seattle have allowed me to represent them all these years. It has been a wonderful experience. Every decision I have made has been with their best interests in mind; I hope they feel that I have served them well.
I have enormous faith in the people of Washington state. They can be tough on their elected officials, but that’s because they believe that we, as a state, can and will be better. I share that belief.
By the end of this term, I will have served 16 years in the Washington State House of Representatives. The House is an institution that I hold very dear to my heart, and I count many of my colleagues – on both sides of the aisle – among my friends.
We may not see eye to eye on some issues, but I believe all of us, Democrats and Republicans, come to Olympia with a true commitment to the people we represent and a true desire to make our One Washington a better place for all.
I thank my husband Larry and all my kids for their love and support, but also for putting up with my absence three or four months out of the year, for many years.
And lastly, I am grateful for the trust, partnership and support of North Seattle residents, for making my service in the House so tremendously rewarding. While I will be out of elective office in 2013 for the first time in 16 years, I hope to continue my involvement and find new opportunities to serve our community and our state.”
House Speaker Frank Chopp issued this statement:
“To me, Phyllis’s story is the embodiment of the American Dream. Born to migrant workers, she spent her early years working in the fields. But she believed in the promise of this country and in the value of education and look at what she achieved!
“However, she never forgot her roots. She has worked tirelessly on behalf of the underrepresented in our state, improving conditions for farm workers, fighting for educational opportunities for lower-income students, and providing shelter for the homeless.”
“We are going to miss her.”
If you’d like to read a short biography, please go to this site:http://www.housedemocrats.wa.
Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney
State Representative
46th Legislative District
Sen. Frockt comments on the retirement of Rep. Kenney
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 1, 2012
OLYMPIA – Sen. David Frockt has released the following statement on the announced retirement of Rep. Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney:
“Today my colleague and good friend, Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney, announced her plans to retire from the Washington State Legislature. Although she will no longer serve in this capacity, her legacy of service and her devotion to the people of the 46th District, and to Washington State, will long be remembered. I was privileged enough to serve alongside Phyllis in the House during my first year as a freshman legislator, and have been working closely with her on a number of important measures while in the Senate.
“Recently, I attended a breakfast with Phyllis in support of the plan to end homelessness in our community. I wish everyone could have heard her speech at that important event, where she relayed her family’s history – when they were once wanting. This was a window into my friend’s soul and her heart. She has had life experiences that many of us will never have and there is no doubt it is what drove her work in public life. Her sense of community and compassion for those less fortunate sets an example for me and many others.
“Phyllis is moving on to a new phase her life with her beloved husband Larry. Her work here and on behalf of the people all around this state will be missed, but it will never be forgotten. She made a difference.”
# # #
For more information: Ian Cope, Senate Democratic Communications, 360 786 7535
For interviews: Sen. David Frockt, 360 786 7690
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Thank you, Sheila!
With sadness I relay this email from Sheila:
Dear E-Board Members,
It is with regret that I am writing to inform you of my decision to resign my position from the E-Board, effective immediately.
I currently need to place all my energy and focus on family matters and caring for my 81 y/o mother (who instilled in me my Democratic values!). I recognize I will not be able to contribute the necessary time to the E-board, and I feel it is best for me to make room for someone with the time and energy to devote to the job. Serving on the E-board these last few years has been an honor and rewarding experience filled with laughter, tears, anger, debate, love & hugs, hope and encouragement. While I will miss you all, I leave with a treasure chest of cherished memories.
Fondly,
Sheila Kohls
Sheila held the position of KCDCC Female Alternate. That position will be open for election at our March meeting.
Chad Lupkes, Chair
Sunday, February 05, 2012
Update from the Thornton Creek Alliance
This article is an extension of an article published in the February 2012 Demogram that we didn't have room for.
There is a lot of good news around this seven-acre natural area just north of the Maple Leaf Community Garden! Thornton Creek Alliance (TCA) applied for and won a grant of $500,000 in 2008 Park Levy Opportunity Fund money. Much of those funds will be used to rechannel the creek in order to control erosion and scouring, but the community is invited to contribute suggestions for additional things you would like to have in the park. To learn more, see what ideas have been suggested and send in your own. The first community meeting was held January 11th, but there is still time to write in.
The Watershed Company has been hired to do the planning. To see their conceptual design go here (1/12/12) or http://www.watershedco.com/blog/.
In mid December a park neighbor came and cut the lower 10’ of branches from 60 trees along two main paths. The work was executed in broad daylight and in a fashion damaging, and in some cases fatal, to the trees. Community views on this are strong and run both ways as the comments under the stories in the Maple Leaf Life blog, first (12/29/12), second (1/12/12), and third (1/26/12), reveal. It is apparent there has been an unfortunate lack of communication between the park neighborhood and the park stewards who have been at work on the park’s restoration for the past 20 years.
In light of this a good portion of the January 11th community meeting, attended by over 50 people, was largely spent discussing neighborhood concerns, working with Seattle Parks and Police, and possible solutions to an ongoing crime wave in the neighborhood just east of the natural area. It was a very productive meeting in that regard, as people on all sides of the issue had a chance to hear and meet each other. Also Community Police Officer Terrie Johnston was there to talk about Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CePTED), and she is now working with The Watershed Company to make sure sight lines will be built into future restoration plans.
The final community meeting is March 14th. At that time we will see the project plans nearly finalized, with our ideas incorporated.
The Jan. 26th TCA meeting was also given over to discussion of neighborhood security adjacent to our natural areas. It is a sad fact that parks and woods can easily be used as places of concealment, and the community as a whole must participate in protecting itself and the park. Community representatives across the city spectrum came and spoke about all aspects of the problem and offered support.
Officer Johnston presented some startling statistics: in January 2011 there were 11 break-ins in all of NE Seattle; while Jan. 1-25, 2012 there have already been 30 in the same area! The reason is unknown.
City Council member Sally Bagshaw made the point that even if the city adds $1 million to hiring more officers, it wouldn’t make much difference at the local level.
Also in attendance and contributing to the discussion were University Greenways representative Chris Saleeba, Green Seattle Partnership’s Joanna Nelson de Flores, Maple Leaf Community Council’s Joshua Newman and Donna Hartmann-Miller, Seattle Parks’ Emily Lofstedt (planner for the Beaver Pond NA project), Mark Mead (Senior Forester), Brock Milliern (Security Officer), North District Neighborhood Coordinator Thomas Whittemore, Tree Ambassadors, Natural Area Stewards, and representatives of the neighborhood around the park.
With such an informed group as this the meeting covered the importance of urban forestry and how to get involved (http://greenseattle.org/), how to keep your home and neighborhood secure (for more info contact terrie.johnston@seattle.gov), the need to establish a greenways plan in north Seattle (here and here), and the beginnings of a partnership with the Beaver Pond Natural Area neighbors.
TCA plans to keep working with the neighborhood around Beaver Pond, as well as support the greenways process, in addition to the Opportunity Fund grant work. We thank everyone who attended these important community meetings. You are welcome to join us! For more information or questions, please contact Ruth Williams (46th LD PCO, Beaver Pond NA Forest Steward), ruthalice@comcast.net. Find TCA on Facebook!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
The January 19th meeting is open for new members from Lake Forest Park and Kenmore (LFP/K)
This blog post is going to go into technical language, so bear with me.
Last September, the Washington State Democratic Central Committee passed a resolution giving guidance for legislative districts on how to handle the upcoming changes due to Redistricting. Here's the language, from a letter sent by Jaxon Ravens, WSDCC Executive Director, on November 4th, 2011:
- The State Central Committee directs legislative district organizations to begin meeting within their new geographic boundaries from the redistricting commission within 30 days of adoption of the redistricting plan by the legislature. This means that either your January or your February legislative district (LD) meeting will be the first to correspond to the new LD boundaries. This meeting will be convened by leadership the LD had prior to redistricting, and shall be conducted according to the by‐laws of the “Old Legislative District” (OLD). This “New Legislative District” (NLD) can decide to elect new leaders, under the provisions of its by‐laws; and it can choose to amend its by‐laws.
So, the assumption from this language was that the Redistricting Commission would be submitting their final plan to the legislature, and that the legislature would be adopting the plan. I told attendees at the meet and greet at the Kenmore Library that the new boundaries take effect "when the legislature acts", and that the currently open at-large position would not be open for persons who reside within LFP/K unless the legislature acts prior to the 19th.
Which opened up a question, when was the legislature going to act? To find out, Sarajane and I reached out to Rep. Sam Hunt (D-22), chair of the State Government & Tribal Affairs committee in the Olympia House of Representatives. His answer was a surprise:
- The Redistricting Commission adopted the plan on January 1. It does not have to be adopted by the Legislature; we can only make technical changes, but we do not have to adopt the plan.
To confirm that, I went back to the Redistricting Commission website, and looked at their Frequently Asked Questions page. This is what I found:
- A redistricting plan must be approved by three of the four voting Commission members. This plan becomes final unless it is amended by the Legislature within 30 days after the beginning of the next regular or special legislative session.
So, I was wrong on Tuesday night. The legislature doesn't "act" exactly. Todd Nichols, chair of the WSDCC Rules Committee nuanced it this way this morning via email:
- ... I would say that the legislature will "act" to seal the plan by its inaction after 30 days. There is no indication that the legislature has any plans to amend the Commission's plan that I'm aware of. We want everyone to be able to get a jump on the new organizations given the nature of this election year.
What is all this leading to? I'm going to rule that all members of the "New 46th Legislative District", which includes the precincts in Lake Forest Park and Kenmore, are eligible to run for the currently open At-Large position on the Executive Board, even BEFORE the district membership considers amendments to our bylaws that would increase the number of At-Large members and require that one of the top four positions be held by someone from LFP/K.
If anyone has any questions, please let me know.
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Dean Fournier has resigned as KCDCC Male Representative
Due to the 46th losing his precinct to the 32nd, Dean Fournier has resigned as KCDCC Male Rep from the 46th District Democrats.
Dean came into the 46th LD in 2001 when his neighborhood was moved by the 2001 Redistricting Commission from the 32nd, and immediately got to work reviewing our bylaws and platform. He had worked on the 2000 platform for the 32nd District, and over the past 10 years has been an invaluable member of the 46th Executive Board in his role as KCDCC Male Rep, chair or co-chair of our Platform and Resolutions Committee, as well as being tapped numerous times to chair the Rules Committee for Bylaws Review and Operating Rules for the district.
Dean is already engaging with the 32nd District Democrats to continue acting in support of the party and our shared values and platforms. The 46th District will survive his leaving, but we will miss him terribly. I'm grateful that he will be continuing his role as KCDCC Platform and Resolutions co-chair, and I look forward to seeing him at future events. Thanks, Dean, we wouldn't be the same without you.
The position of KCDCC Male Rep will be officially announced as vacant at the January meeting, published in the February Demogram and will be filled at the February meeting.
Dean came into the 46th LD in 2001 when his neighborhood was moved by the 2001 Redistricting Commission from the 32nd, and immediately got to work reviewing our bylaws and platform. He had worked on the 2000 platform for the 32nd District, and over the past 10 years has been an invaluable member of the 46th Executive Board in his role as KCDCC Male Rep, chair or co-chair of our Platform and Resolutions Committee, as well as being tapped numerous times to chair the Rules Committee for Bylaws Review and Operating Rules for the district.
Dean is already engaging with the 32nd District Democrats to continue acting in support of the party and our shared values and platforms. The 46th District will survive his leaving, but we will miss him terribly. I'm grateful that he will be continuing his role as KCDCC Platform and Resolutions co-chair, and I look forward to seeing him at future events. Thanks, Dean, we wouldn't be the same without you.
The position of KCDCC Male Rep will be officially announced as vacant at the January meeting, published in the February Demogram and will be filled at the February meeting.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
Bylaws Amendment Proposal
With the changes in the district coming in 2012 thanks to the work of the Redistricting Commission, we have some challenges and opportunities before us. The Executive Board considered two alternatives to how we could adjust our bylaws to encourage activists from all over our district to get involved within our district organization.
You can see the results of our debate on our website, where we have posted a Tracked Changes version of the bylaws showing the changes we are proposing.
The first change is increasing the number of At-Large members from five to seven. Our district has grown in size, and we need to open up more positions.
The second change is to require that at least one member of the eboard is from each of our three municipal jurisdictions (Seattle, Lake Forest Park and Kenmore). We also wanted to ensure that at least one of our top four positions (Chair, 1st Vice Chair, 2nd Vice Chairs (2)) is opened to someone from either Lake Forest Park or Kenmore. Those two Northshore cities make up close to 25% of our total district population, so it makes sense to make sure one of the top four positions is from that area. We also wanted to make it clear that the language we will present on January 19th is, as we say in the industry, a "shoehorn" to make it fit through the 2012 election year, and that the language will be reviewed and likely revised after the January 2013 Reorganization.
The third change is a change to our Endorsement articles so that we have the opportunity to express our voices and declare preferences in special elections that occur beyond the Primary and General Elections managed by King County Elections. We have an election for the King Conservation District coming in late February, and we're not going to miss it this year.
Please review the language we have posted on our website. The bylaws can only be amended by the full membership at a general meeting, and we will present this proposal on January 19th.
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
Change is the only constant
“Change is the only constant in the universe.”
Heraclitus or Einstein (take your pick)
2011 is behind us. I could write pages about what has happened to our organization over the last year. But those pages have already been written. 2012 is upon us. We’re moving forward.
The Washington State Redistricting Commission has completed their work. The LD maps of Northwestern Washington as agreed upon by the Commissioners on January 1st significantly changes the 46th LD along with many other districts in our area. We get new territory, which means a lot of things are on the table and we’ll have some exciting challenges as we go into the caucus cycle and election season.
Specifically, welcome to our new PCOs and members in Lake Forest Park and Kenmore, which will likely become part of the new 46th District! This is a huge change for us. Over the last 10 years our northern border was 145th, and in the 1990’s we were focused more around Wedgwood and the U District. I’m always interested in maps and learning election history, but I think it’s been several decades since the 46th District covered areas outside of Seattle. So we have a lot to learn, and a bunch of new jurisdictions to be involved with over the next 10 years. (Page 4 of the January Demogram)
As soon as I saw the map, I started working on updating our database with the new precincts and asked the chair of the 32nd District, Carin Chase, for the list of PCOs and paid members within the two cities. We are going to treat paid members of the local party with the respect they are due, and they are now on our mailing list to receive this newsletter. The next thing we would like to do is hold a meet-and-greet for our new members so I can present the bylaws, operating rules and the culture of the 46th before our General Meeting on January 19th. Watch our calendar for that.
In addition to gaining new areas North, we also lost some. The precincts West of Aurora were moved either into the 32nd District or the 36th District, and that means we lost several very good friends to our neighbors. Dean Fournier has been active in the 46th since the 2001 redistricting, and now returns to his previous district the 32nd. Jason Osgood was a candidate in 2008 for Secretary of State. I don’t have room for the full list of dear friends who now find themselves in a new district, and we know they will stay engaged despite the change. The work we all do is too important.
Please review the final version of the bylaws changes that the executive board is proposing that were posted on our blog. We have expanded our territory, and I believe that means we should expand our executive board. And we want to make sure we have representation from all of our municipal jurisdictions. In addition, we have an election coming up for the King Conservation District, and we’re going to address a missing piece in our rules so that we can express our voice in these races from now on.
Please renew your membership for 2012 if you have not yet done so! The work never ends!
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
Heraclitus or Einstein (take your pick)
2011 is behind us. I could write pages about what has happened to our organization over the last year. But those pages have already been written. 2012 is upon us. We’re moving forward.
The Washington State Redistricting Commission has completed their work. The LD maps of Northwestern Washington as agreed upon by the Commissioners on January 1st significantly changes the 46th LD along with many other districts in our area. We get new territory, which means a lot of things are on the table and we’ll have some exciting challenges as we go into the caucus cycle and election season.
Specifically, welcome to our new PCOs and members in Lake Forest Park and Kenmore, which will likely become part of the new 46th District! This is a huge change for us. Over the last 10 years our northern border was 145th, and in the 1990’s we were focused more around Wedgwood and the U District. I’m always interested in maps and learning election history, but I think it’s been several decades since the 46th District covered areas outside of Seattle. So we have a lot to learn, and a bunch of new jurisdictions to be involved with over the next 10 years. (Page 4 of the January Demogram)
As soon as I saw the map, I started working on updating our database with the new precincts and asked the chair of the 32nd District, Carin Chase, for the list of PCOs and paid members within the two cities. We are going to treat paid members of the local party with the respect they are due, and they are now on our mailing list to receive this newsletter. The next thing we would like to do is hold a meet-and-greet for our new members so I can present the bylaws, operating rules and the culture of the 46th before our General Meeting on January 19th. Watch our calendar for that.
In addition to gaining new areas North, we also lost some. The precincts West of Aurora were moved either into the 32nd District or the 36th District, and that means we lost several very good friends to our neighbors. Dean Fournier has been active in the 46th since the 2001 redistricting, and now returns to his previous district the 32nd. Jason Osgood was a candidate in 2008 for Secretary of State. I don’t have room for the full list of dear friends who now find themselves in a new district, and we know they will stay engaged despite the change. The work we all do is too important.
Please review the final version of the bylaws changes that the executive board is proposing that were posted on our blog. We have expanded our territory, and I believe that means we should expand our executive board. And we want to make sure we have representation from all of our municipal jurisdictions. In addition, we have an election coming up for the King Conservation District, and we’re going to address a missing piece in our rules so that we can express our voice in these races from now on.
Please renew your membership for 2012 if you have not yet done so! The work never ends!
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
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