Official 46th District Democrats Blog

The January 19th meeting is open for new members from Lake Forest Park and Kenmore (LFP/K)

2012-01-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

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

Dean Fournier has resigned as KCDCC Male Representative

2012-01-11T10:09:00.000-08:00

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.

Bylaws Amendment Proposal

2012-01-04T22:42:00.000-08:00

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

Change is the only constant

2012-01-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

“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

The vote of the PCOs must stand

2011-12-04T17:13:00.001-08:00

Dear King County Council,

I am writing as the Chair of the 46th District Democrats. I am hearing about a lobbying campaign being waged to overturn the rankings determined by the votes of the PCOs on Thursday, December 1st, and I wish to speak strongly in favor of having the Council appoint Gerry Pollet to fill the vacancy in the Washington State House of Representatives on Monday, December 5th. There are three primary reasons that I am asking you to do that. First, the PCOs have spoken, and a majority have chosen Gerry Pollet. Second, all of the candidates that were eligible to be selected by our PCOs voiced their agreement that the final choice of the PCOs should be the person to fill the vacancy and that they would support that individual. And third, the 2012 election is coming and having a divided district organization would be detrimental to our ability to do the work we are supposed to do.

It has always been tradition for the King County Council to respect the will of the majority of duly Elected and Appointed Precinct Committee Officers in situations like this. Per the Constitution, it is of course up to County Council to make the appointment itself. But the requirement for the County Central Committee to pass on the list of three names comes from a long tradition of asking the Grassroots of our party structure to determine the best candidates. This has been done, and among all of the candidates who stepped forward one received the majority vote. Gerry Pollet has been working on behalf of our district in many ways for many years, and he has earned the respect of our grassroots. This applies to both major political parties. I want to specifically highlight and thank Councilman Peter Von Reichbauer who called in to be included as a Yea vote on November 14th so that we could fill the Senate vacancy.

The weekend before the vote, I asked an important question related to this very question of all of our candidates, and received an answer from each one. The question I asked was "Will you support the winner of the majority vote of PCOs on December 1st to receive the vacancy appointment from the King County Council?" Every candidate said that they would support the winner. I have compiled their answers into a single document, and I have attached that document to this email.

And finally, it is my responsibility to build my organization as strong as possible so that the goals set forward in our platform have a much higher probability of becoming law. That's the purpose of any political organization. I see the possibility of the majority vote of PCOs being overturned by a lobbying effort from outside the district organization to be a severe threat to the 46th District Democrats, and I ask that you see this in the same light. Any democratic organization where decisions are made by majority vote depends on the respect of everyone else to make that process of democracy worth the substantial effort it takes.

I have been working since the death of Scott White to ensure that the overall process moves quickly, is fair to everyone, and results in a final decision that everyone can be satisfied with. I do not know where the rumors of dissent are coming from. I do know that by all the procedures and traditions that I hold dear, the decision is made. Gerry Pollet competed in a fair contest and the result was satisfactory to everyone, including ALL of the candidates involved. Gerry Pollet deserves to be appointed to fill the State House vacancy opened by the appointment of David Frockt to the State Senate. Any other decision on the part of the Council will call into question too many core beliefs and will also call into question the trust that we have for the process we worked so long and hard on.

If you have any questions on the process, my arguments or anything else, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
PCO SEA 46-2324
206-792-5440

Thank you, Justin

2011-12-02T18:26:00.001-08:00

Justin Simmons has let me know that time commitments in the upcoming year are going to severely restrict his ability to be active in the 46th, and that he would like to step back and open up his At Large position so that someone else may step up. I want to thank Justin for everything that he does, as President of the Metropolitan Democratic Club and many other things. I know that he will keep pushing our shared progressive values.

Our January meeting will be on January 19th, and we're planning to spend our time getting to know any new areas and precincts that we are granted thanks to Redistricting, as well as ensure that our Executive Board is filled out and ready for the upcoming 2012 Caucus Cycle and Election Year.

Washington State Needs to Elect PCOs

2011-11-29T16:18:00.001-08:00

Dear Elections Director Huff,

I am extremely disappointed to learn that you are opposing the tradition of PCO elections in our state. James McMahan, the Executive Director of the Washington Association of County Officials, recently testified on your behalf that you oppose PCO elections. Given your past support for our party in King and Kitsap County, I'm very suprised at this position.

The Democratic and Republican parties are committed to continuing grassroots PCO elections in Washington. Our political system is more transparent and more democratic than any other state because we elect PCO’s. Washington’s Legislature originally passed precinct committee officer election laws in 1907 to prevent the political corruption of Tammany Hall and Boss Tweed. Your position would effectively force such corruption upon us from the top down. PCO’s are, and of right aught to be, elected by the voters within the precinct, not chosen by the Party boss at either the county or state level.

It is currently within State Law that only Elected PCO’s may gather to organize the County and Legislative District party organizations, electing its officers and two state committee representatives, who then perform the same function to form the state party organizational structure. Elected PCO’s are a source of stability for both the Democratic and Republican (D and R) parties. The election of PCO’s every two years is the “re-set button” that allows us to re-organize our parties every two years.

References:

RCW 29A.80.030
County central committee — Organization meetings.

RCW 29A.80.041
Precinct committee officer, eligibility.

RCW 29A.80.051
Precinct committee officer — Election — Term.

RCW 29A.80.061
Legislative district chair — Election — Term — Removal.

The fight against corruption that resulted in the 1907 law is still going on. The King County Central Committee is currently complying with the Washington State Constitution to present a list of three names to the King County Council to fill the vacancies opened up by the death of Senator Scott White and the resulting appointment of Rep. David Frockt to that Senate Seat. The rules we are operating under specify that only "Elected or Appointed" PCOs may vote to produce that list. Having this conducted from the grassroots up, with Elected PCOs at the core of the deciding voters, is critical to finding the right candidate.

I do understand that PCO elections are an expense, and that because of the economic downturn municipalities are needing to find ways to save money. This expense is part of the fundamental fabric of our democracy. It's an expense that we can't afford not to make. The opportunity cost is just too high, consisting of the corruption that will sweep in to silence the voices of the grassroots activists who want to push real positive change in our state. PCO elections are another motivation for the Legislature to raise revenue to cover the basic expenses of running our government. If we continue to do nothing but cut, we will be cutting the heart out of our government, our society and our future. Please stand with us against that.

Please reconsider your opposition to PCO elections, and work with the Republican and Democratic parties to find a sensible way to continue this important feature of our democracy. Your voice as the Elections Director of the most populated county in the state would hold a lot of weight in the discussion, and we really need you on our side.

Sincerely,
Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats
3rd Vice Chair, King County Democrats
Chair, Washington State Democratic Chairs Organization
Elected Democratic PCO, SEA 46-2324

David Frockt sworn in as the Senator from the 46th LD

2011-11-14T17:24:00.001-08:00

At the meeting of the ML King County Council this afternoon, David Frockt was appointed to the Senate Seat left vacant by the death of Senator Scott White. He then faxed to the Governor his resignation from the House of Representatives, and was sworn into office by the Clerk of King County.

So we now have a House vacancy to fill. We're waiting on confirmation that the school is available on Thursday, December 1st. As soon as we can be sure of the date, Steve and I will be putting out the call to PCOs to come to another Special Caucus to create a list of three names for consideration by the King County Council again, most likely at their meeting on December 5th.

We're half way done with the vacancies, and we're moving forward.

Scott White Memorial Service

2011-10-27T10:30:00.000-07:00

The service for Senator Scott White will be held at 1:00 PM on Sunday, November 6, 2011 in the Meany Hall Theater located on the University of Washington Campus in Seattle. Meany Hall is located near the intersection of 15th Avenue NE and NE 40th St.

The closest parking will be in the Central Plaza Underground Garage located beneath Meany Hall. It will be open and free of charge on that date; entrance to the Garage is at the intersection of 15th Avenue NE and NE 41st.

Attendees are urged to carpool in order to minimize parking issues.

A statement from Scott's family

2011-10-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

Alison Carl White wishes to release the following statement:

Scott’s family and I wish to express our appreciation for the outpouring of support we have received since learning of his passing. He was a tremendous husband, father and public official, and we are deeply moved by the nobility and honor with which his professional accomplishments are remembered. We are consoled by the support of friends, colleagues and our community. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Donations can be made to the Wedgewood Elementary PTSA, EarthCorps or to the Scott White Memorial Fund, an education fund for his two children, which has been established at Wells Fargo:

Scott White Memorial Fund
PO Box 95675
Seattle, WA 98145-2675

Account Number: 1559550528
Routing Number: 125008547

A public service will be held later this week. Please respect the family’s wishes for privacy at this time.

Scott White: The loss of a great Leader

2011-10-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

by Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney and Representative David Frockt

It is a sad day for members of the 46th District and Washington State by the sudden death of Senator Scott White.

We are deeply saddened by his passing at a prime time of his career. As a state legislator and a community leader his commitment and work for quality education for all children, affordable housing, healthcare, a safe environment, transportation and many other issues that the constituents in the 46th care about will be remembered. He was willing to go the extra mile to find solutions to some very tough issues in the legislature. His desire was to create a better place for our families and our children to prosper. In all his work Scott never forgot, or let others forget, what the values of the Democratic Party brought to our communities.

While Scott was devoted to public service his pride and love for his family was at the top of his priorities.

My family extends our love, thoughts, and prayers to Alison, their children and the entire White Family.

Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney

The 46th District, the city of Seattle, and the State Washington lost one of the best young leaders in Scott White. It is obvious that his future as a public servant for the region was extremely bright. He had excelled in his work on the County Council. He had already been elected by his colleagues to serve in the Democratic leadership in the State Senate and there was every expectation that he would continue to thrive in that role or in any other future offices he chose to take on.

He had become a friend and a colleague whom I had the honor of working with for just one year. It was too short a time. Much too short.

Scott and I had coffee about two weeks ago to discuss the budget crisis and other political matters. One thing he said to me jumps out in my mind at this awful time. He said that whatever his future in public life was going to be, the most important things to him would always be his two young children and of course, Alison.

My wife and I are stunned by this tragic event. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with Alison, their children and the extended White family.

David Frockt

Scott White, an unbelievable loss...

2011-10-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

It’s times like this that short statements fail. Quick paragraphs put together in order to capture the moment. I’m usually good at that, but last night I just couldn’t. I heard the news at 8pm on Friday night when I got a call from Javier. I was devastated. Scott was a dear, dear friend, and his loss just cut down anything that I tried to say or do. I saw a comment this morning on the Seattle Times article from someone who had known him from the age of 12, describing him as having the face of an angel AND a dragon-slayer. The thought broke me down, and I have tears falling on my keyboard now.

I first met Scott in May, 2003. I’d finished a class at the University of Phoenix about State and Local Government, and I was curious about the Democratic Party in my local area. The meeting was held at the Olympic View Church, and it was an eye-opener. The LaRouche crowd stormed the meeting, and stood on chairs to sing protest songs. Scott’s reaction, as the Chair of the district organization, was to calmly call the Seattle police to peacefully escort the kids out of the room so the meeting could continue.

He was willing to let me help build the 46th LD website, and we worked together on the initial design of the site, then told me to run with it. That design has not changed much since. He strongly believed in empowering people and trusting them. I was grateful to have earned his trust. Over the 5 years that I worked with him within the 46th Executive Board, he taught me a great deal about organizational infrastructure, how to handle difficult subjects at meetings, and that it’s ok to make mistakes as long as we take responsibility for them and correct them.

I have 8 years of emails from him. The website has a near complete record of the newsletters that he published. When he resigned as Chair to make a run for the State House, he put together a CD of all of the work and all of the records that he had about the 46th. That was in 2008, and I’m still finding things today that I hadn’t known that help me do the job as Chair.

Scott was a true progressive, to my mind. His decisions were focused on making practical and thoughtful steps towards a brighter future for our kids, and he wanted to hear from all sides and all voices before making a decision. He knew, and stated eloquently in words, that our future depends on standing up to the abuse of power. He believed in the power of government to be a positive force in our society, and he knew that the true power of government rests in the hands and voices of the people who are affected by the decisions made by lawmakers and business leaders at all levels.

I’ll let the last words in this be Scott’s, from his article in the March, 2003 Demogram.

Why are YOU a Democrat? For most of us this is a simple question, but do you ever take the time to run through the whole list of reasons? Is it because you believe in protecting the environment? Social and economic justice? Peace? Grassroots democracy? Creating a better education system for our children? Whatever your reasons, I will guarantee you something: you have friends and neighbors who share your values.

Think about it. Every time you have a conversation with one of your neighbors about an issue that you share progressive views on, you are essentially talking about Democratic politics. And whether they realize it or not, these friends and neighbors who want to invest in their community to create a better world for themselves and their children are one of us—they are Democrats.

Comments regarding the future 46th Legislative District

2011-10-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

Dear Washington State Redistricting Commission,

At our meeting on October 4th, 2011, the Executive Board of the 46th District Democrats considered and passed the attached resolution regarding our desires on how the 46th District could change in the current Redistricting process.

Resolution Urging Retention of Seattle’s Northern City Limit as the Northern Boundary of the 46th Legislative District:
Whereas, under both state law and court decisions, legislative district boundaries should be set utilizing both city boundaries and communities of interest; and,
Whereas there are significant differences between residents of Seattle and residents of the suburban communities north of the Seattle City line in matters of community interests, school district and electoral matters, and interests of representation; and,
Whereas the City line at NW, N, and NE 145th Street provides a distinct and readily recognizable line for both communities of interest, political boundaries and legislative district boundaries; and
Whereas proposed redistricting maps from Commissioners Ceis, Huff and Foster would break up legislative representation of the cities of Shoreline or Lake Forest Park, diluting a portion of their legislative representation within a revised 46th District dominated by North Seattle, with no meaningful basis for dividing portions of those communities between legislative districts; and,
Whereas increasing the population of the 46th District can be accomplished by an adjustment of the District’s southern boundary, while maintaining its northern boundary as the Seattle City limit so as to preserve communities of interest for Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, including the community of interest shared through schools (e.g., school assignment) and major arterials;
Therefore, the 46th District Democrats, through their elected Executive Board, urge the Washington State Redistricting Commission and commissioners to:
a) Maintain the communities of interest and logical legislative-district northern boundary of the 46th District at the Seattle’s northern city limit, 145th Street; and,
b) Utilize arterials as boundaries of the 46th and maintain communities of interest regarding schools and community councils.

Please consider this resolution during the final process of developing the Legislative District maps.

The Strange, Sad Summer Saga of Buillding 11

2011-08-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

--Gail Chiarello, Democratic PCO 46-2098

On August 8th, City Council voted to amend the 2008 lease for the old public works building at the tip of Magnuson Park’s north end. The developer, unable to perform under the terms of his 2008 agreement, sought new concessions, including 20% more space and City approval of a medical clinic tenant within 200 feet of the shoreline (although this use is prohibited by the Shoreline Master Plan and the Sand Point Overlay District zoning requirements). The new legislation returns significant revenue to the City in the shorter term; it contains a fair lease for the non-profit Sail Sand Point; it retains artists in the building for the next ten years. The Virginia Mason Internal Medicine Clinic slated for the north end of the building will have to relocate elsewhere, hopefully in private sector commercial space.

Activism from the 46th District Democrats helped bring about this more favorable outcome. The 46th was the first LD to support a resolution calling for more public benefits in the lease amendment; it was followed by the 36th, the 34th, and the Metropolitan Democratic Club. 46ers Jorgen Bader, Bonnie Miller, Lynn Ferguson, Sylvia Haven, Jan Ames, Kim Wells, Diana Kincaid, Rusty Williams, Nancy Bolin, Jeannie Hale, and Gail Chiarello were key in helping City Council focus on the rightful use of a public waterfront facility. The effort could still have failed, had it not been for the principled leadership of Parks Committee Chair Sally Bagshaw and her committee—Tom Rasmussen, Bruce Harrell, and Jean Godden. Councilmember Nick Licata, although not a member of the Parks Committee, was a fearless advocate for the artists and for public benefits; and we are proud that CM Licata is also a member of the 46th.

Did you wonder what all the fuss was about? Think of it this way. Building 11 was a microcosm of ills that plague our political system—lack of transparency in deal-making; private sector exploitation of public assets; an “asleep at the wheel” bureaucratic mentality that allowed the developer to roll forward without brakes. Former Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher’s role also raises an eyebrow. As Parks chief, he engineered the 2008 lease. Gallagher resigned spring 2010 and now serves as Chief Operations Officer at Nyhus Communications, a firm employed by the developer this summer to run the amended lease through Council. Gallagher’s portfolio may not include Building 11, but his role at Nyhus certainly raises questions of conflict of interest.

On August 16th the developer filed a complaint against the City for bad faith dealing. In my humble opinion, his suit could be tossed out now. He reopened the lease—not the City. He demanded more goodies, and when the City insisted on a fair return, he behaved like a child banging the tray of his high chair. He sued the City.

Seattle Public Schools Celebration

2011-08-09T16:00:00.000-07:00

Seattle Public Schools invite you to a Community Celebration of Learning

Tuesday, August 30
4-6 p.m.

Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center
Program starts at 4:30

Celebrate the start of the new school year!

Join Interim Superintendent Dr. Susan Enfield Mayor, Mike McGinn and School Board members

Come hear from your school district about what’s new this year and ask questions about transportation, enrollment and nutrition services.

Listen to the All-City Band and be ready for a few surprises!

More info: www.SeattleSchools.org

Special Meeting on Lake City Public Safety

2011-08-09T15:44:00.000-07:00

From: "Darryl Smith"
Sent: Tuesday, August 9, 2011 3:30:41 PM
Subject: Meeting Regarding Public Safety Issues in Lake City

Dear Lake City Residents,

I'm writing to request your attendance at a meeting about ongoing public safety issues and our plan for addressing them. The meeting will be held at the Lake City Community Center on Wednesday, August 31 at 6 PM. Your continued input and engagement on issues in your neighborhood would be valuable and appreciated.

The Mayor assigned Assistant Chief Mike Sanford--the Department's head of patrol operations--to work with Captain Clark from North Precinct on a solution to the reported difficulties with civility and street disorder. Lieutenant Kenneth Hicks has been assigned to direct a focused response plan for Lake City, which I look forward to sharing with you in greater detail in person. We have already added periodic foot and bike patrols, which will be expanding now that Seafair has passed. Early reports have indicated that these patrols are already having some positive effects. As we move forward, there are other steps we can take to make sure everyone who is living, working or stopping in Lake City feels safe. I hope you will be able to join us on the 31st for a discussion of those steps and where we can go from here.

Thank you again for your interest in Lake City.

Darryl Smith
Deputy Mayor of Community
Office of Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn

(206) 233-7893 (Direct)
(206) 684.5360 (Fax)
P.O. Box 94749
Seattle, WA 98124-4749
Darryl.Smith@seattle.gov

Mayor McGinn coming to NW Seattle on Tuesday.

2011-06-13T13:13:00.000-07:00

Northwest Seattle

Mayor’s Town Hall

Tuesday, June 14th, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm

at Bitterlake Community Center

13035 Linden Avenue North

Mayor Mike McGinn,
City Departments & Community Groups
will answer your questions
and hear what’s on your mind

Please join us!

Agenda

5:30-6:30 Meet and Greet: City Departments and local volunteer organizations have info tables, answer questions and offer volunteer opportunities

6:30-6:40 Youth performance

6:40-8:00 Open question and answer session with the Mayor and City staff

For more information please contact James Bush (206) 684-4000 or James.Bush@Seattle.Gov

State Democrats Adopt 2012 Delegate Selection Plan

2011-05-02T09:47:00.000-07:00

By Sarajane Siegfriedt, 46th State Committeewoman

The Washington State Democratic Central Committee adopted its 2012 Presidential Delegate Selection Plan on April 30th in Wenatchee, after changes to accommodate Passover.

The Democratic National Committee has shifted the entire calendar at least almost two months later. Instead of February 9, 2008, precinct caucuses will be Sunday, April 15, 2012 at 1 p.m. By holding them in April, we gain bonus delegates. (We also gain bonus delegates for having a regional date with Idaho and Alaska.) Delegates are allocated to each precinct based on the number of Democratic voters. Delegates elected at the precinct caucus are expected to attend their Legislative District caucus and their County Convention.

The plan says, “Resolutions and platform issues will be forwarded to the appropriate Legislative District Caucus or County Convention.”

Legislative District caucuses are on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10 a.m. The 46th adopts a platform and resolutions and elects delegates to the Congressional District Caucus and the State Convention. The number of delegates per LD will be decided in January, based on new LD maps and the number of votes for Obama in 2008. The 1,400 delegates elected at LD caucuses are expected to attend the state convention.

The call to the LD Caucus must be mailed or emailed five days in advance (April 23rd) and will include our 46th LD draft platform. This schedule allows only eight days to incorporate suggestions from the precinct causes and to evaluate, combine and edit resolutions. Responding to a question about this schedule State Chair Dwight Pelz suggested that LD and County platform committees start early, well before precinct caucuses, to write their drafts.

County Conventions will be held the next day, Sunday, April 29th at 10 a.m. No national delegates are elected, but county platforms and resolutions are debated and passed. The call to convention with the draft county platform will need to be mailed or emailed six days before, by April 23rd. The LD Caucus is the day before, so there is virtually no chance that LD platforms and resolutions can be considered by King County in writing its platform and resolutions. They will be forwarded directly to the state Platform and Resolutions Committees.

The Congressional District Caucus is where some of the national delegates will be elected and to the State Convention is where most of the remaining national delegates will be elected. Congressional District caucuses will be held Sunday, May 20th (time TBD by Chair Pelz). Sixty-three CD delegates will be elected to the national convention by the nine (current) CDs. The 7th CD will elect 11 delegates to the national convention.

The State convention is Saturday, June 2nd at 9 a.m. in Seattle. Twenty-one at-large delegates will be elected. Together with 13 pledged party leaders and elected officials, the Washington State delegation will number 113.

“Each presidential candidate…shall use his or her best efforts to ensure that his or her delegation within the state delegation achieves the affirmative action goals within this Plan and is equally divided between men and women.”

County level Redistricting

2011-04-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

The King County Redistricting Commission will have the first public forum on May 2nd at the King County Courthouse. More info here: http://www.kingcounty.gov/operations/districting/meetings.aspx.

It's important for people to be engaged in the process of redistricting in order to keep our neighborhoods together on the new maps. You can also put in public comments on the King County government website here.

A Resolution responding to plans by the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) for redevelopment of the 561-unit Yesler Terrace Public Housing Project (Febr

2011-02-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

This resolution was missed during the Demogram preparations, and will be brought up for consideration at our February meeting. - Chad

Whereas, according to the County’s Housing Benchmarks report, in Seattle there are 39,500 households with incomes at or below 40% of median but only 13,500 privately owned rental units offered at rents affordable to this income group, and

Whereas, two-thirds or 30,000 of those 39,500 households have incomes at or below 30% of area median (about $23,150 for 3 person household) yet there are only 310 unsubsidized rentals in all of King County offered at rents affordable to these very low income families

Whereas, redevelopment and gentrification in our communities continues to cause an accelerated loss of this dwindling stock of very low income housing units due to demolition, speculative sale, conversion, and increased rents, and

Whereas, nearly all that is left of Seattle’s housing stock serving those with incomes at or below 30% of area median are subsidized “public housing units” owned and managed by the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) including the 28 acre 561-unit Yesler Terrace Garden Community, and

Whereas, Yesler Terrace is an irreplaceable resource that has served generations of extremely low income families, those with disabilities, the elderly, first generation immigrants, and households of color - especially families from the black community - since its establishment over 70 years ago as the first fully integrated low density public housing project in the Country, and

Whereas, Yesler Terrace and the housing, services, and sense of community it provides is needed now more than ever to address a resurgence of poverty and homelessness in our city, and

Whereas, the Seattle Housing Authority now is seeking permits from the City of Seattle to demolish Yesler Terrace and replace it with as many as 5000 units (most offered as expensive rentals and condominiums), expensive retail space, and over a half million square feet of offices.

Therefore, be it resolved that the 46th District Democrats goes on record calling on SHA to make the following commitments:

1) SHA shall commit to 100 percent replacement on site of all 561 public housing units (serving those at or below 30 percent of median income) they are removing and to the extent it’s economically feasible, SHA shall increase the number of public housing units on site above 561 so that public housing makes up a significantly higher percent than only 10 percent of the 5000 units now planned for the site.

2) SHA will ensure that all units located in the surrounding community that the agency has acquired and vacated in anticipation of relocating Yesler Terrace residents to those sites – that all such units will either be reopened as low income units or replaced by SHA at their expense and offered at comparable prices. Such removal further contributes to a loss of very low-income units in our city.

3) SHA shall pledge to use only new sources of revenue, including substantial income generated from the more intense retail and office uses planned for the site, to build their replacement public housing units and further SHA shall pledge that no existing finite source of revenue such as city housing levy dollars, state tax credits, or state trust fund dollars, needed to expand our city’s low income stock, shall be tapped for construction of any on or off-site replacement units, and

4) SHA will guarantee that the public housing located in the redeveloped site will not be segregated and moved away from views, parks, play areas, trees, and other amenities offered to higher income groups, and that such amenities including the availability of larger ground related and view units shall be distributed equally among all income groups and be equally accessible to all income groups, especially those living in the public housing units, and

Be it further resolved that the 46th District Democrats will forward this position to our Mayor and City Councilmembers, and also call on them to exercise their clear authority over SHA’s plans and to require SHA to comply with the commitments identified in the above four subparagraphs by attaching them as binding conditions to the alley vacations, upzones, and other land use changes SHA has requested and which are needed for their redevelopment of Yesler Terrace, all of which is needed in order to ensure that SHA continues to fulfill its historic mission and what it was created to do – serve the poorest of the poor in our city.

Drafted by John V. Fox, Coordinator of the Seattle Displacement Coalition (and longstanding 43rd District Dem), Sponsored by Sarajane Siegfriedt, 46th District State Committee Woman

Notes from the Chair, February, 2011

2011-02-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

Thank you so much for your support! I’m ready for the next two years, and as always, we need your help.

I am making the following appointments to our committees:

Program Committee: Gerry Pollet
Legislative Action Committee: Sarajane Siegfriedt
Membership Committee: Antonia Gonzalez
Finance Committee: Sabrina Hill
Cole Committee: Jan Ames
Platform/Resolutions: Dean Fournier
Outreach Committee: J Peter Shapiro
Elections Committee: Gabe Meyer

I’m writing this immediately following a meeting of our Finance Committee, where Kathryn Lewis and Stan Moffett shared all of the fantastic work that they have done with Sabrina Hill and Marcia Bennison. Just like two years ago, the transition is happening slowly but safely. We take our responsibility seriously, and we will have a proposed budget ready for review at our Executive Board meeting and at our General Meeting.

The Cole Committee met after the General Meeting to start going through the ideas gathered from all of the political leaders that we have met with over the past year. I have put a link to the Cole Fund on our home page, and we’re still looking for new ideas.

The Bylaws Review is underway, headed by Dean Fournier. If you have questions or concerns about how our organization operates, please contact him with questions and to present new ideas. We want our bylaws to reflect how we do business, while holding the Eboard accountable to our goals as an organization. We will present our proposed changes at the March meetings.

“If you want to get something done, ask a busy person.”

I heard this refrain several times on Saturday, January 29th at the Reorganization meeting of the Washington State Democrats. They were looking at me.

On Saturday I was elected as “Chair of Chairs”, meaning the Washington State Democratic Chairs Organization (WSDCO). This is a state-level coordinating body of chairs and vice-chairs from the counties, LD’s, and thanks to an amendment to the bylaws that we passed on the same day, the caucuses as well. It will help us coordinate efforts in outreach, organizational development and training all around the state in support of our Democratic Platform and candidates.

Our February meeting will be a Legislative Session update, and all three of our elected officials from Olympia will be there to hear our views on what the state is facing and to give us their take on the best solutions. See you there!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Read our February Demogram here: http://46dems.com/demogram/demogram201102.pdf

Resolution Calling for Federal Recognition of the Duwamish Tribe

2011-01-21T20:35:00.000-08:00

WHEREAS the ancestral lands of the Duwamish Tribe include the current boundaries of the City of Seattle, and members of the Duwamish Tribe continue to reside on those lands; and

WHEREAS the Duwamish Tribe, represented by Chief Si’ahl (Seattle), was the first signatory of the Point Elliott Treaty of 1855, guaranteeing the Tribe rights and federal recognition, but the government of the United States of America has not honored the provisions of that treaty with respect to the Duwamish Tribe; and

WHEREAS the Duwamish Tribe received federal recognition by Executive Order of President Bill Clinton on January 19, 2001; and

WHEREAS that Executive Order was rescinded by the Bush Administration on January 21, 2001; and

WHEREAS four bills to extend federal recognition to the Duwamish Tribe have been submitted by Representative Jim McDermott (HR 477 – Jan. 29, 2003; HR 852 – Feb. 16, 2005; HR 949 – Feb. 8, 2007; HR 2678 - June 3, 2009), which Congress has failed to act upon; and

WHEREAS the State Democratic platform calls for “[r]estoration of federal recognition for formerly recognized Tribes”; the King County Democratic Platform states specifically that “[f]ederal recognition of the Duwamish tribe must be restored”; and the 46th District platform declares support for “[r]einstating federal recognition of the Duwamish tribe”;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we affirm our support for federal recognition of the Duwamish Tribe as provided by President Clinton’s Executive Order; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge all members of Washington State’s Congressional delegation to sponsor and support legislation to accomplish such recognition, and to notify us of their actions toward rectification of this unfortunate miscarriage of justice.

Adopted January 20, 2011, by 46th District Democrats

Rep. Scott White on City Inside/Out

2011-01-08T10:31:00.001-08:00

City Inside/Out: Legislative Preview 1/7/2011 27:48
As the state legislature prepares to convene next week, we take a look at City Hall`s priorities this session, and bring together a roundtable of Seattle lawmakers to discuss how Olympia will handle the state`s looming $4.6 billion budget deficit. Governor Chris Gregoire has proposed an all-cuts budget that will deeply impact education, healthcare and human services. Will the legislature accept the plan or come up with a better alternative? Studio guests include Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-36th), Rep. Eric Pettigrew (D-37th) and Sen. Scott White (D-46th).

Seattle Channel Video can be played in Flash Player 9 and up

We need your help this weekend!

2010-10-29T17:01:00.000-07:00

Don’t wake up on November 3rd to Senator-elect Rossi!

Fellow Democrats,

There will be plenty of ghoulish moments other than Halloween if we don’t return Senator Murray to the US Senate. Forget the yard work, the costume doesn’t have to be perfect, the home is just fine. Voters have the 46th Voter’s Guide. Now we need to GET OUT THE VOTE. We need you to canvas for Patty Murray. Here are the details:

Canvassing:

Saturday, Oct. 30 – Meet at the Cloud City Café, 8801 Roosevelt Way NE (88th & Roosevelt). Sign up for the 10:30 am and/or 1:30 pm shift. Call Brittany to reserve your spot!

Sunday, Oct. 31 – Meet at Metropolitan Market, 5250 40th Ave. NE. Sign up for the 11:30 am and/or 2:30 pm shift. Call Brittany to reserve your spot!

Phone Banks:

There will be a phone bank running this weekend between 11am and 8pm at the Coordinated Campaign office:

1310 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA
Call Brittany: 425-503-3032

Monday and Tuesday, there will be a phone bank running from 9am to 9pm at the same address. Please contact Brittany if you have time Monday or Tuesday!

The urgency and need is real. Commit to help over the next four days!

Questions? Call Brittany – (425) 503-3032, 46th District Field Organizer
or Bernadette Laqueur – (206) 525-8911, volunteer

Volunteer Outreach Email

2010-10-24T21:30:00.001-07:00

This year more than ever, we need your help to ensure that progressive candidates are elected into local, state and national office. As you read this, corporations (some even outside the United States) are spending millions of dollars to defeat democratic candidates both nationally and here in Washington State. That’s why we need you to volunteer today! The only way to counteract such blatant abuse of democracy is with grassroots people power.

By now all voters have received their ballots and it is up to us to ensure that we are doing all we can to support our friends and allies. However, with 9 many days left before Election Day, time is beginning to run out. Please sign up to volunteer and join me, and thousands of progressive activists across the country, as we work together to ensure that big corporations don’t steal this election and our democracy.

Earlier this week, former President Bill Clinton was in Washington State to fight in support of Senator Patty Murray and other congressional candidates in our beautiful state. His message to us, "Don't be fooled, don't be played, don't stay at home."

In this election, the choice is clear. Please volunteer in the effort to move our great country forward by signing up for a volunteer event here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/GOTVolunteer2/?source=wa_dems.

Help the Coordinated Campaign!

2010-10-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ways to volunteer with the Coordinated Campaign:

Phone banks:
9am-9pm Monday-Friday and 11am-8pm on weekends
1310 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA
Call Brittany: 425-503-3032

Additional Phone Banks: Monday – Friday, 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm, 615 2nd Ave. (2nd & Cherry)

Doorbelling Saturday & Sunday October 23 & 24 in N. Seattle
Saturday, 10:30am; Sunday 11:30 & 2:30
Café Lati, 35th & 110th near Nathan Hale High School

Please call Brittany to RSVP so she can get a list printed and ready for you to pick up!

Phone banking for I-1098

2010-10-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

There will be phone banking for I-1098 hosted by the UFCW Local 21 every Sunday, Monday and Wednesday at 5030 1st Ave S at 5:30pm.

And SEIU 925 will be hosting phone banking at 1914 N 34th St on October 27th at 5:30pm.

There will also be two canvasses on Saturday morning at the Jefferson Community Center 3801 Beacon Ave S starting at 10am on Saturday October 24th.

And the University of Washington Young Democrats and others will be meeting at 9am at the Burke Museum that day as well.

Please do everything you can to help this measure pass so our kids can get a stronger foundation!

And thanks so much to Imogene Williams, a PCO in the 43rd Legislative District, for bringing this information to our meeting tonight!

Another report from our membership

2010-10-21T12:13:00.001-07:00

One of our members just sent me this and I wanted to share:

I am in Washington DC and will go to the Jon Stewart march next Sat and will be here on election night.
I'll be back Wednesday and I hope I get a better seat mate than coming. An evangelical minister sat between me and a Republican and he had to do this tightrope walk trying to keep us from blows. I have to practice just saying 'WHAT??!! You can't argue with them.

We may not be able to argue with some people, but we can certainly vote against their candidates. Please help GetOutTheVote!

Report from one of our PCOs

2010-10-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Chad,

I completed my whole list earlier today. I also put flyers at the 20 unit new house/condo complex, that was not on the list at all.

I can't remember which of you told me this: to put a single-hole punch in the upper left corner of the endorsement flyer with a thin rubber band looped through the hole, so I could hang it on door handles and not use the mail boxes. (I remember, Chad gave me this tip). This worked great.

I also printed labels that said:

Scott Leiter
Questions? Ideas? 206 522-9208
email: scottleiter@hotmail.com
PLEASE VOTE!

and affixed them to the space on the back of each flyer. This worked quite well and could be made up easily for the less tech savvy in the future.

I am happy to see Patty Murray is ahead in the latest poll (KCTS). I am bummed that 1098 isn't doing better. I am working on an appeal to health care providers next. I am also pulling for Suzan DelBene.

See you on Thursday night, after seeing Obama/Patty in the morning at Hec Ed at the UW.

Scott Leiter

PS - My time is limited until next weekend. If more help is needed then, let me know.

If you would like to tell your story about how doorbelling is going in your precinct, please feel free to comment on this blog post, or send me an email so I can post it!

Update to Voters Guide

2010-10-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

It looks like we skipped one of the Ballot Measures in our Voters Guide, and I wanted to make sure that we put out our preference on Senate Joint Resolution 8225. We did discuss this measure at our August Endorsement meeting, however I forgot to include it on the Ballot Measures page, so it was also forgotten when we drafted the Voters Guide. I'll fix the website now.

Debt Limits Constitutional Amendment. The proposal would change the way interest payments count toward our debt limit. Gina from the Treasurer's office spoke in support of this proposal. It had overwhelming support in the Legislature. The Federal stimulus bill reimburses states for interest payments. The proposal would align with the stimulus bill language to take advantage of the Federal subsidy. Gina believes this will provide approximately $650 million over 5 years, although the actual amount depends on economic conditions.

46dems Endorsement Results: Support 43; no position 1. We Support this Amendment.

Also, we published our Voters Guide before King County Elections had released the official titles of the King County Charter Amendments, and I wanted to update everyone with the correct references.

Here is what we originally published:

On King County Charter Amendments we endorsed a Yes vote on Ordinances 2009-0496 and 2010-0328, which are both common sense reforms eliminating redundant candidate filing, and highlighting duties in unincorporated areas, respectively. However we ask that you Reject Ordinance 2010-0169, since it is an important check on the powers of the Sheriff to have bargaining rights reside solely with the County Council.

Here is how that should read:

On the King County Charter Amendments, we endorsed a Yes vote on Charter Amendment No 1 (Amendments to the Preamble) and Charter Amendment No. 2 (Amendment of Section 690 - Campaign Finance), which are both common sense reforms highlighting duties in unincorporated areas and eliminating redundant candidate filing, respectively. However, we ask that you vote No on Charter Amendment No. 3 (Amendment of Section 890 and New Section 897 - Collective Bargaining), since it is an important check on the powers of the Sheriff to have bargaining rights reside solely with the County Executive.

Please don't forget to vote!!

Followup: Streets for All Seattle

2010-10-12T06:04:00.000-07:00

We passed a resolution in September supporting the efforts of Streets for All Seattle. This is a letter and special request for our consideration.

Dear Chad and the members of the 46th Legislative District,

Thank you for your on-going membership in the Streets for All Seattle coalition; we continue to be excited by our momentum working with the Council to make sure that Seattle's transportation infrastructure works for all of us.

As we have gone through the last eight months, one of the problems that has arisen time and time again is that there are too few options for transportation funding at the local level, each of them problematic. While the State's gas tax goes to build new highways and streets where there weren't ones before, our local ability to fund the creation, maintenance and operations of our local transportation infrastructure is severely hampered by the lack of local tools.

To that end, we are developing a letter--a draft of which is enclosed--to Seattle's state legislators asking them to seek more local transportation funding options in the upcoming 2011 General Session. As a member of the Streets for All Seattle coalition, we would like to include the 46th District Dems as a co-signatory to the letter. With your special relationship to the legislators, we wanted to highlight your signature on the letter.

Please let us know what we can do to help you be comfortable adding your signature to the letter. We are trying to have the signatures by the end of the month.

Thanks,
Brice Maryman
Streets for All Seattle Cabinet Member
Great City Board Chair
Email: bmaryman@gmail.com

Notes from the Chair, October, 2010

2010-10-03T22:02:00.000-07:00

I saw a question on Twitter the other day. It was from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, asking “What will you do to make sure Dems win?”

My answer: “I will stick to my principles, no matter what.”

I believe that our voters want to see a clear choice in November. I believe that it is our mission to give them that clear choice. They need to know what we stand for, what we will work for, and what we will do over the next few years if they will give us the honor of representing them in the halls of Congress and in Olympia.

It is a clear choice between people who want to see our foundations secured so that we and our children may reach for our potential, and people who believe that our goal should be in selfish desires to profit from that foundation.

It is a clear choice between people who will work for the common good of all, and people who work to give an advantage to only a few while claiming to support the right of everyone to eventually, maybe, get those advantages themselves.

This has been the clear choice for years. Decades. Centuries. This is the choice that we made during World War II, when we fought against fascism. This is the choice we made during the American Revolution against the British East India Company and their government allies in King George III’s Parliament. Whether to have a government focused on giving everyone a fair chance at a good life, or if we wanted a government that allowed money to twist the rules out of the hands of We the People.

And it’s the choice we will make in November. After two years of seeing what kind of change is possible in our systems of government, it seems nobody is satisfied. Both the Conservative Movement and the Progressive Movement are struggling to come to grips with the pace of change. It is far too fast for many on the Right, and too slow for many on the Left. But it’s moving in the right direction. Our votes in this election will determine whether we keep moving in that direction.

Our PCOs are going door to door, trying to get our Voters Guide into people’s hands by the time the ballots drop on October 15th. We’ve gotten a LOT of good responses so far. Thanks for the support. Please do your part by volunteering to help elect our candidates and spread the reasons why we have taken our positions on the ballot measures.

It’s really the WHY that is important. Because we believe in our Platform, and we stick to our principles.

Can we win? Sí se puede!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

PCOs, please pick up your literature!

2010-09-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

This is a message out to all of our PCO's:

Here is how and where to pick up the Voters Guides for the General Election. They are at the home of Barbara Whitt and Burt Webb. The Guides are in boxes in front of their garage, and the lists and envelopes are in the house. Please call Barbara or Burt at 206-729-7410 for their address and to arrange a pick-up time.

If you need us to drop your stack off at your home, please let us know.

Our lists consist of the following:

Strong Democrats
Likely Democrats
Unknown
No Data

If you have enough to deliver to your entire list, please do.

The ballots go into the mail on October 15th. What we heard from some of our experienced PCOs at the September meeting is that it is most effective to go door to door, actually talking with people. It is less effective to just drop them on doorsteps. What this becomes is a timing issue. If you plan to talk with people, they're more likely able to remember that they have the voters guide because you will have engaged with them as you hand it to them. If we just drop it on their doorstep, it might get lost. So we're recommending that while door to door talking can be done at any time between now and November 2nd, drop-offs should be done as close to when the ballots hit mailboxes as possible.

Marked up lists should be returned to Brittany from the Coordinated Campaign when you are done. We always have hope that they will enter the data and make it part of the Votebuilder system. What I would like to see all of us focus on is the membership drive on the back cover, because that's where we get the bulk of our activist outreach. The more members we have going into the 2011 election year, the better!

See you out walking door to door!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Creating the Political Will to End Homelessness.

2010-09-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

The Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness hosted the tenth of a series of workshops on September 15 for an in-depth look at the issues of homelessness, and concrete steps the community can take to address the problem. Task Force founder Reverend David Bloom, a resident of the 46th District and our endorsed candidate for Seattle City Council last year, delivered a stirring keynote address. He reviewed the history of governmental abdication of its commitment to investing in low-income housing – an abdication that, long before the Great Recession made matters so much worse, resulted in the explosive growth of nationwide homelessness over the last 30 years.

"[T]here was a time, not so long ago," he said, "when the federal government made a serious annual investment in low-income housing production. Significantly, and not coincidentally, that commitment terminated around 1980, the very time we began to see the dramatic growth in homelessness that has continued to this day."

Rev. Bloom issued a clarion call to action:

"The question for us is our collective will as a people—a caring and compassionate people—in our democratic society . . . to work against overwhelming odds to turn back the tide of greed and selfishness and indifference that stands in the way of ending homelessness. . . . As Martin Luther King, Jr. said in his famous 'Beyond Vietnam' speech delivered one year to the day before he was assassinated, 'A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.' That is the path we are on today."

Rev. Bloom continued, "Unless we unite to redress [the problem of homelessness] with a new human rights movement, our best efforts to eliminate homelessness and to restore a more sustainable economy for everyone will never be enough." Homelessness is not a problem just for its immediate victims, he said. "We accept it as a permanent social condition at our own peril."

Click here to read Rev. Bloom's speech, including the practical things we can do right now.

Bill Block, Project Director of the King County Committee to End Homelessness, presented a report on "Progress and Challenges" to date, which provides further data on failed governmental policies that have exacerbated today’s problems – as well as notable local achievements in addressing them. Other workshops dealt in depth with youth and families at risk, School District data on homeless children, specific initiatives to provide shelter for all who need it, barriers to stability, and many other aspects of the problem. Nancy Amidei, in her panel presentation on "Developing the Political Will to End Homelessness" referred workshop attendees to the website of the 46th LD for its advocacy links, continuing work that she started at the University of Washington. For more information on the work of ITFH, you can go directly to the Interfaith Task Force on Homelessness website, which is also one of those links on our Advocacy page.

Resolution to support Streets for All Seattle

2010-09-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

The following resolution has been submitted and will be considered at our September meeting. Please feel free to comment here on our blog.

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT STREETS FOR ALL SEATTLE

WHEREAS many neighborhoods in the 46th Legislative District lack sidewalks and safe street crossings for pedestrians;

WHEREAS we, the 46th District Democrats, stated in our platform that: “better public transportation will promote equal opportunity and will improve the quality of life for all;” and that we support:

“1. Establishing public transit as a priority over road construction, so as to better serve the public and reduce auto use and emissions;
2. High-density development and economical rapid transit in urban areas;
3. Incorporating vital local concerns into transportation planning; ...
5. Reviewing Seattle planning and zoning to reduce automobile use by promoting density around transit centers and route intersections.”

WHEREAS, Seattle’s Pedestrian Master Plan and Bicycle Master Plan are underfunded (in 2008, only $12 million of SDOT’s $200 million budget was spent on bicycle and pedestrian improvements);

WHEREAS the Seattle City Council in February 2010 adopted a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030;

WHEREAS Seattle voters have strongly supported transportation initiatives, including 69% for Transit Now (2006), 53% for Bridging the Gap levy (2006), and 70% for Sound Transit 2 (2008);

WHEREAS we believe improvements to pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure can help:
1. create livable, walkable neighborhoods that attract residents and employers,
2. increase mobility and quality of life for all members of the community, including the young, the old, the poor, and the disabled,
3. enhance street safety (there were 1,045 bike accidents in Seattle between 2006 and 2008), and
4. promote clean transportation choices that lessen our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce our production of greenhouse gases.

NOW, THEREFORE, on this 16th day of September, 2010, also known as “World Ozone Day,” the 46th District Democrats resolve as follows:

Recognizing that transportation budgets are typically separate from general fund accounts, we support the goal of increasing investments in infrastructure and services that promote walking, bicycling and transit as means of transportation in Seattle;

We support efforts to raise $30 million in new dedicated annual revenue to help stave off cuts in Metro bus service, double the city’s commitment to the underfunded Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plans, and build critical elements of Seattle’s transportation infrastructure;

We further support investment in sidewalks and pedestrian infrastructure in areas of the city where sidewalks currently do not exist; and

The Chair of the 46th District Democrats should recommend a member of the 46th to serve on the advisory committee of Streets For All Seattle.

Submitted by Rep. Scott White

Ads for 46th Dems Voter's Guide

2010-08-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Endorsed Candidates,

Congratulations on receiving our endorsement. Now that all our endorsements are set down, we're writing to let you know how you can purchase ads for our voter's guide.

As you probably know, we are not carrying candidate lit separately this year, so this is your only opportunity to get your message into the hands of our PCOs. The booklet will be full color, letter sized, and have 12 total pages. We will be distributing 25,000 copies to Democrats and Independents in our district. The ad sizes and rates are as follows:

$1500 8.5" X 11" Back Cover Ad Portrait
$1000 8.5" X 11" Full Page Inside Ad Portrait
$500 8.5" X 5.5" 1/2 Page Inside Ad Landscape
$250 4.25" X 5.5" 1/4 Page Inside Ad Portrait

Please respond to me with your ad by 8/27 with the size ad you want to order. All copy for these ads is due by 9/1 and sent to me by email.

If you have any questions please let me know

Thanks,
Jason Sawatzki
46th District Elections Co-Chair

Senator Patty Murray on Social Security's 75th Anniversary!

2010-08-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

Senator Patty Murray is coming to our District!

Senator Murray will be at the Greenwood Senior Center (525 N 85th St, Seattle) on Monday, August 16th for an event celebrating the 75th "birthday" of Social Security! Please attend if you can. We have been told that overflow parking will be available at the Greenwood Market (85th and 3rd Ave), with a shuttle bus provided by the Wallingford Senior Center.

For more information about the event, please click here!

Join Representative Kenney for a Summer Party!

2010-07-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, State Representative
Cordially invites you to a Summer Party

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
5:30pm to 7:30pm

The Landing
(Across from University Village)
5001 25th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98105

Join us along with our special guest:

King County Executive, Dow Constantine

Donations are greatly appreciated

Information: 206-526-5236
Website: http://phylliskenney.com/

Meet the new Olympia Team! Hosted by the LEV

2010-07-22T06:37:00.000-07:00

Please join the League of Education Voters, Gaurab Bansal, Jim Fridley, George Scarola and other 46th district neighbors and friends to meet and support our new All Star Pro Education Legislative Team

Representative Phyllis Kenney
Soon-to-be Representative David Frockt
Soon-to-be Senator Scott White

Wednesday, July 28th
5-6:30 pm

Lisa and Ross Macfarlane’s home
12571 Corliss Ave N #A, Seattle 98133
NE corner of Haller Lake

(Feel free to bring kids and their swim suits and towels.
They might be interested in the floating trampoline.)

Please RSVP to George@educationvoters.org
$46 donations welcomed, but not required

Community News, July 2010

2010-06-30T17:07:00.001-07:00

Because we will not be publishing a Demogram for July, we've posted the Community News article here on the blog.

Community News

J Peter Shapiro
outreach@46dems.com

Maple Leaf honored by Audubon Society

From the Maple Leaf Community Council: "The Seattle Audubon Society presented their 2010 Conservation Award to the Maple Leaf Community Council and Menachem Mendel Seattle Cheder for their role in permanently preserving Waldo Woods. Seattle Audubon's annual Conservation Award is given to the individual or group in the greater Seattle community who has made a unique and significant contribution to the protection of birds and wildlife habitat, using creative means for engaging and inspiring the public. Founded in 1916, Seattle Audubon members and volunteers have continually worked for the protection, restoration and preservation of natural habitat for birds and other wildlife." Seattle Audubon makes its headquarters in the 46th District, on 35th Ave NE in the Wedgwood neighborhood.

"NEST" in the news

The Seattle Times recently published a lengthy story about one of the District’s new grass-roots community groups, North East Seattle Together (NEST), whose mission if to help our elderly neighbors stay in their homes. As described by the paper, "the group is attempting to build a 'virtual village' and serve as a stand-in for family members or friends who can't be there to help all the time with the little things. It would be the first such program in the state, modeled after similar villages on the East Coast." For more information visit www.nestseattle.org, which you can also find via our website’s "Advocacy and Action" links at www.46dems.com.

Welcome Alleycat Acres . . .

. . . as our latest link to our many community Action and Advocacy groups ("Farming and Local Food"). Alleycat Acres defines it mission as an "urban farming collective that transforms vacant spaces to create a network of sustainable urban farms that reconnect people to food while helping to increase food security on a community level." You can find them on our website, or directly at http://www.alleycatacres.com. Currently, their urban farms are located south of the Montlake Cut, but we’re hoping they’ll soon make connection with like-minded groups and individuals here in the Fightin’ 46th. They write, "By farming on plots within the city, we seek to strengthen communities and rebuild the connection that has been lost between people and food. To accomplish our goals, we partner with landowners to secure farmland and aim to connect with community organizations to find local residents to help maintain and design the farms and plan for distribution." Oh, and they explain their name on their website.

Progress in the "swamp"

Laurelhurst neighbors celebrated their progress in developing the Yesler Swamp Trail by hosting Father’s Day walks starting at the nearby Center for Urban Horticulture on Surber Drive. The tours gave visitors a chance to see Seattle’s only swamp up close, thanks to almost a quarter of a mile of trails that intrepid volunteers had installed in the area in the preceding two and a half months. The walks meandered through 70-foot high poplars. With luck, eagles were overhead as the hikers perambulated. The site of the swamp, before the Montlake Cut lowered Lake Washington, was a holding area for logs destined for Henry Yesler’s saw mill on Elliott Bay. For more information about this project and history of the area visit the Friends of the Yesler Swamp Trail website, which you can also find via our "Advocacy and Action" links.

Futurewise honored by Laurelhurst Elementary

From Angela Uhl, Co-Director of Futurewise: "The students of Laurelhurst Elementary School selected Futurewise to receive funding from their Penny Harvest program at their year end assembly. Grade School children collected pennies to distribute to local area non-profits throughout the year. As part of the program the children researched, interviewed and selected the recipients. Futurewise is honored to have received this award from such a thoughtful, enthusiastic group of young philanthropists. Thank you Laurelhurst Students!" Where can you learn more about this environmental advocacy organization? Via the "Advocacy and Action" links on our website, of course!

File for PCO!

2010-06-09T06:37:00.001-07:00

The Primary Election in August is where the Democratic Party elects our Precinct Committee Officers. These are the leaders who cast critical votes during our reorganization meetings, nominate official candidates for partisan positions and fill those positions when a vacancy occurs. They also convene the Precinct Caucuses during Presidential years.

We need someone in every precinct. Please check our PCO list. If you live in a precinct with an established PCO, please remind them to file! (Contact our Chair if you would like their contact information.) If you live in a precinct without a PCO, please file for the position yourself!

How to file for PCO

First, check to see if your precinct has had someone file. You are still able to file, but if someone has filed in your precinct and you are willing to serve we need your help in a neighboring precinct. To see if someone has filed, you can go to this page hosted by the 41st LD. You can also check the list of precincts where no one has filed yet and look for yours. You will only be able to officially file for your own precinct. We will be able to make appointments of PCOs after the reorganization in January.

King County Elections has launched a web page so that PCO candidates may file electronically. Click here to go to file electronically from 9:00am Monday June 7th to 4:00pm Friday June 11th. Please click here for more information.

If you prefer to file in person, here is a link to the PCO Candidacy Form. Please fill this out and take it in person down to King County Elections before Friday, June 11th at 4pm.

Questions from the May 20th Candidate Forum

2010-06-02T21:41:00.000-07:00

For the uncontested Judicial races:

Opening remarks introducing themselves: 3 minutes per candidate, answers 1.0 minute unless extended by the Chair.

For trial court judges only:

Please describe what you will do/currently do to make jurors feel they are a vital and respected part of our judicial system.

For all judges:

What is your view regarding openness of judicial records and regarding judicial discretion on sealing those records?
Judicial candidates may not directly solicit contributions, but are often aware of their contributors. What standards would you set for your self in regards to recusal on cases involving campaign contributors or conflicts of interest?
Do you believe in public financing of judicial campaigns; and, if so what will you do to promote reform?
Racial disparity dominates our judicial system. What will you do to reduce it?

For contested Judicial Races

The format for the forum for contested judicial positions is opening remarks 2 minutes each, answers 1.0 minute each, unless extended by the Chair

Do you believe that the public defender system is working in our state, in particular for three strikes or capital cases, and if not what would you do to improve the situation?
Judicial candidates may not directly solicit contributions, but are often aware of their contributors. What standards would you set for yourself in regards to recusal on cases involving campaign contributors or conflicts of interest?
Do you believe in public financing of judicial campaigns; and, if so what will you do to promote reform?
Should judges publicly discuss their judicial views and philosophy? (Yes/No)

LD Candidate Forum

No opening remarks, answers 1.0 minutes each unless extended by the Chair.

Name 2 or 3 things that you will work hard to accomplish during the next legislative session if you are elected.
The State faces another multi-billion budget deficit next year. How would you close that gap?
What other employment will you have when the legislature is not in session, and how will that influence your priorities as a legislator?
How should our school districts evaluate teachers to ensure that our kids get the best K-12 education possible?
What should the role be for the state legislature in requiring high density development around transit centers such as Northgate?
What are your most significant accomplishments in recent years that have advanced progressive values in our community?
Our state plan to reduce homelessness by 2015 cannot be successful without adequate support for mental health and substance abuse treatment funding, which have both been cut. Would you support increased funding for these services? How can we actually reduce homelessness to achieve our goal?
What will you do to protect the interests of our district in regards to the SR 520 Bridge, and do you believe that it should be built to carry light rail?

Yes/No Questions:

Have you contributed to, or endorsed, any candidate who did not describe themselves as a Democrat in a partisan race in the past five years?
Do you support allowing UW tuition to be set by the UW and not the Legislature?
Will you sponsor legislation applying the Public Records Disclosure and Open Government laws that apply to City and County Councils to the Legislature?
Will you sponsor public campaign financing for legislative races?
Will you co-sponsor global warming cap and trade or carbon tax in Washington to meet the goals already in state law?
Do you support enacting a five-year sunset on tax exemptions and annual performance reporting by businesses to keep their exemptions?
Would you support legislation to require state institutions such as hospitals and prisons to make a plan for discharge of their patients or inmates?
The 46th District is a relatively expensive place to live. Would you advocate for more low-income and working family housing within the 46th?
If you are the nominee tonight, do you support the right of other Democrats to continue their campaigns?

New Faces, New Energy and New Ideas

2010-05-18T07:33:00.000-07:00

Senator Ken Jacobsen announced yesterday that after 28 years serving in Olympia for the 46th Legislative District, he will not run for reelection. The 46th District wishes to express our thanks for his nearly three decades of service to our district and the State of Washington.

District Chair Chad Lupkes said, "It is always exciting when changes happen, and the Democratic Party always welcomes new faces, new energy and new ideas. This year is not an exception to that pattern, it is following the same pattern that we see every year."

The Nominating Convention, which will be held on Thursday in conjunction with our annual Candidate Forum, is where the PCOs of our party select the official Democratic Nominee. Where we expected to have two incumbents in the House and one challenged incumbent in the Senate, the siutation on Tuesday morning is one incumbent in the House, one open House seat, and one open Senate seat. What will happen between now and Thursday evening will be fascinating to watch. Just as a reminder, anyone may be nominated from the floor for any of these positions. The question of the timing of the Nominating Convention has come up in conversation, and I need to cite the State Party rules on the Nominating Conventions:

V. B. 2. Legislative Nominees. The nominees for Washington State Senate and Washington State House of Representatives shall be chosen at a legislative district nominating convention consisting of elected and appointed precinct committee officers representing precincts in that legislative district. Such nominating conventions shall be called by the Chair of the Legislative District Democratic Party not later than 45 days and held not less than 14 days prior to the date filing for office commences. The results from each nominating convention shall be reported to the Chair of the Washington State Democratic Party within 24 hours after the convention has adjourned.

May 20th is the last possible date that we could hold the Nominating Convention in the 46th District. It's either that or we leave the decision up to the State Party Chair. We would rather our PCOs have a chance to cast their ballots.

The 46th District Democrats will provide election resources to endorsed candidates. Our Endorsement Meetings are in June for the Primary election, and August for the General election. The district organization does not judge who is allowed to run for any position. Anyone may file for any seat. It is the mission of the 46th District Democrats to elect and support candidates who pledge to enact the policy positions that are expressed in our District Platform. We also work to engage, educate and empower our members to hold elected officials accountable to that platform. We hold endorsement votes, advocate on behalf of our endorsed candidates and cast our ballots as citizens to do that work.

May Community News

2010-05-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

by J Peter Shapiro (outreach@46dems.com)

This is an expanded version of the article that appears in the May Demogram.

This month’s column features some splendid organizations that are providing much-needed services to low-income and homeless people in our Lake City community. They are working hard to help achieve many of the social justice goals of our Platform. They deserve our admiration and support.

Neighborcare Health joins other providers at McDermott Place

Neighborcare Health is opening a primary care clinic at McDermott Place, just south of the Lake City Fred Meyer. This rounds out a collaboration of several agencies serving low-income and homeless people at that facility:

The Low-Income Housing Institute provides apartments for previously homeless veterans and others. LIHI offers its residents programs to help them maintain stable housing, gain access to education, and obtain employment.
North Helpine runs a food bank and emergency services office in its new headquarters at McDermott Place (see the November 2009 “Community News” column).
RotaCare (a non-profit coalition of Rotarians and health professionals) provides acute health care through a volunteer staff at the facility.
Americorps helps provide outreach to the surrounding community to link residents with these newly available services.

Lake City Task Force on Homelessness marks its 5th year

The Lake City Task Force supports neighborhood solutions to end homelessness in the Lake City area. The group represents local residents (people living inside and outside), many community organizations such as Meadowbrook Community Council, North Helpline, the Seattle University School of Nursing practicum program, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, faith-based communities, and advocacy groups. The Task Force celebrated its fifth anniversary earlier this month.

Project THRIVE comes to Lake City

Project THRIVE (Treatment, Housing, Resources and Interventions for Veterans Empowerment) is creating a new service continuum for homeless veterans, a few blocks from McDermott House at the Community Psychiatric Clinic, 11000 Lake City Way. Many veterans return from serving our country with hidden injuries. Project THRIVE will operate a new veteran's resource center and provide services in supported housing for homeless veterans with dual disorders of mental illness and chemical dependency.

According to the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, there are approximately 2,000 homeless veterans in King County. CPC will initially be providing 45 units of supported housing for the project, and plans to construct a new housing facility for homeless veterans within three years. Project THRIVE is funded by a five-year grant from the U.S Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

For more information about these organizations, visit our web page that provides links to Advocacy and Action Groups. Or give me a call at (206) 524-9386.

Aggressive Solicitation Ordinance (Council Bill Number: 116807)

2010-04-17T10:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Councilman Burgess, members of the Seattle Council, Mayor McGinn and City Attorney Holmes,

At the meeting of the 46th District Democrats on Thursday, April 15th, 2010, a resolution was submitted by one of our members expressing concerns about Council Bill 116807, the Aggressive Solicitation Ordinance. The resolution passed with a very strong margin, which you can read about on the blog of The Stranger.

The resolution is linked from our website on this page:

http://46dems.com/resolutions.php

I will also attach a copy to this email.

My impression of the discussion was reflected well in the interview that I had with Dominic from The Stranger on Friday morning. And I very much appreciated Council Member Harrell's discussion points on the resolution during the main program of our meeting where both he and Council President Conlin had a chance to speak. The question I believe we need to focus on is the outcome that we desire to see that this ordinance was drafted to address.

Please take the views of the membership of the 46th District Democrats into account while you are debating and voting on Monday.

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Save Town Hall's Windows & Walls

2010-04-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

I'm writing to ask you to Help Save Town Hall's Windows and Walls.

It won't cost you a cent and takes just seconds a day.

Town Hall Seattle is one of 25 worthy sites in Western Washington designated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation (and funder American Express) to compete for a $125,000 Partners in Preservation grant.

To receive our full request, Town Hall must earn the greatest number of votes in a poll conducted by Partners in Preservation. That's where you come in.

Every day, between April 15 and May 12, please go to www.partnersinpreservation.com to cast your vote for Town Hall Seattle. That's right: you can vote for Town Hall once a day, every day, for 27 days. On your first visit, you'll be asked to register with a valid e-mail address. After that, all you'll need to do is log in and vote.

We'd be happy to send you a daily e-mail reminding you to vote-just sign up here: email reminder

Town Hall dearly needs the $125,000 grant to restore our historic building's cracked, white terra cotta tile. (Water infiltration is causing damage underneath.) We'd also repair Town Hall's beautiful and massive, but crumbling, stained glass window. It casts a rosy glow on the over 300 performances, lectures, rehearsals, and community events held under our soaring dome each year—events ranging from Al Gore and Madeleine Albright to Isabel Allende and Garrison Keillor, from Malcolm Gladwell and Jared Diamond to Says You and The Magnetic Fields, from children’s choirs and community activists to the King/Snohomish County Spelling Bee. With your help, Town Hall will delight and enlighten audiences, and deepen our bonds of community, for decades to come.

Thank you so much for taking a few minutes to vote now, and daily, for the next 27 days. Together, we can Help Save Town Hall's Windows and Walls!

Register and vote at:
www.partnersinpreservation.com

Two final and important steps:

1. Please forward this message to as many friends as possible.

2. If you have Facebook or Twitter accounts, please use them to encourage others to Vote for Town Hall. Use this as your status: Help Save Town Hall's Windows and Walls: Vote Every Day through 5/12. visit: Town Hall Seattle Partners in Preservation

With sincere appreciation for your cultural activism,

Susie Tennant
PR & Marketing Director
Town Hall Seattle
susie@townhallseattle.org
@THSEA

Control Your Demogram Subscription

2010-04-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Dear Valued Member,

Thank you for everything that you are doing to support our efforts in the 2010 election cycle. We can't do this without you.

Did you know that the 46th District spends almost 30% of our expense budget every year to print and mail our newsletter? We are also trying to find ways to balance our values on the environment with our need to spread our message. We're constantly trying to find ways to reduce that, and I would like to offer a way for you to help us control our costs and our environmental impact.

We now have over 800 Demogram subscribers who have shared your email addresses with us. We send out a friendly reminder each month when the Demogram is published on-line on our website. That email includes an easy-to-access link so you can read that month's issue and any of the back-issues at your leisure. However, the Demogram is one of our major outreach efforts, giving our paid members a monthly reminder of just how important we consider your membership to be, and also giving you something to pass on to friends and neighbors in order to spread our message.

Over the last few months, I have tried a few things to provide the member services that you expect while also trying to minimize our expenses. In March, we sent a printed Demogram to all of our members in order to boost participation in the Legislative District Caucus on March 14th. In April, I pulled back and only sent printed Demograms to people who had requested it or for whom we don't have an email address. (If you expected one in your mailbox and didn't receive one, please go to our website and view the copy online. We will have the extra copies at our meeting tomorrow night.)

I would like your help to find the point in the middle of these extremes. I have set up a form on our website that will give you direct control over your subscription. You can choose to receive the Demogram via email only, via both email and printed copy, or only printed copy. The Executive Board feels that this is a way to push the decision making process out to you, our members.

http://46dems.com/demogram/subscription.php

The 46th District Democrats are committed to use our contributions wisely. The less we spend on printing and postage, the more trees we save and the more resources we have available to help support candidates and elected officials who support our platform.

Thank you for your help in streamlining our systems. Please let me know if you have any questions. It would be great to hear from you.

Quick Links...

A letter from Schoolsfirst!

2010-04-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

March 2, 2010

Chad Lupkes
46th District Democrats
PO Box 15435
Seattle, WA 98115-0435

Dear Chad:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Schools First, I’d like to thank you again for your generous contribution to Schools First and for supporting the recent Seattle schools levy campaign.

We ran a successful campaign despite tough economic times. With your help we raised the $181,000 needed to reach the voters in Seattle who aren’t supporters like you. Your contribution helped us purchase 1,000 yard signs that raised awareness about the Special Election and send over 205,000 pieces of mail explaining why the levies must be passed. It helped feed hundreds of hard-working volunteers who made nearly 13,000 phone calls, and it helped us communicate with a wider audience through blogs, Facebook. twitter, and YouTube.

The impact of your support speaks for itself:

Proposition 1, the Capitol Capital Levy, was approved by 73.5%
Proposition 2, the Operations Levy, was approved by 74.1%

Seattle voters continue to willingly tax themselves to support the children of Seattle who attend our pubic schools and invest in their future. Your support guarantees that our kids will get the learning materials they need for a basic education, and have safe & healthy schools in which to get that education. The passage of these levies will:

Continue investments in health and safety improvements

Continue seismic upgrades to keep up with changing State and City building codes

Getting to work on the acknowledged backlog of building maintenance projects

Continues the critical 6th period day in our high schools so those students can compete with other students in this state

Replace inefficient fossil fuel heating systems with environmentally friendly ground source heat pumps

Pay for teachers, librarians, bi-lingual and special education specialists and textbooks

Upgrading technology systems and equipment that improves student learning

...AND MORE!

In three short years Seattle voters will again be asked to support their public schools, and Schools First will again be there leading the effort to renew the levies. I hope we can count on your continued support in 2013!

I thank you and the 46,000 students in Seattle schools thank you!

Betty Hoagland,

President, Schools First

Olympic View fund-raiser to offer huge selection of native plants

2010-04-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

Olympic View Elementary School will be offering a huge selection of native plants and edibles for sale at its annual PTA Plant Sale April 23-25. The fund-raiser will include sales of: organic vegetable starts, hanging baskets, designer pottery, compost bins, Northwest natives plants, and stunning annuals. Kids activities will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, Saturday, April 24. All proceeds from the event will directly benefit Olympic View students. Call (206) 252-5500 or visit the school Web site for more information.

Olympic View PTA Plant Sale
9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, April 23
9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, April 24
10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, April 25
Olympic View Elementary School
504 N.E. 95th St.

The 46th District Democrats has held our monthly meeting at Olympic View Elementary School since 2004. Please support their fundraiser!

Legislative Update from Rep. Phyllis Kenney

2010-03-26T18:40:00.000-07:00

Government Reform

In Olympia all session, the focus has been on balancing the budget. Because the gap is in the billions, it’s easy for the press, legislators and others to focus only on the big numbers. But some of the most important work this year has been on reforming government and delivering vital services more efficiently.

Reform has been a focal point of my agenda for many years, and it has paid big dividends. Governing Magazine recently gave Washington State an A- for the way our state is managed. They said Washington is a “consistent leader in results-based governance” and is “ahead of nearly all other states in controlling spending by keeping track of where investments were and were not paying off.”

We are always looking for more ways to improve and the global economic crisis has given the state extra motivation to move quickly in a variety of areas. Some examples from this session are:

- Education changes to improve student learning

Last year legislation was signed into law making comprehensive changes to the way the state funds and delivers basic education (House Bill 2261). It was the first major look at how to better fund schools in 30 years. This year we followed up with legislation to update K-12 funding formulas (House Bill 2776) and a bill to improve our schools so we can compete for federal Race to the Top dollars (Senate Bill 6696).

- Transforming the critical GAU program into the Disability Lifeline

General Assistance Unemployable (GAU) helps people struggling with mental illness or addiction problems. Often those issues are the cause of many other issues – homelessness, arrests, emergency room stays, and more. This year GAU will become the Disability Lifeline, to reflect that often a small amount of assistance stops lives from spiraling out of control. House Bill 2782 also requires technology to be used to make the program more efficient, and prioritizes finding federal support for people in the program. It will save $25 million in the next 15 months.

- Focusing the state’s Department of Commerce on jobs

Last year the Community, Trade and Economic Development Department was renamed the Department of Commerce. This year, House Bill 2658 reorganized the department to allow for a heightened focus on jobs, while protecting the community programs and strengthening the economic programs.

- Rethinking technology services in state government

House Bill 3178 attempts to bring about systematic change to how we inventory, assess, manage and oversee our $2 billion a biennium in technology spending, which could save close to $30 million.

- First steps to retooling the state’s management program

Last year we passed HB 2049 which required an in-depth report on the Washington Management Service, which has grown from a few hundred to a few thousand. As a follow-up to that report, House Bill 2998 froze bonuses to WMS managers and other state employees and legislators are continuing work to reduce the number of WMS employees.

Those are a few of the important moves the state has made this year to rethink the way government works. Right now the state has fewer resources coming in, but the demand in public schools, health clinics, and other social services has increased.

Cuts need to be made, and under the current proposals being looked at, $4.40 worth of cuts will be made of every dollar of new revenue. Over 3,000 state employee positions have been eliminated under the current budget.

I’ll be continuing to work with my colleagues in the House on new ways to save state dollars and examine how we can make our tax system more equitable. This year’s budget challenges will extend into the next budget and beyond.

If you have questions about these reform efforts, or suggestions for other ways the state could be doing better, please contact me. I would appreciate your help in reforming state government.

Rep. Phyllis G. Kenney

Legislative Update from Rep. Phyllis Kenney

2010-03-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

Washington didn’t cause this crisis

Our state is feeling the effect of a worldwide recession. Wall Street CEOs and the housing collapse caused serious damage to our economy which will take years to make up. Last session, we closed our $9 billion budget shortfall with an all-cuts budget, even as 29 other states raised revenue. The budget hole we’re working to solve didn’t start here, and the problem doesn’t end here – every country and every state is struggling with the recession.

While businesses lose customers during tough economic times, the demand for services like public schools, health care, emergency assistance, job training, and state financial aid increase – just when our ability to pay for them decreases.

Washington has seen a dramatic upswing in “caseload” – those who depend on state services. Parents are moving their children back into public schools, more students are seeking financial aid for college, people who have lost their jobs are asking for retraining opportunities. More seniors are finding their investments have been depleted due to the financial crisis that hit Wall Street and they need state assistance to pay for their long-term care. The housing crash is still forcing people out of their homes.

Although there are many signs that the economy is beginning to recover, experts believe Washington will continue to feel the effects of the Great Recession for months, if not a couple years.

We balanced the budget by shrinking government

There are less than two weeks to go in the 2010 Legislative session, and all eyes are on the supplemental operating budget. Both the House and the Senate released proposals last week, and both make a substantial number of cuts – on top of the $3.2 billion already cut from the current budget – and both depend upon some new sources of revenue.

We in the House have not yet decided on a revenue plan. Instead, we have been concentrating on finding more cuts and more reforms.

As we discussed last week, there were serious reductions made last year. The Legislature has already cut $3.3 billion from the current budget. Additionally, the first three bills signed into law this year were all devoted to making additional cuts and efficiencies.

In fact, for the first time since 1949, the 2009-11 biennial budget is smaller than the 2007-09 budget.

That’s right – for the first time in 60 years, we produced a two-year budget that was less than the one before!

Over a billion dollars less, in fact. Here’s a sample of the cuts already made:

Area	Budget cuts
K-12/Public Schools	$795 million
Higher Education	$504 million
Early Learning	$12 million
Health Care	$780 million
Long-term Care, DD, Mental Health	$197 million
Other Human Services	$227 million
Corrections and Criminal Justice	$157 million
Natural Resources	$93 million
Other government costs	$99 million

A statement of our values

The state operating budget isn’t just a table of numbers. It is a statement of our values and priorities; it is our vision of Washington’s future. We know those numbers represent families and communities, businesses and schools.

The budget decisions we make today not only directly affect the current needs of students, seniors, foster children, the unemployed and people with disabilities, but they also shape our future. So we have to ask ourselves some very hard questions:

How will additional cuts to our schools and colleges affect the employment opportunities of the next generation? Will they be well-trained for the jobs in the changing economy?

Can we afford to eliminate health care coverage for even more people, forcing the expense onto community hospitals and emergency rooms?

Is a particular tax exemption or legal form of tax evasion more important than making sure our seniors have safe nursing homes and well-trained caregivers?

How will an increase in taxes affect our businesses and families?

$4.40 in real cuts for each $1.00 in proposed revenue

As of this week, the Governor, the Senate, and the House have all recommended filling a small portion of the remaining budget gap with new revenue. We will also take even deeper cuts in state services, lay off more workers, and enforce new government reforms and efficiencies.

How much of the gap are we looking to fill with taxes? About 10% of the 2-year total.

Budget cuts
Original 2009-11 cuts	$3.2 billion
2010 proposal	$0.65 billion
Total	$3.85 billion	44%

Federal assistance
Original 2009-11	$1.9 billion
2010 expected	$0.65 billion
Total	$2.57 billion	30%

Transfers (including Rainy Day fund)
Original 2009-11	$0.96 billion
2010 proposal	$0.47 billion
Total	$1.43 billion	16%

Revenue increases
Original 2009-11	$0.00
2010 proposal	$0.86 billion
Total	$0.86 billion	10%

As you can see, we are considering $4.40 in real cuts for each $1.00 in proposed revenue.

Final decisions will be made during the next two weeks. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns, or suggestions. I welcome your comments.

For more information on the proposed House supplemental budget: http://leap.leg.wa.gov/leap/budget/detail/2010/ho2010p.asp

March Demogram

2010-03-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

I’ll be blunt. Frustration is rising. As we move further into this election year, people are looking at Washington DC and seeing Congress blocked from doing anything to help us because just a few voices are so opposed to making a positive difference that they are willing to do anything to stop our progress. This cannot stand. But while I know that you understand who is on our side, too many people just look at the entire political system and throw up their hands.

We need to give people a reason not to give up. We, the members of the Democratic Party at a local, state and national level, need to present a vision for what our country can be if we listen to each other, learn from the past, plan for the future and keep in the front of our minds that we are all in this together. As a country and as a world we will only survive, succeed and thrive if we all work together.

What drives people away from the political process? I think it has more to do with their concerns not getting addressed than anything else. We are of course limited on what we can do from a small geographical area in the Northern part of a single city. But we need to maximize our impact by encouraging each other to speak out.

At the Legislative District Town Hall on February 20th my son came up with a question all on his own. “What is Washington State doing to get electric cars on our roads?” This from an 11-year-old boy who listens to my wife and I talk about the news and knows that we have the ability to protect his future if we just get on the right track.

Our LD Caucus is on Sunday, March 14th at Ingraham High School. I would love to see a few hundred active people, wanting to get the business done and ready to engage in a discussion of how we can put our country on the right track. Our Draft Platform is on our website ready for your review. The agenda and rules are posted. I hope to see you there!

Read more in our March Demogram!

Letter to Governor Gregoire about TransAlta

2010-02-26T17:18:00.000-08:00

At our February Meeting, we had a presentation by Doug Howell of the Sierra Club about what we can do immediately here in Washington State to make a significant step towards our goal of reducing our CO2 emissions. The membership of the district agreed to sign on to a letter to Gov. Gregoire to encourage her to do the right thing when it comes to both our environment and the jobs in Centralia, Washington where the TransAlta Coal Plant is located. The following is the letter that was sent of today:

February 27, 2010

The Hon. Chris Gregoire
Governor, State of Washington
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Re: The State’s negotiation with TransAlta Centralia Generation L.L.C.

Dear Governor Gregoire:
This letter is a follow-up to conversations with your office regarding the ongoing negotiations with TransAlta Centralia Generation L.L.C. (“TransAlta”) on the future of its coal-fired power plant in Centralia, Washington. We applaud your leadership on many significant climate protection initiatives, including the Energy Independence Act (I-937), the emissions performance standard, statutory goals for greenhouse gas reductions, clean car standards and stronger building codes. We are confident that the final agreement with TransAlta on its coal plant will reflect the same commitment to public protection that has been your touchstone.
The TransAlta coal plant is the state’s dirtiest single source of pollution and No. 1 emitter of greenhouse gases, toxic mercury and nitrogen oxides. The mercury and climate emissions damage Puget Sound, and the air pollution places a substantial disease burden on our state. In fact, TransAlta is the second-worst coal plant in the country in terms of creating haze in national parks and wilderness areas.

While the State’s entire settlement proposal has not been made available to the public, the following details have been disclosed:

By 2012, TransAlta will increase on-site natural gas output by 250 average megawatts (aMW) and reduce the output from one of its coal-fired boilers by an equal amount.
By 2018, TransAlta will develop 700 megawatts of renewable energy and retire one of its two coal-fired boilers.
By 2025, TransAlta will retire the other coal-fired boiler and starts operating a new 700- to 900-megawatt natural gas electricity generation unit.
The State will seek policy changes to facilitate a market for TransAlta's products.

Given our climate crisis and the public health and visibility issues associated with this coal plant, we continue to oppose the State’s proposal to TransAlta for a 2025 transition off of coal. We remain concerned that alternatives – including increased use of available clean energy resources – have not been adequately explored. We are confident that the state can facilitate a more rapid transition for TransAlta that requires less use of natural gas than has been proposed.

Analyzing all alternatives and scenarios – with emphasis on timing, interim pollution reductions and replacement energy -- is fundamental to the State’s obligations to protect Washington’s citizens and to exercise due diligence on important decisions. The public needs to be informed and included throughout the development of this agreement.

Analyze options

We strongly recommend that the State analyze earlier alternative transition dates than 2025, including the year 2015. Our own preliminary analysis finds no compelling evidence that a 2015 transition cannot be achieved or that 2025 is the best option to protect the public health and welfare. With climate scientists and physicians urging the fastest possible transition to a clean energy economy, it is appropriate for the State to examine the feasibility of a quicker transition.

The State has said it is willing to support TransAlta’s full 2025 transition by helping to explore financing options for a large gas plant, by lining up government buyers for a new TransAlta energy resources, and by changing the State’s emissions performance standard. We urge the State to explore similarly creative ideas to make full transition by 2015 a reality. The solutions must maintain grid stability and reliability, provide just transitions for coal-plant workers, and create clean energy development opportunities for Lewis County.

The complex set of compliance obligations the TransAlta coal plant will soon confront must be addressed in a holistic rather than piecemeal fashion. The fact that the current negotiations resulted from the Climate Change Executive Order should not preclude a comprehensive dialogue on the issues. Concern for public health and the environment may well drive new federal standards for fine particulates, sulfur dioxide, coal combustion waste and coal mining waste. New federal standards on hazardous air pollutants such as hydrochloric acid are expected next year. All of these regulations may apply to TransAlta and should be a part of this conversation.
Inform the public

The past year has featured many large public gatherings across the state addressing climate change and the need for action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (EPA endangerment hearings, 350 events, etc.). The public is engaged and seeking solutions. We believe more transparent discussion of options with TransAlta will strengthen the State's negotiating position and help build momentum for a timely resolution.

Given the statewide impact of the coal plant’s pollution, we recommend a set of public hearings across Washington and specifically in Seattle, Vancouver and Spokane.
We are confident that with your leadership we can transition TransAlta off of coal as early as 2015; we can protect the health of our citizens and our natural resources; we can ensure energy reliability and we can support displaced workers while clean energy alternatives create even more jobs. Such a result will be consistent with the Governor’s climate leadership and will inspire the nation. But to make this powerful vision a reality, the State needs to fully analyze the options and engage the public as soon as possible.

We look forward to working with your office toward such a positive outcome -- for the sake of our climate, public health and tomorrow’s clean energy jobs.
Sincerely,

Doug Howell, Senior Representative, Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club

Sean Smith, Regional Policy Director
National Parks Conservation Association

Mark Riskedahl, Executive Director
Northwest Environmental Defense Center

LeeAnne Beres, Executive Director
Earth Mnistry

Cara H. Dolan, Environmental Associate
Environment Washington

Barb Gottlieb, Deputy Director, Health & Environment Program
Physicians for Social Responsibility

Chad Lupkes, Chair
46th Legislative Districts Democrats

Gerald Pollet, Executive Director
Heart of America Northwest

Sara Patton, Executive Director
NW Energy Coalition

General Assistance-Unemployable (GAU)

2010-02-26T15:04:00.001-08:00

The Senate budget cuts $90 million from General Assistance-Unemployable (GAU) recipients. The "reforms" assume that with professional assistance, people can document their disability sufficiently to qualify for Social Security within 18 months, instead of the two to three years it takes now, with appeals. It cuts the stipend from a measly $339 to $50 and ties that to accepting shelter or housing, mental health or chemical dependency treatment.

Meanwhile, mental health treatment is cut 2% across the board (in both budgets) and I cannot find any increase in chemical dependency treatment. What happens when people relapse, or are kicked out of treatment? They lose their housing, too? We know that most people need multiple chances to get clean and sober, yet we don't provide enough treatment slots, especially residential beds, for long enough to establish new friends, new habits, new places and jobs.

The Senate limits GAU medical coupons to 12 months in any 24-month period. Can we think of any justification? Since 44% of GAU recipients have a mental illness, this will cause them to go off their meds, which will likely put many back in the streets after a short period. This sounds like a prescription for "homeless musical chairs" while some people get to take turns with others for housing and medical treatment.

The House budget fully funds GAU. The reform bill renames it the Disability Lifeline. We support the House budget for Disability Lifeline (GAU) and ask you to ask your legislators to do the same.

Sarajane Siegfriedt

Organizing for America coming to North Seattle

2010-02-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

Organizing for America‘s Organizing Committee Meetings are a chance for OFA staff to talk with volunteers across our state about OFA’s legislative and electoral plan for 2010. As an organization, we have come a long way in the past year. We have lessons to learn from the budget pledge drive, health insurance reform and the Massachusetts Senate Race.

The Strategy Sessions are a time to bring those lessons together and look to the future. Staff will talk through national strategy and simultaneously gather feedback from our supporters for our plan to lead OFA forward in 2010.

The North Seattle Organizing Committee will be on Thursday, February 25th starting at 6pm at the University Heights Community Center located at 5031 University Way NE.

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Priscilla at (206) 295-2126 or minp@dnc.org.

Please download this flyer and spread the word about this meeting!

Our LegActionTeam in the news!

2010-02-19T11:46:00.000-08:00

Seattle Times' columnist Lance Dickie wrote about efforts in this Legislative session to clean up Puget Sound. He included one of the King County Democrats' legislative priorities, the safe medicine return bill:

"One smart bill that did not survive legislative deadlines was a medicine-return program that created a statewide system for environmentally safe disposal of opiates, prescription drugs and over-the-counter products. It was a sane option to flushing pills down the toilet or having them filched by prescription-drug abusers of all ages. It had broad support — law enforcement, drugstores and successful programs in Snohomish and Clark counties — but could not overcome Big Pharma."

This is a bill that one of our members worked hard on. We agree that the bill and its key lobbyist 46th member Margaret Shield are plenty smart, but the massed forces of Big Pharma were too much for a very broad-based coalition of youth and drug prevention advocates, law enforcement and municipalities.

Click over to the Seattle Times article for more about efforts to clean up Puget Sound:

The Seattle Times Company:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2011121836_lance19.html

Originally published Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 4:03 PM

Lance Dickie / Seattle Times editorial columnist

Legislative Update from Rep. Scott White

2010-02-17T09:32:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

It’s hard to believe we are already half-way through the short 60-day session.

There is still not much solid news to report. Gov. Gregoire recently signed the first three new laws of 2010. All three were devoted to paring state expenses with modest steps such as freezing new government hiring and reducing travel and equipment costs. But the real budget battles are still ahead.

That is one reason why I am writing. We need our 46th District families and businesses to have a strong voice when the major budget and legislative decisions of 2010 are made over the next several weeks. That is why I recently sent out a district-wide survey of citizen priorities, and why the entire 46th District legislative team is holding a Town Hall Meeting on Saturday morning.

46th District survey—still time to respond

It’s not too late to share your priorities and thoughts on my district survey. If you or a member of your household would like another copy of the survey, all you need to do is click the 2010 survey link to download a copy. Then it is just a matter of printing it out and mailing it back to me.

By the way, I’ve told House leaders that citizens should have an easy way to fill out surveys online—because it is faster, more convenient, more environmentally-friendly, and also less expensive, since there are no mailing costs. We are working to create an online survey system now, but it is still in the pilot phase and probably won’t be fully ready until next year. I’ll keep you posted on progress.

Town Hall Meeting just days away

I hope you can find some time to join our Town Hall Meeting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the Meadowbrook Community Center. Because of the recession, we face some extremely difficult choices concerning budget and revenue issues. My job is to represent you and our neighbors as these decisions are made, and I’d like to hear a full range of views as we prepare for the major budget, revenue and policy decisions that will literally be made in the next four weeks.

Our community Town Hall will also give me a chance to update you on the progress of the 2010 legislation I’ve proposed. I’m happy to report that a number of the measures I’ve proposed recently passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming support from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. I’ll be sharing details at the Town Hall.

Let’s keep in touch!

If you can’t attend the Town Hall, please remember that you can always get a message to me quickly by email, phone or regular mail. Representing you is a pleasure as well as an honor, so don’t hesitate to call or write with your advice or questions. I will never forget that you are the reason why I’m here.

Scott

Our February Program

2010-02-14T08:12:00.000-08:00

Every month, we try to conduct a program that will interest our members and be a draw to the larger community. In February, we hope we have put together a panel that will catch your attention and inform you about the decisions we have to make in the near future. Please join us on February 18th!

Global Climate Change: From Science to Action

Humans are conducting a kind of "science experiment" on the planet. Every year we release over 30 billion tons of atmospheric CO2 along with many other pollutants, including 400 billion pounds of reactive nitrogen in fertilizer.

The experiment asks: What happens to a planet when subjected to these conditions?

The changes that have been documented so far include atmospheric CO2 rise, sea level rise, ocean acidification, polar ice decrease, glacial retreat, early onset of Spring, and many others. Although it is hard to model these changes, a significant majority of scientists agree human pollutants are the primary cause and the worst-case predictions for this century are very distressing.

Is this an experiment we want to continue?

Our three speakers are very concerned and have chosen to speak publicly. Even if you don't share their sense of urgency to act, their views will provide a sense of urgency to learn more about this issue.

Bob Brown is a UW Emeritus Professor of Atmospheric Science. He has done research and writing on the mathematics of atmospheric dynamics and has, for many years, been involved in the collection and analysis of satellite data. He will report on the very latest developments in global warming theory and data.

Guillaume Mauger is a climate scientist with the UW Climate Impacts Group studying concrete, identifiable changes resulting from climate change. During his personal time, he studies what we can do to minimize the impacts of climate change, and provides scientific advice to citizen groups. He will tell us about greenhouse gas emissions targets and current Federal legislation designed to reach them.

Doug Howell is the Campaign Director for the Sierra Club's NW Beyond Coal campaign. He has an extensive background in energy policy at Seattle City Light and elsewhere. He is on the forefront of efforts to take action to promote the move away from fossil fuels, especially coal, to clean alternatives. He will discuss Washington State issues, including current negotiations between the Governor and TransAlta (owner of the Centralia coal plant), related legislation, and the status of I-937.

2010 Budget Proposal

2010-02-03T09:03:00.000-08:00

Our Executive Board met last night and approved consideration of the proposed 2010 Budget for the district. The budget proposal reflects our expectations for the year, but does not include the Cole Fund.

The money that we received from the Raymond T. Cole Trust has been invested in a revolving set of Certificates of Deposit. As we develop our 5,10 and 20 year plans, we will have more details on a budget for the fund later in the year. However, as this has been placed outside of the normal operating budget, it is not appropriate to include in the Operating Budget that will be approved in February.

Please take a look at the proposed budget. Questions before or at the meeting may be directed to our Finance Chair, Kathryn Lewis, or our Chair, Chad Lupkes.

REMINDER: PLATFORM-DEVELOPMENT MEETING THIS SATURDAY!

2010-02-03T07:29:00.000-08:00

You are invited to participate, with your Platform Committee, in a “grass-roots” meeting this coming Saturday, February 6, to help develop the 46th District Democrats’ 2010 platform.

As a part of our State Democrats’ biennial process, all local Democratic organizations have been invited to adopt platforms at their upcoming caucuses. Our caucus will occur on March 14, and it is the duty of your Platform Committee to develop and present a recommended draft platform for your consideration on that occasion, facilitated by the draft’s being included in the Official Call to the caucus.

You will recall, from the excitement of Presidential year 2008, that our platform development that year began with submission of ideas at February precinct caucuses throughout the District. Our previous platform, that of 2006, was re-examined in light of those ideas and an appropriately updated draft for 2008 was presented at the District Caucus in April (after being included in the Call to that event).

This year, however, without the draw of a Presidential-nomination contest, our State Democratic Central Committee decided to forgo the initial step of precinct caucuses and commence the process with caucuses at the next level, which in our case means the Legislative District Democratic organization. As a substitute for the grass-roots contributions from our constituent precincts, we have scheduled this Saturday’s meeting – to hear from YOU!

In the meantime, your Platform Committee has not been idle. A lengthy, plank-by-plank examination of our 2008 adopted platform is almost complete, and we will have a Committee-updated draft ready for your review as a starting point at Saturday’s meeting. We expect to finish that draft at the Committee’s next meeting, this Thursday night, and to have it ready ASAP thereafter for posting on the District’s website, 46dems.com. While waiting for that to occur, it would be wise to prepare yourself for the Saturday meeting by taking another look at that starting point, our 2008 platform (already on the website, via the “Resources” link).

Saturday’s meeting will be held at Olympic View Community Church, 425 NE 95th St. (our former LD meeting site), beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at noon. Please come and give us your reactions and other ideas! Your Committee will carefully consider your contributions and devote its remaining February meetings to developing a final draft for inclusion in the Call and consideration at our March 14 District caucus.

Hope to see you there!

Dean Fournier, Platform Committee Chair

Chad Lupkes, Chair

Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Kenney

2010-01-25T19:18:00.000-08:00

Let’s put Washington back to work

Today marks the beginning of week three in the 2010 legislative session, and things are really moving quickly. We passed our first bill on Wednesday, and I'm very happy to report that it’s a big one, aimed at creating jobs in every corner of our state.

The Jobs Act of 2010, expected to create 38,000 jobs, was approved the same day unemployment numbers in our state grew to 9.5% -- the highest level since 1984. The Seattle Metropolitan unemployment rate is slightly below that at 9.2%. The bill will not only provide good-paying jobs, it will repair our public schools and universities, making them safer, healthier and more energy efficient.

It's an innovative way to create a lot of jobs because most of the work is self-financed. Here's an example of how it works: energy contractors do an audit of an elementary school and estimate how much could be saved in power costs, every year, by replacing old leaky windows, putting in a heat pump instead of a furnace and using better insulation.

Then the money saved on electricity each month is used to finance the work. Contractors are careful and good at this now, because if the savings don't materialize, it's in the contract that they're on the hook to repay the bonds.

Schools and universities like this creative idea, because after the projects are paid off, they get to keep the money saved every month in lower electricity bills. Once these projects are done, taxpayers will save $190 million a year in reduced energy costs.

The Jobs Act passed the House 57-41, and now it's being considered by the Senate, but ultimately you will decide if this is the right thing to do – the JOBS Act, if passed by the Senate, will be on the ballot in November for your consideration.

There are other ideas for creating jobs, and we'll be voting on more bills in the House along with some ideas from Gov. Chris Gregoire.

But the Jobs Act is important because it's one thing we can do to create a lot of jobs for some of the people hit hardest by the global recession: construction workers.

The latest estimate is that 40,000 construction workers are out of a job right now. If you look at the average weekly unemployment check -- $400 dollars -- and multiply that by all those hard hats standing in the unemployment line, it's more than $2 million a day.

I believe we can -- and should -- put those good people back to work. Their paychecks help stimulate our whole economy. Let's have them pick up their hammers, put their hard hats back on and put them to work building us better schools and universities.

Budget cutting process underway

On Friday, the House passed the first budget bill of the session. As you’ve heard, there is a revenue shortfall of about $2.6 billion that must be addressed between now and June 30, 2011.

That number will move up and down as we get new information regarding caseloads and revenue forecasts, but it’s safe to say we have a pretty big problem facing us. After balancing a $9.2 billion shortfall last year, this may seem easy by comparison, but in reality it is much harder.

The early saving bill comes only twelve days into the 2010 session and allows legislators to capture some early savings without waiting to vote on the full supplemental budget, a budget that won't be approved until the final days of session.

The bill makes $46.7 million in savings and extends numerous cost-saving measures approved by the Legislature last session.

The savings include:

$18.6 million in administrative savings such as not hiring for vacant positions and reducing contract, travel and equipment spending.
$9.4 million in efficiency savings such as consolidating printing functions in DSHS and expediting nursing home discharges.
$10 million in service reductions to programs such as the Passport foster care program or Special Commitment Center services.
$8.7 million in underexpenditures/federal funds including money unspent in the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The measure now heads to the Senate.

I am interested in hearing any of ideas for savings, efficiencies, and cuts to our state’s budget.

Donation to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund

2010-01-22T11:10:00.000-08:00

Date: January 22, 2010

To: American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund
P.O. Box 37243
Washington D.C. 20013

Subject: Donation

Last night at our January General Membership meeting for Washington State’s 46th District Democratic Organization, we received a unanimous vote from our members to send the proceeds from their contributions for food and beverage provided at that event to support your efforts in Haiti.

These monies are normally intended to help fund our operating expenses and it is with great pride that we put these in your hands for appropriate use. The amount we collected was $300.

Sincerely,

Stan Moffett, Treasurer
46th District Democrats
Seattle, WA

cc: Chad Lupkes, Chairman
46th District Democrats
Seattle, WA

Legislative update from Sen. Ken Jacobsen

2010-01-20T14:40:00.001-08:00

Dear Neighbors:

We have just begun the 2010 legislative session in Olympia. Currently we are facing a $2.6 billion shortfall, and you have probably heard news reports of the possibility of even deeper cuts that could detrimentally affect our workforce, healthcare infrastructure and economic security. I want you to know that in the face of this challenge I remain committed to promoting your goals and keeping my pledge to represent the people of the 46th Legislative District here in Olympia.

I am sending this e-newsletter to update you on some bills that I am working on. I would welcome any input or feedback you might have on this legislation.

A Food Policy Council for a Vibrant and Sustainable Statewide Food System

Clearly there is scope for improvement when it comes to our food system in Washington State. In the face of challenges to our agricultural economy, a concern for food safety and other issues of public health such as high rates of obesity, it is imperative that the Legislature produce a solution to better secure the food system in our state.

To that end, I have sponsored Senate Bill (SB) 6343 which would create a food council whose purpose is to tackle the very problems that currently plague our food system.

Among the several goals the Food Policy Council would be responsible for are:

To develop programs that would promote the production of healthy food grown in our State for the people of our State.
To protect resources needed for sustained local food production.
To reduce food insecurity and hunger in Washington State.

SB 6343 had its first reading on January 12, 2010 and has been referred to the Agriculture & Rural Economic Development Committee.

Near-Term Benefits to Sustainable Recreation

Due to the projected budget shortfall there is a possibility that more than twenty trail systems and campgrounds operated by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be closed in late March. Included on the potential list are the popular Mount Si and Little Si trailheads (500,000 visitors combined last year) as well as popular recreation sites in the South Sound.

To prevent any closures I have sponsored SB 6237 which would provide a short-term infusion of general-fund money to keep the sites open. To ensure the future of these sites, SB 6237 would also grant the DNR authority to charge fees for use of certain recreation facilities for events hosted on DNR lands, among other options to generate additional revenue to keep these sites open.

I know firsthand the joy these recreation sites can provide and will do my best to ensure that they remain accessible to the public.

I encourage you to share your thoughts with me. You can find more information on issues by visiting my Web site at http://sdc.leg.wa.gov/jacobsen.htm.

Sincerely,
Ken

About the 2010 Senate Race

2010-01-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

Word has arrived through blogs and press releases that Senator Ken Jacobsen will face a Primary challenge in 2010 from David Frockt, an attorney who lives in our district. Mr. Frockt has also called me to let me know that he was starting his run. This gives me an opportunity to review the mission of the 46th District Democrats:

The purpose of the organization shall be to promote citizen participation in the Democratic Party, advance the 46th District Democrats’ platform, and support and work for the election of Democratic candidates and candidates for nonpartisan office who demonstrably espouse the principles contained in that platform.

As chair of our organization, it is my job to be fair to all candidates who seek our endorsement. Mr. Frockt called me yesterday to let me know that he had made his announcement, and mentioned that he had observed my efforts to be fair during the 2009 election. I promised to him that I would continue to be fair during 2010.

Senator Ken Jacobsen has been in Olympia since he was first elected to the State House in 1982. David Frockt is an attorney working on corporate accountability. As Democrats, we welcome discussion and debate. It looks to me like we're going to get some good discussions and debate during this contest.

I look forward to hearing from all candidates who are willing to put "Prefers the Democratic Party" when they file for office, and what I will be most interested in hearing is how their experience and their values will help us push our platform in Olympia.

The endorsement vote will be held during our June meeting. There will also be a Democratic Nomination vote by our PCO's, likely at that meeting as well. May the best campaign win.

Building our Network

2009-12-16T09:59:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone,

2010 is another important election year, and we are going to need all the help that we can get to push President Obama, Congress and Olympia in the right direction. I hope we can count on your help and support.

I am going through our Membership Database, and I'm trying to build our online networks. If you are on any of these websites, please join us!

Facebook

Twitter

46-Democrats on Yahoo Groups

Democrats.org/PartyBuilder

LinkedIn

I am on many more social networking sites, so if you have one that you would like to see listed, please let me know.

I am focused on what I said that I would do when I ran for Chair in January, 2009. Community, Community, Community. Please help!

Chad

Legislative Update from Rep. Scott White

2009-12-15T16:33:00.001-08:00

Governor Gregoire released her 2010 supplemental state budget proposal this week and, as required by state law, it was structured around the most current state revenue forecast. As we discussed a couple weeks ago, that forecast predicted a $2.6 billion shortfall in the two-year budget approved last April.

To fill that gap, the Governor proposes eliminating dozens and dozens of state programs and services. Some of the more well-known examples include:

The Basic Health Plan, which provides 69,000 low-income people with health care and which currently has another 100,000 people on a waiting list for enrollment.
Levy equalization, which provides nearly $150 million for property-poor school districts
Early learning for three-year-old children
Maternity Support Services for low-income women
State Need Grant to help low-income students attend college

The Governor has stated that the cuts included in the balanced budget she proposed, as required by state law, are unacceptable. I couldn’t agree more.

Choices are pretty limited

In reality, our state budget has very little flexibility to deal with hard economic times. In legislative-speak, it’s the difference between mandated funding and discretionary funding. Mandated funding means just that; the amount we are obligated to pay to certain services and programs, like public education, based on state law and our constitution.

Those obligations amount to about 70% of our total state budget. That leaves only 30% – the “discretionary funds” that pay for everything else. It is only from that small slice of the budget that reductions can be made. This means that without additional funds, $2.6 billion must be cut from about $9 billion in non-mandated funding.

It is our responsibility to respond to this economic crisis

Washington families are wrestling with an economic meltdown that started with the CEOs on Wall Street and is exacerbated by those millionaire moguls who are driven by greed with no consideration for the economic vitality and well being of our country, state, and local communities. While this crisis isn’t our fault, it is our responsibility to respond the best way we can.

Thanks to smart decisions and investments made in the past, Washington state was one of the last to feel the pain of high unemployment and skyrocketing caseloads resulting from the national recession. In fact, Washington state is nationally recognized as a good steward of the public purse strings. Last year, we were one of only a few states given an “A-” by Governing Magazine in its 2008 Government Performance Project.

Last session, we balanced our budget with a combination of federal stimulus aid, $4 billion in cuts to discretionary programs and services, and fund transfers from other state sources. This budget eliminated about 3,000 government jobs, suspended pay raises for all state employees, increased the share of health care costs paid by many workers, and asked agencies to find other ways to cut costs. The priority was preserving the jobs of those who serve our citizens on the front lines—still, deep cuts were made to many programs throughout State government with negative impacts on real people in our communities.

Today, largely because of continuing declines in sales tax revenues and a lagging recovery, we now face this additional shortfall in the second half of our state’s 2009-2011 budget.

Smart recovery doesn’t require sacrificing our values

Good management in the best of times requires even better management—and strong leadership—in the worst of times. Much of my work in the 2010 legislative session will be focused on putting people back to work and protecting services that are critical to the health of our communities. I believe that the Legislature must look at new revenues to support programs that provide critical services to the citizens of Washington State.

We want a smart recovery, and that means job creation today and educational opportunities that will attract the jobs of tomorrow. But a smart recovery also means taking care of our families, the unprecedented number of people who are struggling to find a job, and those who require help caring for themselves. These priorities reflect the core values of our state.

The Governor has proposed a budget that, without any new revenue, means eliminating many of the programs that have provided hope, health and opportunity for thousands of people. Again, the Governor has stated that the cuts included in the balanced budget she was required to propose are unacceptable. And again, I completely agree that these cuts are unacceptable.

Please know that I will be working with my colleagues to evaluate additional cuts and new revenues this session. While some budget reductions will be necessary, it is important that we secure some funding for critical programs such as Apple Health for Kids, Basic Health Plan, long-term care for our elderly, support for people with disabilities and needed investments in K-12 and higher education.

As always, please contact my office with any questions, comments or concerns. Your input is important to me and an integral part of our democracy!

Fwd: November E-Memo from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney

2009-11-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenney, Rep. Phyllis <Kenney.Phyllis@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Subject: November E-Memo from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney
To: WALEG-HOUSE-GUTIERREZ-KENNEY@listserv.wa.gov


46^th Legislative District · kenney.phyllis@leg.wa.gov

DATE, 2007

In this Issue:

Resources for Veterans

For more news and resources, please visit my web site.

Honoring Our Veterans

Dear Friends,

As we near November 11^th, I'm reminded of the countless lives that have been touched by our veterans. These brave men and women have, for generations, woken up each and every day ready to lay their lives on the line. They have done this willingly and knowingly so that their family, friends, and neighbors can sleep peacefully at night. Their dedication and loyal service to their country is unforgettable.

Connecting veterans with living wage jobs and additional benefits is not only an important stepping stone in building a sustainable economy, but it's also the right thing to do. As our country is simultaneously engaged in two of the most difficult conflicts of this generation, we must never forget that our veterans have and continue to forgo many of the comforts that we take for granted. These same men and women must be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve when they are deployed and when they return home.

Veterans are skilled workers with knowledge and training that's applicable to a wide range of career fields. Unfortunately, job searching in this economy isn't exactly easy, and resources for veterans are not always readily available. That's why I have compiled some information on helpful educational and training opportunities, as well as additional benefits for veterans.

I hope you find this information useful and share it with others. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact my office by phone at (206) 368-4491 or by emailing me at Kenney.phyllis@leg.wa.gov.

Resources for Veterans

Covering educational expenses

Paying for school can be a daunting task, especially when your main concern is simply providing food for your family and the bare essentials to lead a healthy life. Easing the burden of educational expenses for veterans is one way to give back to those who have already given so much.

Originally signed into law in 1944, the GI Bill was updated in 2008. As of August 1, 2009, the new law gave veterans with active duty service on, or after, Sept. 11, 2001, enhanced educational benefits that cover more educational expenses, provide a living allowance, money for books and the ability to transfer unused educational benefits to spouses or children. Visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/ for additional details about the GI Bill.

In Washington, state community colleges and universities are authorized to waive all or a portion of tuition and fees for eligible veterans or National Guard members. Each college or university establishes and operates their own veterans waiver program so it is best to get in touch with the college or university you plan to attend for details on their program. A list of colleges and universities is available at: http://www.hecb.wa.gov/links/colleges/collegesindex.asp

Training for a new profession

Apprenticeships are a good way to complete training while earning a living wage and gaining valuable on-the-job-experience. Many veterans have skills that transfer well into the construction industry, but they often lack the formal training and certifications that may be required. Helmets to Hardhats, which is operated by the Building & Construction Trades Council, is an example of an apprenticeship program created specifically to recruit veterans into the construction industry.

With the Helmets to Hardhats program, men and women coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan can transition into new careers as skilled tradesmen and women. It's an opportunity for veterans to earn a living wage while gaining expertise in a trade such as plumbing, pipefitting, carpentry and more. This training paves the way to a more secure financial future for veterans and their families.

The Veterans Conservation Corps is also a great opportunity for veterans to earn valuable work experience while gaining skills most applicable to the environmental field. In an effort to help restore and protect Washington state's natural resources, veterans take part in activities such as stream restoration and monitoring, re-vegetation of native plants, environmental or community education and more. All veterans are eligible for this program.

The Employment Security Department (ESD) provides a wide array of services to help veterans find jobs and to support themselves financially while they look and/or train for work. In an effort to assist with this process, ESD connects hired specialists who help veterans understand and use their benefits. These veterans specialists promote the hiring of veterans, particularly recently discharged veterans, and assisting veterans who face significant barriers to getting hired, such as a disability. They also work with local businesses that hold federal contracts to help them recruit potential veteran candidates to fill vacancies. Most of these services are arranged or provided through WorkSource offices that are located all over Washington. Click here for a WorkSource office directory.

Veterans Affairs
The Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs is available to help servicemen and women get connected with their benefits and services. The WDVA is also able to help file claims to the Federal VA for disability compensation or pension, or provide information on how to access other federal benefits such as your Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation or VA Home Loan program.

If you know a veteran in need of assistance, please let WDVA know how to get in touch with them. You can call toll-free, 1-800-562-2308 or visit them online at www.dva.wa.gov .

The VA provides information and assistance with state benefits such as:

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Counseling: Washington State maintains an outreach/counseling program which provides confidential counseling services to WA State Veterans and family members with war-era or PTSD-related problems.

OIF/OEF/ONE Veterans: The Veterans Innovations Program was created to provide emergency financial assistance to veterans and their families facing financial hardships due to extended deployments.

Property Tax Relief: The Department of Revenue offers a property tax exemption and deferral program for low income seniors, persons with disability and disabled veterans who meet income requirements. Widows of 100 percent disabled veterans may be eligible for a Property Tax Grant which pays a portion of their property taxes.

State Veterans Homes: Three Veterans Homes are available for veterans or widows needing long-term rehabilitative or short-term Medicare A rehabilitative care. More information is available by calling: 1-877-838-7787

Transitional Housing and Homeless Veterans Services: A 40 bed transitional housing program provides veterans with a stable living environment and supportive services to help break the cycle of homeless. Other homeless programs focus on removing barriers to employment and providing other supportive services.

Incarcerated Veterans Reintegration Program: Partnerships with several counties, including King County, help veterans in county jail deal with the issues that got them into trouble and focus on preventing them from reoffending.

Veterans Conservation Corps: Assists veterans by providing training and volunteer opportunities that help to restore and protect Washington state's natural resources while helping veterans suffering from war trauma get back into the workforce in 'green collar' jobs. A Veterans Academy supports veterans in higher education programs which lead to environmental certificates or degrees.

Women Veterans: The Women Veterans Advisory Committee has several goals including performing outreach to improve women veterans' awareness for services and benefits and providing assistance in accessing those benefits.

Veteran / Servicemember Owned Business Registry: The registry is one way that our state and its citizens can honor veterans by promoting their businesses and products statewide. Government Agencies and Corporations have access to this statewide list of Veteran/Servicemember Owned Businesses for contracting opportunities and individuals and families have easy access to a list of those businesses in their communities. These businesses may also be eligible for the Linked Deposit Program which can reduce the interest rate on their business loans by 2 percent.

Please join me in thanking those who have served and are serving in our armed forces to protect our country.

My home page | Contact me | House Democrats Home | Washington State Legislature

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. To send any comments, or to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please go to my E-memo page.

Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge

2009-10-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

by Georgie Bright Kunkel

When I learned that there would be a ceremony on West Marginal Way to unveil the highway sign JEANETTE WILLIAMS MEMORIAL BRIDGE I could not stay away. Soon I found myself driving along the boulevard and crossing the tracks into the parking area. Several dignitaries gathered to honor the woman of politics who took part in making sure that West Seattleites had a high bridge.

You may not realize it but the newly named, Jeanette Williams Memorial Bridge, made it possible to drive downtown to and from work without waiting for ships to pass under the drawbridge. This high bridge came into being because of an interesting occurrence. I will never forget the exciting news of Rolf Neslund, an older pilot, who made an error which resulted in the freighter Chavez crashing into one of the old bridges making it unusable. It is reported that he said, “My wife will kill me for this.” Well, as it happened she later died in prison for just that, killing him, even though his body was never found.

West Seattleites had to suffer traffic tie-ups because of the bridge’s demise. There was a good deal of wheeling and dealing to find the funds for a high bridge. Our senior senator Warren Magnuson had enough seniority to pull it off and the high bridge became a reality. Much of the groundwork for making it all happen was facilitated city council member Jeanette Williams when Charles Royer was mayor.

Williams did not begin her life in politics. She played viola in both Seattle and Chicago orchestras and even formed a traveling women’s band. But it wasn’t long before she found her calling. Anyone named after Alice Paul, feminist and political strategist, would naturally be a leader. She was the first female chair of a metropolitan Democratic Party organization in the United States.

I remember going with my husband downtown to her office and doing mailings. She showed us how to line up all the envelopes with the part to be moistened folded back. We would take a sponge and run it across at least ten or twenty envelopes and then seal each one. That was in the days of hands-on politics. It was before all the yard signs and high priced TV ads.

Her resume includes twenty years on the Seattle City Council with a reputation of being for parks, human rights and of course the West Seattle Bridge. Her grown children watched her stay intellectually active up until she died just a year ago at age 94. Although she wanted to see Hillary Clinton run for the presidency, she cast her vote for Barak Obama before she died.

Rusty Williams, her son, worked tirelessly to bring the issue of naming the bridge after his mother before the citizens of Seattle. He is very proud of the fact that she is the first woman to have such a large structure named in her memory.

There was a time in which I could drive over the high bridge and enter the freeway without merging at 60 miles an hour. Perhaps some other activist like Jeanette Williams will step up to the plate and find a way to change the traffic pattern to allow West Seattleites to have the right of way once more. I know that if Jeanette were still around, it might be accomplished.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 206-935-8663.

Thanks from David Bloom

2009-10-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

Near the end of the meeting last Thursday, there was a motion from the floor to make a $400 contribution to the campaign of David Bloom. The motion passed, and we sent a check on Monday. I received his thanks last night:

Chad,

I received the donation check for my campaign today. It is a huge help during this last run-up to election day. Please extend my thanks to my fellow members of the 46th.

David Bloom

Thanks to our callers!

2009-10-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

Senator Ken Jacobsen, Barbara Whitt, Gerry Pollet and Erica Minshull came to the Olympic View Church tonight to make some calls in support of the NO ON I-1033 campaign. Thanks so much for coming out!

The next phone bank hosted by the 46th District will be next Tuesday, October 27th. Contact Barbara or Gerry for details and to RSVP.

Two weeks to go!

Ballot Postage

2009-10-20T06:08:00.001-07:00

A question came up at the meeting last Thursday night about the postage required for mailing the ballot. Emily Willoughby, Elections Vice Chair of the King County Democrats and our county representative on the Citizens' Elections Oversight Committee, let me know that a single first class stamp is sufficient. If you have any questions, please let us know.

Fwd: Invitation to Special Joint Town Hall on K-12 Budget Issues

2009-10-14T08:33:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: White, Rep. Scott <White.Scott@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Subject: Invitation to Special Joint Town Hall on K-12 Budget Issues
To: WALEG-HOUSE-WHITE@listserv.wa.gov

State Representative Scott White
Town Hall on K-12 Funding
46th District | white.scott@leg.wa.gov
10/14/09
You are invited to a Special Joint Town Hall to discuss K-12 Education
Budget and Funding Issues

Please join School Board Directors Sherry Carr and Peter Maier and
State Representative Scott White for a special Town Hall to discuss
school funding and budget issues from both a state and school district
perspective.

7:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 20th
Olympic View Elementary
504 NE 95th St

For more information:

State Representative Scott White
(206) 366-7830
white.scott@leg.wa.gov

Director Sherry Carr
(206) 252-0040
sherry.carr@seattleschools.org

Director Peter Maier
(206) 252-0040
peter.maier@seattleschools.org

To contact me directly, send an email to white.scott@leg.wa.gov

A special appeal to PCO's

2009-10-10T12:46:00.001-07:00

This is an email I just sent out to our PCO's:

Hi everyone,

I'm not using Constant Contact this time. This is a personal appeal. Our ability to support our platform depends on getting the right people in office, and ensuring the vote goes our way on significant ballot measures. Especially this year. I-1033 could devastate the finances of the state and local governments. There is no way that I can overemphasize how important this is. Everything that we work for, everything that we dream for our kids and our future depends on being active. As PCO's you know that already.

I just stopped by Sylvia's house because I needed some I-1033 literature. It was there waiting for me. All of the literature that we need for this election is there.

There were also a LOT of bags still to be picked up. If you have already picked up the bag for your precinct, thanks so much. If you have not yet, please pick it up this weekend and distribute the literature this week. Ballots are going into the mail, and the numbers from the primary election showed that 30% of people who will vote in an all-mail election fill out their ballot right when they get it and send it in almost immediately. We need to catch that first wave of voters.

If you can do more than just your precinct, that's fantastic. Please do everything you can.

Contact me if you have any questions. Please.

--
Chad Lupkes - http://chadlupkes.blogspot.com
Chair, 46th District Democrats - http://46dems.com

Notes from the Chair, October, 2009

2009-10-05T07:58:00.001-07:00

The Demogram has been published, and here are the "Notes from the Chair".

All of us are constantly learning from our history, to try and improve things that we may not have done as well as we hoped or to avoid making mistakes. I think the September Endorsement Meeting went much better in some ways than the June meeting, and I’ll continue to try and improve the way things are done.

The district too is exploring what we can do better. I would like to point out one of the ways that we are evolving and changing. Since probably 1995, Janet Miller has maintained a database of members and activists who have attended our precinct caucuses and other events. With my technical skills, this is one of the things I have most wanted to work on since I got involved with the district in 2004. I’m planning on making it a more robust and integrated system that will help us track our membership, events and budget. I would like to thank Janet for doing such a great job over the last 14 years. I’m nervous about taking this on, because just over the last two months I know how much work it has been.

We’re planning for the 2010 Caucus Cycle and Budget cycle. According to the rules passed by the State Committee, we will not be holding Precinct Caucuses this coming year. That’s a big change, and in some ways a positive one. But conducting the LD Caucus without the preparatory work normally started at the precinct level will take some extra work. We need to develop a platform drafting process that takes input from the grassroots and makes a meaningful update to our 2008 Platform. We will need to elect delegates and alternates to the County Convention and the State Convention. And we need to build our party by proving once again that the 46th LD is one of the most effective party organizations in the state.

If everyone pitches in, 2010 will be a bright spot in our history, where we hold true to our progressive principles and push the country further into the 21st Century. Starting in North Seattle, of course!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

P.S., Some of you might have heard about my bike crash. I’m fine, don’t worry. But I wanted to use a point of personal privilege here to thank my personal community. The crash happened about a block away from NW Hospital, and I saw several people come out of their yards to ask if I was ok. I was well enough to walk to the ER. Everyone has been supportive, and my friends in cyberspace didn’t even notice. At least they say they didn’t notice. I love this community.

Read the rest of the October Demogram here.

Fwd: Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney

2009-09-24T21:03:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenney, Rep. Phyllis <Kenney.Phyllis@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 7:43 PM
Subject: Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney
To:

46th Legislative District · kenney.phyllis@leg.wa.gov

October Assembly Days
State Revenue Outlook
Extension of Unemployment Benefits

For more news and resources, please visit my web site.

Dear Neighbors,

Hope you are enjoying this lovely autumn weather. These are the days
that really remind us how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful
state!

Even though it doesn't seem like the summer has ended, the Legislature
will be in Olympia October 1 and 2 for what are called Committee
Assembly Days. Public hearings and work sessions will be heard on a
large variety of issues as your Representatives continue gearing up
for the 2010 session. A complete listing of committee action can be
found here.

State Revenue Outlook

Late last week, the Economic and Revenue Forecast Council adopted a
revised state revenue forecast. This forecast has two components:
the final numbers for the 2007-09 budget, which ended on June 30,
2009, and changes to the 2009-11 budget, which we are now in.
Together, for all four years, the General Fund-State change is a loss
of $237.7 million.

This change in revenue shows that with both the General Fund and the
Budget Stabilization Account, the 2009-11 ending fund balance is in
the red by $184.9 million. Remember, though, that this is a two-year
budget and we are only three months into it, so this is an estimate of
where the state's revenues would be at the end of the 24 month
biennium if no action were taken.

Despite the lower-than-estimated numbers, there was some good news in
the forecast – economists around the country believe we are now at the
end of the recession and easing into economic recovery.

Dr. Arun Raha, the director of the council, made these points:

· It now seems very likely that the recession ended in the
third quarter of 2009.

· The recovery will be slow with consumer spending constrained
and unemployment elevated for some time.

· Washington is expected to outperform the nation in the
recovery, primarily because our state's economy is more trade
intensive than others.

· Revenue collections lag the economic recovery.

If you'd like to see some of the charts used in the presentation, here
is the link: http://www.erfc.wa.gov/pubs/rev20090917color.pdf

Unemployment numbers may continue to grow, but there's some relief on
the horizon

While most economic indicators are looking better, recovery will be
slow and unemployment numbers will remain high for some time to come.
This is not just true here in Washington, but around the country.
Most businesses will need some time before they get to the stage of
expanding their workforces again.

The first bill we passed during the 2009 Legislative session increased
unemployment benefits for those laid off during the Great Recession.
That, coupled with extended eligibility funded by the federal
government, helped an awful lot of families get by during the last
several months. And not only families benefitted – economists say
that for every $1 paid by Unemployment Insurance, $2.15 is returned to
the local economy. So the corner grocer, the neighborhood barber, the
local hardware store, etc., also were helped by these government
actions.

However, because jobs are still so hard to find, many people are
reaching the end of that economic lifeline.

The good news, however, is that the House of Representatives in
Washington DC voted Tuesday to extend benefits for another 13 weeks
for the unemployed living in states with unemployment rates of 8.5
percent or higher. Washington's rate is currently 9.2 percent, so our
struggling workers will qualify.

The Senate is expected to act on the measure within days. You can
read more about these extended benefits here: House votes to extend
jobless benefits

________________________________

My home page | Contact me | House Democrats Home | Washington State Legislature

Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. To send any comments, or
to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please go to my E-memo page.

Fwd: September Newsletter: Back to school edition

2009-09-24T11:32:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: White, Rep. Scott <White.Scott@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Subject: September Newsletter: Back to school edition
To: WALEG-HOUSE-WHITE@listserv.wa.gov

In This Issue

Economic Forecast

K-12 Education

Town Hall

________________________________

Visit my web page

Contact me

About the Legislature

State Representative Scott White

Working on the issues important to you!!!

46th Legislative District   |   white.scott@leg.wa.gov

09/23/09

New forecast: More hope, but more pain

A new (Sept. 17th) state revenue forecast suggests that the recession has almost certainly bottomed out. Economists now expect Washington to be one of five states leading the national recovery… but that is only the good news. Too many families won't see relief any time soon. Unemployment will remain tragically high for much of next year. We will all have neighbors in need for a long time as the crises slowly recedes.

I'm also deeply troubled that state revenues are expected to fall another $238 million in this budget cycle. This figure hugely understates the problem: It doesn't include billions of dollars lost earlier in the recession, and it doesn't reflect much higher mandatory state costs for increased recession-driven needs, such as unemployment compensation or the cost of educating all of the children who are leaving private schools for public schools as families try to stay afloat.

The bottom line is that state officials will likely call for additional cuts of $800 million to $1 billion from education, health care, the social safety net and other important services. This is on top of billions of dollars slashed earlier this year. When I think about all the hardships I've heard from teachers, senior citizens, people with disabilities, college students facing closed classes and higher tuitions, and many others who have been hurt by state budget cuts, the prospect of more budget pain is heart wrenching.

Clearly, we must prioritize and make even better use of public-private partnerships, performance audits and other tools to increase government efficiency and make limited dollars go farther. We also need to look at new revenue options that the public will support and which will help ensure that we are able to fully fund our public schools and provide critical services to those most in need. We will get through this, but we must work together to minimize the pain of the recession.

Education: We MUST do better

Last week, I attended an all-day meeting of State Representatives who believe that improving policies and funding for public schools must be a top priority in 2010 – and beyond. I'm excited by some of the new strategies we're examining for funding school construction (with less burden on local property taxes), making better use of technology, reducing the dropout rate and achievement gap, replacing the WASL, rewarding top teachers, and improving links between preschool, public schools and higher education. These strategies will be fleshed out in the months ahead.

I have to say, though, some lawmakers still don't "get it" – they seem to think the paramount duty of the state to provide for basic education doesn't apply during economic downturns. But as any teacher or administrator will tell you, the damage done by underfunding schools in a recession doesn't go away when prosperity returns. Kids don't get to relive school years, and when talented but frustrated teachers leave for other careers they rarely return.

This year, the first day of school was also the day a lawsuit was filed to challenge state underfunding of schools as a violation of the Constitution. We shouldn't need lawsuits to tell us our duty. We must find a better way to improve school funding. It is time to find the courage to do what we know is right.

Save the Date: Special Joint Town Hall on Education Funding

Please join me and your local Seattle Public Schools Board Directors Sherry Carr and Peter Maier for a first ever "Joint Town Hall Meeting" to discuss funding for Seattle Public Schools. 7:00pm, Tuesday, October 20th at Olympic View Elementary, 504 NE 95 ST. More details to come.

We hope to see you there!

School of the Month: Broadview-Thomson K-8



One of my favorite parts about being your State Representative is the opportunity to meet with young people to discuss issues and answer their questions about government. Kids are naturally inquisitive and have a tendency to "call it like they see it". Near the end of the last school year I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Ms. Sumner's 5th grade class at Broadview-Thomson K-8 School to hear presentations by students and talk about the job of legislator.

Please contact my office if you would like me to come meet with your child's class or school. Also, I regularly meet with local neighborhood groups and constituents in the 46th legislative district. Just give us a call or send an email and we'll work to set it up.

Thank you for your interest in state government and for subscribing to my E-memo. Your input is important to me and is key part of the democratic process. As always, please contact my office anytime with questions, ideas or concerns.

Sincerely,

Scott White

State Representative 46th Legislative district

PS – You can learn more about the legislature and my work to serve you by visiting my legislative homepage at:

http://www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/members/white/

________________________________

Please do not respond to this message; it is an automated service.

·         To contact me directly, please send an email to white.scott@leg.wa.gov or call our district office at (206) 366-7830.

Fwd: Phone bank to defeat Eyman's 1033!

2009-09-24T11:12:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aisling Kerins, No On 1033 <info@no1033.com>
Date: Thu, Sep 24, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Subject: Phone bank to defeat Eyman's 1033!
To: Chad LUPKES <chadlupkes@gmail.com>

Dear Chad,

As you know, we're facing a tough battle to defeat Tim Eyman's latest bad idea: I-1033, a dangerous initiative that would severely handicap our state.

Now is the time to get to work and win this fight.<

We will be hosting a number of phone banks over the coming weeks to tell Washingtonians why it's so important we defeat Eyman's I-1033:

King County
WCV/WEC -- 1402 3rd Ave., Suite 1400, Seattle
Tuesdays, Wednesdays next two weeks
Capacity: 20

RSVP to Sierra Hansen at txsierra@hotmail.com.

If you cannot attend one of the posted phone banks, please sign up now and we will be in touch about future dates and locations.

I hope you will make your voice heard, literally, in this important fight.

Remember, a similar TABOR plan was implemented in Colorado in 1992 with disastrous consequences. The share of low-income kids without health insurance doubled. Colorado's per capita funding for education plummeted to 49th in the nation. The state couldn't even afford to vaccinate children entering school to help protect against diseases like whooping cough. So in 2005, Colorado voters suspended the law to save their state.

Now Tim Eyman wants to bring the same terrible plan to Washington in the midst of the biggest recession since the Great Depression -- and we can't let him.

Thank you for joining us and standing up for Washington's small business owners, teachers, firefighters and so many others. Together we can defeat Eyman's I-1033.

Sincerely,

Aisling Kerins
Campaign Manager
No on 1033

P.S. Your help is crucial to defeating this dangerous initiative. Please email Sierra Hansen at txsierra@hotmail.com to sign up for one of our phone banks now!

no1033.com

Thanks from Rusty Williams

2009-09-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

My friends,

It is my sincere wish to thank you for your help and support in the re-naming of the West Seattle Bridge after Jeanette Williams. The 46th District Democrats along with their colleagues in the 34th, 36th, 37th and 43rd legislative districts voted 546-11 in favor of the renaming. Mayor Nickels, who up until that point had been resisting the nomenclature, signed off on the City Council resolution almost immediately upon its receipt. This was such a shocker that when His Honor gave me the news at a political event we were both at, I actually hugged him. I hugged Greg Nickels. This is very disturbing. Regardless, it is now a reality and you have yourselves to thank for making our city a more honorable community.

As I said in my address to the City Council upon passage, Mrs. Williams, a well documented pioneer and champion for women's rights would see this not as a personal honor, but as a significant event in that a large and important civic structure was named after a women. Something of a rarity. So please accept my ardent thanks from my family and from women everywhere.

Rusty Williams
Democrat

General Election Literature Distribution Plan

2009-09-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

Regions will remain the same as the primaries though some organizers will change.

All PCOs are invited to a literature bagging party to happen on Sunday, Oct. 4th At the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85th St.

Literature will be collated for all precincts at a lit distribution party on Sunday, Oct 4th from 1:30-4:00 pm. This is a volunteer party, not a pick up party. All PCOs are encouraged to attend as those attending can receive only the lit they wish to carry. Everyone who attends will help collate all precincts.

Candidates are requested to provide 15,000 pieces of lit to cover precincts with PCOs. Campaigns are also requested to provide one or two volunteers or staffers to the party on the 4th. These people will be in charge of counting out bundles to match the number of doors in a given precinct. There will be no advanced drop off of lit so the lit should come with the volunteers to the party.

All precincts with PCOs will be collated first, followed by empty precincts.

We are targeting likely voters who are likely or strong Democrats. If any PCO would like to doorbell every door, please contact Jason Sawatzki and/or Chad Lupkes so we can make sure that the quantity written on the bag during the collation has the number you need.

PCOs will be asked to walk their precinct by Sunday the 18th of October

At the October general membership meeting we will be asking for volunteers to pick up empty precincts. ROs will help check out precincts by region.

Anyone walking a precinct should email or call their RO when they have finished it. ROs will contact all PCOs and volunteers who haven’t confirmed the week of the 19th of Oct. ROs will then submit a list of precincts that were confirmed to be walked to the District Chair.

Anyone wishing to return extra lit or pick up more lit can go to an ongoing exchange from Oct 5th through the 11th from 11 am to 9 pm at Sylvia Haven’s Garage at 10418 12th Ave NE.

All campaigns are requested to pick up whatever additional lit from Sylvia by Tuesday Oct 27th.

Extensive analysis will be done with the election results, to determine the overall effect of our canvass.

At our Holiday Party we will be presenting awards to the PCOs and volunteers who did the most effective jobs delivering turnout as well as votes for our endorsed candidates.

Welcome Sylvester Cann to the Executive Board!

2009-09-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

At the meeting last night we held a quick election to fill a vacant spot on the Executive Board. Sylvester Cann IV was elected to fill the KCDCC Male Alternate position.

We had some trouble with the audio system in the school, so we were not able to show the video that Sylvester had put together for the membership. I have posted the video on YouTube so everyone can see it:

Welcome to the board!

Fwd: Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney

2009-09-15T13:50:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenney, Rep. Phyllis <Kenney.Phyllis@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 1:38 PM
Subject: Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney
To: 46th Legislative District

Topics:
Washington's Shared Work Program
2009-2010 School Year Begins
Investing in Our Future Workforce

For more news and resources, please visit my web site.

Legislative Update from Representative Phyllis Gutiérrez Kenney

Dear Neighbor:

The end of summer is approaching and I'm preparing for the next
legislative session. Although we hear in the news that the worst of
the recession is behind us, many in our country are still struggling.
Here in Washington state, we've taken actions that have helped protect
families, jobs and businesses. With your help, I hope to build on
some of those successes.

Businesses avoid layoffs with Washington's Shared Work program

This past Labor Day - our nation's 127th - provided us all a moment to
reflect on the progress we've made as a country in respecting our
working class families, and the challenges we still face providing
ample opportunity to all who want to work, and to the businesses that
want to hire and keep their workers.

This recession has taken a heavy toll on jobs in our state. But some
companies are avoiding layoffs with the help of the Employment
Security Department.

Thanks to the state's Shared-Work Program, employers can temporarily
reduce the work hours of their full-time employees by up to 50
percent, while workers collect partial unemployment benefits to
replace some of their lost wages.

The employees receive more income than with unemployment benefits
alone, and they aren't forced to look for another job in this tough
economy. Businesses benefit by cutting payroll costs while keeping
their skilled workers until the economy improves.

Here in Washington, about 2,000 businesses and 42,000 employees are
participating in the program.

In a recent survey, 56 percent of participating employers said the
Shared-Work Program has helped them survive the recession, and another
22 percent felt it probably had. Eighty-eight percent said they'd
recommend it to other employers.

To learn more about the program, visit
http://www.esd.wa.gov/uibenefits/faq/shared-work.php or call
800-752-2500.

Back to school!

The passing of Labor Day also means that our children are back in
school. As you've dropped your kids off at school these past few days,
you may have noticed new classroom construction taking place. That's
not an accident.

We've made historic investments in our public schools earlier this
year, approving $877 million in the new state budget for school
construction, maintenance and repairs.

These investments pay dividends in many ways – creating jobs in our
communities as well as providing healthy, safe classrooms for our
children. None of us like seeing school kids walking into a
temporary, portable classroom, or hearing stories from parents and
teachers about schools with lead in the water pipes or walls filled
with mold.

Every new school being built with state funds today will be green and
clean. Our state's Green Building law sets standards that make new
schools safer, better for the environment and better for the kids and
teachers inside, with more natural sunlight and cleaner air than the
old schools. The new schools also save taxpayers money, because they
cost less to heat and cool.

Here is a list of transportation and capital projects funded in the
46th Legislative District as a part of the 2009-2011 budget:

Transportation improvements

· WA-522/I-5 to I-405 (multimodal improvements) in Seattle - $544,000

· I-5 Reverse Express Lane to/from WA-522 (safety) in Seattle - $615,000

· I-5/5th Avenue to NE 92nd Street (Noise Wall) in Seattle - $4,601,000

· Concrete Rehabilitation Program (Nickel Funds) on I-5 in
Seattle - $7,237,000

Department of Community, Trade, & Economic Development

· Community Center for Sand Point Housing (Building
Communities Fund Grants) - $350,000

Improving colleges and universities

The 2009-11 capital budget also invests $732 million for our state's
public colleges and universities. That money will build and maintain
the new science labs and lecture halls we need to keep our state's
edge in brainpower.

Today's businesses rely on a highly educated workforce, and it's no
coincidence that Washington state is home to some of the nation's
finest research universities, highest educated workers and
world-leading companies like Microsoft, Boeing and Amazon.

Here is a list of projects benefitting the community and technical
college system funded in the 46th Legislative District through the
2009-2011 budget:

Community & Technical College System

· North Seattle CC (Facility Repairs "A") - $709,000

· North Seattle Community College (Minor Works - Preservation)
- $487,000

· North Seattle Community College (Minor Works - Program) - $702,000

· North Seattle Community College: Employment Resource Center
- $5,000,000

· North Seattle Community College: Technology Bldg Renewal - $2,976,000

I hope this information is helpful. Please keep sharing your thoughts
and ideas. Our democracy works because of active citizens like you.

King County Charter Amendments, 2009

2009-09-13T19:59:00.000-07:00

In years past, the General Election Endorsement Meeting here in the 46th has revealed a weakness in our research. Our goal in doing the endorsement meeting is to prepare our members for the General Election Ballot, and that needs to include all of the ballot measures. This includes the King County Charter Amendments that come to us nearly every year. I am determined to be able to provide useful information to everyone this year. In 2009, we will have four charter amendments to consider here in King County. Here's some extra information on those measures.

King County Charter Amendment No. 1

Repeal of Section 350.20.30 and Portions of Article 9 - Transitory Provisions

Shall those no longer relevant portions of King County Charter Article 9 relating to the county's prior transition to a home rule charter and King County Charter Section 350.20.30, relating to the county's transition to a metropolitan form of government, be repealed, as provided in Ordinance No. 16484?

King County Charter Amendment No. 2

Repeal of Charter Section 475 - Work Programs and Allotments

Shall King County Charter Section 475, relating to preparation of work programs and requested allotments and to appropriation transfers, be repealed, as provided in Ordinance No. 16546?

King County Charter Amendment No. 3

Amendment of Section 800 - Charter Review

Shall King County Charter Section 800 be amended to clarify that charter commission appointees are to be confirmed by the council and to provide that the council is required to consider proposed charter amendments and act on them at an open public meeting, as provided in Ordinance Nos. 16547 and 16599?

King County Charter Amendment No. 4

Adding New Section 897 - High Conservation Value Properties

Shall the King County Charter be amended to add a new Section 897 that would provide enhanced protection for certain county properties designated as high conservation value properties by prohibiting the county from conveying or relinquishing its interest in those properties or authorizing their expanded use, except in specified circumstances, as provided in Ordinance No. 16600?

You can see the basic information from the Voters Guide on the King County Elections website:

http://www.kingcounty.gov/elections/elections/200911/measures.aspx

You can search for and read about the specific Ordinances on the King County Legislation website:

http://kingcounty.legistar.com/custom/king/legislation.htm

Please feel free to comment on this post with more information and your opinions.

A letter on the Open Space Preservation Act

2009-09-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

We received this letter to the Executive Board of the 46th, and I wanted to share it on our blog.

September 6, 2009

Executive Board
46th District Democrats

Dear Executive Board Members:

We write to respectfully request your consideration of making an endorsement of the Open Space Preservation Act. This King County Charter Amendment, which will appear on the November ballot, will provide enhanced protection for more than 156,000 acres of open space land that is either owned or held in a conservation easement by King County.

Ninety-five properties would be protected by this Act, representing the most treasured conservation and recreation spaces in King County. They are public lands along our rivers and streams, large wetland areas, huge blocks of forest, and wildlife and salmon habitat, including the Squak Mountain and Tiger Mountain Corridor, Cedar River Waterways, Cougar Mountain, the Upper Raging River Forest, the Snoqualmie Forest, and the Maury Island Marine Park.

The proposed charter amendment does not require the purchase of new land. The Open Space Preservation Act simply strengthens the existing protections on these properties. As such, there are no direct costs associated with the proposed charter amendment.

The Open Space Preservation Act will strengthen the protections on these lands by requiring a supermajority (7 of 9) vote of the King County Council to sell, transfer, or change use. Additionally, the Act requires a public hearing, findings of facts, and 28-day waiting period between introduction and enactment of any sale or change of use. For more information, please visit www.openspaceamendment.org.

The Open Space Preservation Act has received widespread bi-partisan support. It was unanimously supported by the King County Council and Executive, and it has been endorsed by many local organizations including the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust, the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition.

We respectfully request consideration for endorsement by the 46th District Democrats. Please let us know your organization’s process for endorsements and how we can be of assistance in putting this item forward for consideration. Mamie Marcuss and Mina Hashemi Mercer are organizing this effort on our behalf. Mamie can be reached at 206.409.7456 or mamie.marcuss@gmail.com. Mina can be reached at 206.661.0281 or mina@wcvoters.org.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Mike Lowry
Former Washington State Governor

Bob Ferguson
King County Councilmember, District 1

Fwd: You are needed at an important meeting in your district

2009-09-08T14:43:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anna Davis, Washington Toxics Coalition <action@watoxics.org>
Date: Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Subject: You are needed at an important meeting in your district
To: chadlupkes@earthlink.net

Dear Chad,

Last spring, Washington was so close to eliminating the hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles. We had chemical industry reps shaking in their boots and working really hard to stop us. We can't let another year go by without protecting kids from BPA, which has been linked to cancer, diabetes and obesity.

We know that the chemical industry is closely watching Washington and the Safe Baby Bottle Act. They have sent their lobbyists and allies to meet with your legislators and are mounting an intense public relations campaign touting the safety of BPA. Read part of the story here. We can't let the conversation with legislators stop there! Your legislators need to hear from you about why eliminating toxic chemicals from the products we buy and use in our communities is important to you.

Sign up today to join others from your district in a face-to-face meeting with your legislator!

Your legislators really care about what, you, their constituents think. But so few people actually take the time to communicate with them. That's why it's so valuable and important for you to meet face-to-face with your legislators about your concerns.

You are not expected to be a policy expert, and Washington Toxics Coalition will support you every step of the way. You will join two to five other people from your district to meet with your legislator for 30-60 minutes at a local café or office in your district. We will provide background information, training, and advice. But the most important and effective part of the meeting is you sharing with your legislators why you care about the issues.

It's our goal to set up meetings in 25 of the 49 districts in Washington State. But you need to sign up to make that happen.

Sign up today to meet with your legislator!
Click here or follow this link: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5121/t/7277/signUp.jsp?key=1293

Thanks for all you do,

Anna Davis
Field Organizer, WTC

Sign up to tell your legislator why protecting kids from BPA maters to you!

See anyone you know in this flyer?

2009-09-04T15:31:00.001-07:00

One of our own gets national exposure! Erica Minshull, the King County Female Delegate and Obama Delegate in 2008 to the State Convention, has had a picture of her used in a national OFA flyer asking for people to express their voices to members of Congress in support of the President's health care reform efforts. In the picture, taken at the 46th LD Caucus last April, she is speaking with fellow Obama Delegate Kavita Shah.

Here's a link to a scanned copy:

http://46dems.com/2009/Erica_Minshulls_Obama_Flyer.jpg

Congratulations, and let's keep up the pressure on both Congress and the White House to get this done!!

Chad Lupkes

Chair, 46th District Democrats

August KCDCC Executive Board Meeting

2009-09-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

Carpenters’ Hall, Renton, August 25, 2009

The meeting opened with an announcement by our own Steve Zemke (on behalf of LAC): 80 organizations have now lined up (with KCDCC) in opposition to Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1033, which would adversely affect our state by limiting growth of the state budget to the rate of inflation and increases in population – effectively curtailing potential economic growth. Four Democratic candidates for King County Assessor were invited to give 3-minute introductory speeches. One, Bob Blanchard, did not appear. As for the other three:

Lloyd Hara, retiring as a Port Commissioner, promised a transparent, ethical administration of the Assessor’s office, and to assure that appraisals are realistic in view of current economic conditions. Too many recent appraisals have not reflected that reality and thus been subjected to appeals. Lloyd has won awards in prior public offices: Seattle City Treasurer and county auditor.

Gene Lux is a Group Health board member and former state legislator. The Assessor’s job is a complicated one, and he promised transparency therein if elected.

Robert Rosenberger, of the 37th LD, made clear that their chief opponent, former WaMu chief appraiser Graham Albertini, is definitely a Republican. The KC Assessor’s present appeal rate, 2%, though higher than its usual 1% rate, is still way better than some others; e.g., Phoenix’s 20%.

(Note: The voting on this race will be conducted as part of the general election, with only a plurality required for election as KC assessor.)

MSC (24-10) to endorse Lloyd Hara.

MSC (29-8) to endorse Robert Rosenberger.

M&S to endorse Gene Lux: failed (9-19).

KCDCC’s September meeting will consider whether what endorsements (if any) to make in the Seattle mayoral race, Seattle City Council Position 8, and Seattle School Board District 7. As in the 46th, a 2/3 vote is required.

Rob Holland, who won a remarkable 55% of the primary vote in a 3-way race for Port Commission Position 3, spoke briefly, thanking KCDCC for its helpful endorsement.

KCDCC Treasure Andrew Peabody provided a written report reflecting, among other data, $1795 cash on hand as of July 31. The subsequent KCDCC Aug 22 picnic in the Carpenters’ Hall parking lot was a big success, generating $4372 in income – vs. about $400 in expenses.

Sharon Mast announced that Howard Dean, who’d been the guest speaker at the Clark County Dems Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, may come to King County later in the year.

Chad (KCDCC 1st Vice-chair and technology guru) reported that his recent "Maps and History" project had attracted favorable attention and interest from Dem organizations in other states.

Platform/Resolutions Chair Joel Ware presented two resolutions cleared by his committee with an affirmative recommendation. One, urging prompt enactment of health care reform including a strong public insurance option, was presented on an emergency basis and adopted forthwith. The other, a 36th LD resolution urging the State Dems to retain, improve and strengthen Washington’s caucus system, proved more controversial and, with a tired Dow Constantine having just arrived from a campaign fundraiser, was tabled.

Dow received congratulations on his primary win over three other fine Democratic candidates, whereupon he gave a brief rousing speech. Among other things, he noted that after all the primary votes were counted his total had risen from the initially reported 24% to 27%, and Susan Hutchison’s had dropped from 37% to just under 33% (vs. 62% for the four Democrats combined). So his (our) prospects for the Nov. general election look quite good. The meeting then devolved into a cake-laden “celebration” of Dow’s victory.

The meeting resumed with a successful motion to take the 36th‘s caucus resolution off the table, whereupon it passed 26-11.

Noteworthy among reports from the various LDs in King County was that from the 41st, citing the need for support of Max Vekich for Port Commission Position 4. Disgraced outgoing Commissioner Pat Davis has been working to help Max’s opponent in that race.

Chad reported on SustainableWorks, a nonprofit community organizing group that has obtained $14.5M in stimulus funds to provide green jobs and weatherization for up to 200 homes in part of the 46th LD: the area between 20th Ave. NE and 35th Ave. NE, from NE 65th St. to 80th St. (Anyone living in or near that area who is interested in having an energy assessment done should contact that organization: Also, PCOs in or near that area are needed to leaflet a block or more on October 17th.)

Another attendee urged everyone to call Senator Cantwell promptly with a simple, straightforward urgent message: "We want a public option!"

The meeting adjourned at 8:56 pm.

Dean Fournier, your male rep to the KCDCC Exec. Board
(with an assist from Sarajane Siegfriedt & Erica Minshull)

Notes from the Chair, September 2009

2009-09-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

The cause endures, the hope still lives
and the dream shall never die.

—Senator Edward Kennedy (1932-2009)

I woke on the morning of August 26th to read about the passing of the Liberal Lion. We knew it was coming. Let us hope that Gov. Patrick is able to get the law in Massachusetts changed soon so that he can appoint another Democrat. No one will ever be able to fill the shoes, but torch has been passed to us, and our children. We have a lot of work to do, and we’re ready.

Our September meeting will feature the General Election Endorsements as the primary agenda item. (ouch, bad pun). Any endorsements that we have made will stand if our endorsed candidate(s) made it through the Primary election. Any race where we have not made an endorsement will be eligible for nominations, and any ballot measure will be up for consideration as well.

These endorsed candidates made it through to the General Election:

King County Executive: Dow Constantine
Port of Seattle Position 3: Rob Holland
Port of Seattle Position 4: Max Vekich
Seattle City Council Position 4: David Bloom
Seattle City Council Position 6: Nick Licata

Races where we have not endorsed a candidate yet include King County Council Position 1, King County Sheriff & Assessor, Port of Seattle Position 1, Seattle Mayor, Seattle City Council Positions 2 & 8, and Seattle School Board Districts 5 &7.

As of this writing, the signatures for Referendum 71 are still being confirmed. Similar the Seattle Bag Fee, we will be asked whether the citizens of the State of Washington approve the law that was passed.

“This bill would expand the rights, responsibilities, and obligations accorded state-registered same-sex and senior domestic partners to be equivalent to those of married spouses, except that a domestic partnership is not a marriage.”

“Should this bill be Approved or Rejected?”

One other item that will be on the ballot in November is the latest attempt by Tim Eyman to drown our government in a bathtub. Initiative 1033 would limit the 2010 budget to 2009 numbers, after the Legislature had to cut Billions of dollars thanks to the economic recession. The state of Colorado tried this a few years ago, and it was a huge mistake. If you would like to learn more, contact Steve Zemke and go to http://no1033.com.

The Seattle Housing Levy, which we voted to support in April, will also be on our ballots. See SaraJane’s article on page 4.

Other measures on the ballot will be posted on our website as soon as we know about them.

Thanks to the membership approval of the Raymond T. Cole Fund, Committee pages are up, including a blank Letter of Intent. We have already gotten a few ideas that are far beyond what I expected, and it’s fantastic. Please keep them coming!

Chad Lupkes, Chair

Stand Up for Health Insurance Reform Rally!

2009-08-29T07:17:00.001-07:00

Have you had your voice heard on Health Insurance Reform yet? Here's an opportunity that I hope you won't miss!

Stand Up for Health Insurance Reform!

Join Congressman Jim McDermott, along with Organizing for America, Health Care for America NOW, SEIU, UFCW 21, the Washington State Labor Council, WashPIRG, and Planned Parenthood Votes for an evening rally at Westlake Park. We will release the full list of speakers and acts once confirmed. Please join us as we send the strongest signal yet to Congress that Washingtonians support strong Health Insurance Reform.

You can view the details of this event at any time by going to:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gpfzwj

Time(s):
Thursday, September 3 from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Location: Westlake Park
4th Ave & Pine St
Seattle, WA 98101

Directions:
We strongly encourage you to take public transportation.
Parking will be limited.

Please pass this on!

--
Chad Lupkes - http://chadlupkes.blogspot.com
Chair, 46th District Democrats - http://46dems.com
1st Vice Chair, King County Democrats - http://kcdems.org
Webmaster, Washington State Democratic Chairs Organization - http://wa-demchairs.org

LEV’s Award-Winning Ad to go LIVE on King 5

2009-08-25T15:23:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Lisa Macfarlane | League of Education Voters <info@educationvoters.org>
Date: Tue, Aug 25, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Subject: LEV's Award-Winning Ad to go LIVE on King 5
To: chadlupkes@earthlink.net

August 25, 2009

Dear Chad,

Watch our Ready for Life ad.

Make a donation to air it on television.

We have a unique opportunity to air our Ready for Life campaign ad during a special one-hour program on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 9 PM titled Learning for Life: Ready for School, Ready for Life on King 5 television.

This is an amazing opportunity to spread our message to a highly targeted audience who care deeply about education. We need your help. We are building a movement called Ready for Life, to make sure kids get what they need to succeed—an education that gets them Ready for Life.

Click here to donate $25, $50 or $100 to help us show our award-winning Ready for Life ad on television.

For $1,000, we can get our 60-second ad up once during prime time! The ad will help us build the movement to change our schools so every child graduates ready for life.

Ready for Life means every high school graduate has the opportunity to pursue and complete college and/or job training and attain a living-wage job. It's about changing our schools to achieve an education system from birth through college that ensures:

• Every child reads by the third grade;
• An excellent teacher in every classroom;
• Math and science curriculum that helps our kids lead the way in a changing, high-tech economy;
• Diplomas that get kids ready to complete college and/or job training, attain a living-wage job and succeed in life;
• More investment in our kids' education, and more accountability to ensure success.

Help us air our Ready for Life message on television by making a donation today.

Please forward this message to 5 friends. Thank you for your support and helping to raise awareness.

Lisa Macfarlane
League of Education Voters

League of Education Voters
www.educationvoters.org | info@educationvoters.org | Facebook | Twitter

Paid for by the League of Education Voters

PO Box 1727
Seattle, WA 98111

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, click here

--
Chad Lupkes - http://chadlupkes.blogspot.com
Chair, 46th District Democrats - http://46dems.com
1st Vice Chair, King County Democrats - http://kcdems.org
Webmaster, Washington State Democratic Chairs Organization - http://wa-demchairs.org

The 46th District Democrats - working for a better future.

2009-08-21T23:26:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

For those candidates who were on the August 18th ballot, congratulations on making it through the Primary! I am writing to all of the candidates and campaigns who will be on the November ballot with an offer and an opportunity.

We are a very active district organization, and we are growing stronger every month. I am very focused on building our infrastructure for long term growth and activism. Our website is one of the best in the country, with Mapping and Election History tools that you can use for canvassing and targeting.

The 46th District Democrats publishes a newsletter each month that we have a meeting, and our September meeting is our General Election endorsement meeting, so this is an important one to get a quick word out to our members. Our advertising rates are as follows:

Business Card: $40
Quarter Page: $75
Half Page: $110
Full Page: $175

We hope to have our September newsletter finalized at the end of next week. You can send in nearly any graphic format, and we develop the newsletter in Microsoft Publisher.

In addition, I would like to provide a link to our Resources Distribution Policy, which gives the rates for accessing our Membership list for a one time use. Please let me know if you are interested, and we will make the necessary arrangements.

http://46dems.com/2009/resourcedistribution.pdf

Please let me know how else we can help. I consider the mission of the Democratic Party to be enacting an agenda, specifically the agenda articulated in our Platform. All of our tools and infrastructure are designed to help us do that, and one of the most important ways is to help support great progressive and Democratic candidates seeking elected office. During the election season, we focus on getting literature out on doorsteps, and working with candidates and campaigns. Our goal is the same as yours, to help build a better world for our children. That's why we are all active.

See you in September!

From the Inslee office

2009-08-20T15:37:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hogan, Patrick <Patrick.Hogan@mail.house.gov>
Date: Thu, Aug 20, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Subject: From the Inslee office
To: Chad Lupkes

Chad,

I understand that the monthly meeting is tonight. I have pasted below our notice regarding out town meetings that are coming up on the 29th and 30th. Please share this info at the meeting tonight. Below that, I have copied Jay's statement on health care reform. This may have gone out to you in mid-July but I wanted to remind people of Jay's support for reform -- including his support public option. I hope you could mention this tonight also.

All the best,

Patrick Hogan

Special Assistant

Congressman Jay Inslee

18560 1st Ave. NE, Suite E800

Shoreline, WA 98155-2150

206-361-0233 phone

206-361-3959 fax

www.house.gov/inslee

Inslee to hold two health care town hall meetings

POULSBO, Wash. – U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee will hold two town-hall meetings in Washington's 1st Congressional District this August. He plans to host the hour and a half long public events to hear the views of his constituents and provide an update on the congressional response to the health care debate.

Inslee's first public forum will take place in Poulsbo on Saturday, August 29, during the August district work period. His other town hall will be held on Sunday, August 30 in Edmonds. Attendees are asked to RSVP via email to inslee.rsvp@mail.house.gov or by phone at 206-361-0233.

Poulsbo town-hall meeting

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, 2009 North Kitsap High School The Gymnasium 1780 NE Hostmark St Poulsbo

Directions from Silverdale:

Take SR 305 in the direction of Poulsbo/Bainbridge Island Turn LEFT (East) onto NE Hostmark St North Kitsap High School will be on your left about a half mile up Hostmark

Directions from Bainbridge:

Take SR 305 in the direction of Poulsbo/SR-3 Turn RIGHT (East) onto NE Hostmark St North Kitsap High School will be on your left about a half mile up Hostmark

Edmonds town-hall meeting

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 30, 2009 Edmonds-Woodway High School The Gymnasium 7600 212th St SW Edmonds

Directions from I-5N and I-5S:

Take Exit #179 220th Street SW

Head west (away from I-5) onto 220th Street SW

Continue west on 220th Street and cross Highway 99 Turn RIGHT onto 76th Avenue West Continue north on 76th School will be on the left

On Deck: Health Care Reform

July 15, 2009

The United States spent approximately $2.2 trillion on health care in 2007, or $7,421 per person - nearly twice the average of other developed nations. Americans spend more on health care than on housing or food. If rapid health cost growth persists, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that by 2025, one out of every four dollars in our national economy will be tied up in the health system. The time for true health care reform is now, and as a supporter of a public option and delivery system reform, I believe we in Congress must seize this opportunity.

I am pleased to share with you that health care reform legislation which includes a public health insurance option is on its way to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As a member of this committee, I will have the opportunity to participate in the markup of this historic legislation in the near future. As such, I would like to share with you my thoughts on what I believe should be our top priorities in health care reform. First, we must create a health care system that delivers quality patient care and services at an affordable cost. And, we have great examples of this already in our medical system at places like the Everett Clinic in Washington State, and the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. One cornerstone of a system that provides quality care for all is the creation of a public insurance option that ensures consumer choice and access to care for all Americans. At the same time we must include strong delivery system reforms that improve cost containment in the system.

I support a public health insurance option as part of health care reform because I believe that it will guarantee competition and consumer choice. In 2008 the American Medical Association found that 94 percent of health insurance markets were not competitive, and the Kaiser Family Foundation found that wages had grown by 29 percent whereas the average insurance premiums had grown by 120 percent. Competition in the insurance market is greatly needed. A public option can help provide quality care at a more affordable cost. It also provides another layer of accountability for private insurance companies because they will need to remain competitive by keeping costs down and providing quality services. I believe that my constituents, and all Americans, should be able to choose the health insurance that works best for them and their family, so I support President Obama's approach that if your health insurance works for you, you can keep it.

As you know, there are those that favor a single payer option, those in favor of leaving the insurance markets alone, and everything in between. This is true of Americans and their representatives in Congress. Under the direction of President Obama the consensus has landed on a public health insurance option as the most viable way to ensure that everyone has health care coverage. The public option provides strong consumer choice that can compete in the insurance market and will drive delivery system reforms through cost containment measures, such as a physician feedback program, that I am working to include in this bill in order to lower costs and increase efficiencies.

It is my belief that we must be much more aggressive in this bill in implementing delivery system reforms to improve the effectiveness of current programs, notably Medicare and Medicaid, and take steps to dramatically bend the cost curve. I want to amend this bill to address cost containment issues which significantly affect providers and access to care in states like ours. Medicare currently reimburses based on the quantity, rather than the quality, of patient care, and has also resulted in significant geographic disparity in reimbursements. I am working with my colleagues to make sure that in these reforms we find a way to reward efficiencies instead of penalize them.

This has long been a problem in Washington state where doctors have found ways to bring down costs, but are not rewarded adequately due to the fee-for-service reimbursement model. As a result, it is possible that the regional inequities that exist in Medicare and hurt Washington state, could be incorporated into this new health care system. I am working to find ways to ameliorate this problem to ensure that Washington state is not penalized for our efficient health care system. Bundling of service payments, using a value or efficiency index, and creating a robust physician peer review program would realign payment policies to promote greater quality and significant cost-savings.

The draft proposal currently circulating in the House offers a tremendous opportunity to reprioritize and streamline the health care industry while also improving quality of care. You may be pleased to know that the draft health care legislation which is circulating in the House would include in the basic package, preventive services with no cost - sharing, dental and vision for children, mental health services, and it would cap the amount of money a person or family spends on covered services in a year. In addition, it would not only prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, but also limit the ability of insurance companies to use factors like health status and gender to charge higher rates.

This proposal also calls for a Health Insurance Exchange program that will help individuals and small employers as they search for the health insurance option that best fits their needs. Additionally, the draft includes a public health insurance option that would include sliding scale affordability credits to assist those with low and moderate incomes. It would also create a small business health tax credit to make it easier for small businesses to cover their employees and assist in lowering premium costs for businesses.

The House proposal also seeks to fill the "donut hole" in Medicare Part D by providing an additional $500 in coverage in 2011, and increasing that amount over time in order to eliminate the "donut hole" within 15 years. This proposal also seeks to improve Medicare and Medicaid and prevent waste, fraud and abuse in the programs and would eliminate cost - sharing for preventive services.

Finally, I want to make sure that I get to hear from you about your concerns and hopes for this very important reform so please do not hesitate to respond to me with your views so that I may consider them as we markup this bill in committee. I would like to share with you the following summary of the House draft health reform proposal: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090619/healthcarereform_summary.pdf. Also, the entire text of the discussion draft is available here: http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090619/healthcarereform_discussiondraft.pdf. I look forward to hearing your feedback on this proposal and working with my colleagues to pass a public option bill.

Very Truly Yours,

Jay Inslee

Member of Congress

Door to door across Washington

2009-08-19T11:12:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dustin Lambro, WA.BarackObama.com <info@barackobama.com>
Date: Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Subject: Door to door across Washington
To: Chad Lupkes <chadlupkes@gmail.com>

Chad --

With attack groups stirring up fear about health insurance reform and members of Congress back in town, it's critical that folks like you stand up now in support of the President's principles for reform.

That's why this Saturday, Organizing for America volunteers will be going door to door across Washington to build local support and get out the facts about health insurance reform.

Will you sign up to join a Health Care Canvass near you?

From Spokane to Bellingham, we'll be asking folks to sign on in support of the President's core principles for reform, and to make their voices heard in this debate.

No prior experience is necessary. Organizing for America volunteers will be on hand to provide all the materials and guidance you'll need to be successful.

With members of Congress back home to listen to their constituents this month, we need to seize this moment and keep pounding the pavement and reaching out to the public across the country.

As President Obama wrote last week, "We didn't win last year's election together at a committee hearing in D.C. We won it on the doorsteps and the phone lines, at the softball games and the town meetings, and in every part of this great country where people gather to talk about what matters most."

And that's exactly how we'll win this fight for real health reform.

Find an event nearby and RSVP here:

http://wa.barackobama.com/WashingtonHCCanvass

Hope to see you out there,

Dustin

Dustin Lambro
Washington State Director
Organizing for America

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

Stimulus money + local action = Sustainable Works

2009-08-18T15:27:00.000-07:00

Chad Lupkes and I met with representatives from Sustainable Works today to discuss an initiative of possible interest to members of the 46th District Dems, particularly those in the pilot area described below.

Sustainable Works is a non-profit organization that facilitates energy efficiency retrofits for homes and small commercial buildings. Their goal is to perform 4,800 energy retro-fits in moderate income homes around the state -- starting here in a portion of the 46th District (and the 43rd).

Their pilot area is defined by these boundaries:

NE 65th Street to NE 80th
20th Avenue NE to 35th NE

Here is a map of the area:

View this map full screen.

Senate Bill 5649, passed during the last legislative session and signed by Gov. Gregoire, allocates federal stimulus money to the project. We were told that the Sustainable Works program, now in its "launch phase", is designed to cost the homeowners nothing, create green jobs, and reduce carbon emissions.

Representatives from Sustainable Works will be making a presentation during Good of the Order at our next monthly meeting this Thursday, August 20, at Olympic View Church. They will also be describing the program in more detail at a community briefing on August 27, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., at University Unitarian Church, 6556 35th Ave NE.

Further information is currently available at these postings:

http://46dems.com/2009/SustainableWorksQA.pdf

and

http://46dems.com/2009/SustainableWorksOverview.pdf

If you are interested, please contact Richard Wells, 206-930-6377.

The lawyer in me adds: this is not a program of the 46th Dems. We are just facilitating the flow of information that is of possible interest.

J Peter Shapiro
Outreach Committee Chair

Update: They let us know on Wednesday that they have adjusted the boundaries from 30th Ave NE to 35th Ave NE and from 85th to 80th.

Fwd: Who you should vote for

2009-08-18T07:04:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dwight Pelz, Washington State Democrats <chair@wa-democrats.org>
Date: Tue, Aug 18, 2009 at 6:59 AM
Subject: Who you should vote for
To: Chad Lupkes <chadlupkes@gmail.com>

Dear Chad,

Today is Primary Election Day and your last chance to make a difference in important local races. Because of low turnout and the high number of candidates in some races, your vote could mean a win or a loss for a candidate.

To make sure your vote is counted, mail your ballot, deliver it to a dropoff location near you, or go to the polls (Pierce County only) today! (Click here for a list of dropoff locations.)

Not sure about that City Council or Mayor's race? Visit our candidates and endorsement page to see who you should vote for:

http://www.wa-democrats.org/2009candidates

If you do not see endorsements for your area on this page, contact your local Democratic Party organization to learn about their recommendations.

We've also created a page where you can find answers to your voting questions:

http://www.wa-democrats.org/2009votinginfo

If you don't find an answer to your question, call your County Auditor's office. If you need further help, call our office at (206) 583-0664.

Thank you for voting today,

Dwight Pelz
Washington State Democrats Chair

p.s. Local Democratic organizations are the backbone of our endorsement process and the work that we do. There is a local Democratic organization in each Legislative District and County. To find out more about your local Democratic organization, click here to contact them or view their website: http://www.wa-democrats.org/index.php?page=display&id=50

p.p.s. All counties in Washington State vote by mail except Pierce County, which will still have voting at the polls on election day. Go to the website for Pierce County Auditor's office for more information, like polling locations.

Please forward this email to friends and family

Paid for by Washington State Democratic Central Committee
PO Box 4027 Seattle, WA 98194 - (206) 583-0664 - www.wa-democrats.org
This communication is not authorized by any federal candidate or candidate's committee.

Fwd: Legislative update from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney

2009-08-13T17:47:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kenney, Rep. Phyllis <Kenney.Phyllis@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Subject: Legislative update from Representative Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney
To:


46^th Legislative District · kenney.phyllis@leg.wa.gov

DATE, 2007

Federal tax credits for higher education tuition costs
New laws now in effect
National health care reform

For more news and resources, please visit my web site.

Dear Neighbor:

With summer nearing its end, many of us are thinking about school supplies, bus schedules, textbooks and course schedules. Seattle Public Schools open their doors for the 2009-2010 school year in just four weeks while many colleges' and universities' courses begin this month! This week's e-memo provides some useful information for your kids as they begin their college careers.

Want to save up to $2,500 off college expenses for you or your child?

If your child is taking college classes this fall (or if YOU are), you're probably eligible for some assistance from the federal government!

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a temporary tax credit is in effect for 2009 and 2010 that can save you as much as $2,500 for higher education expenses.

The American Opportunity Credit is worth up to $2,500 of the cost of tuition and related expenses. The full credit is available to those who make up to $80,000 a year – or $160,000 if you're filing a joint return.

Even if you don't make enough money to file a return, you should file one anyway because you may get up to $1,000 back.

And if you have a Section 529 college-savings plan, you can spend those funds on a computer used for college.

If you have questions about the American Opportunity Credit, this webpage can help:

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=211309,00.html

When filing your 2009 and 2010 taxes, be sure to check it out. Visit irs.gov/recovery for more information on this and other tax credits available through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Bills passed last session are now laws

A great many of the laws passed earlier this year went into effect the last week of July. Some of the brand new laws getting the greatest attention include:

Woman's right to breastfeed (HB 1596). Ensures that Washington's Law Against Discrimination protects the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement.
Tattoos and body-piercing safety (SB 5391) Persons practicing body art, body piercing and tattooing must now obtain a license and comply with state health standards for conducting their business;
Safer schools (HB 1741). In response to incidents of severe sexual misconduct with students, a new law that passed with the full support of the Washington Education Association greatly expands the list of serious crimes that require automatic dismissal of teachers or other school employees.
Child Welfare Reform (HB 2106). We learned that expanding evidence-based programs in child-welfare services could help children avoid out-of-home placements and produce long-term state benefits of between $317 and $493 million. That's why we enacted major reforms that will convert some 1,800 existing child-welfare service contracts into performance contracts that reward improved results. The new law also explores opportunities for privatizing various child welfare services.
Education reform (HB 2261). This important but much-misunderstood bill defines a process for increasing accountability for student success and greatly expanding the state's responsibility to fully fund "Basic Education." The Legislature must hold itself accountable for living up to our duty to make education the paramount duty of the state! I co-sponsored this reform because modernizing state funding formulas and expanding constitutionally protected school funding is vital to helping students and teachers succeed.
Revitalizing student financial aid (HB 2021). I am the prime sponsor of this bill, which labels all state aid and most federal aid programs under the new banner of Opportunity Pathway. This bill also creates the Washington Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) to provide low-cost student loans to assist students in need and requires resident undergraduate students be notified of any federal tax credits related to higher education. This legislation will help to better inform students, parents, teachers and advisors of the financial resources available to attend college by directing them to a single gateway
Creating a Department of Commerce (HB 2242). Over the years, the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development has become an agency charged with many diverse missions. As a result, its programs and services are a mile wide and an inch deep. I was the prime sponsor of this bill, which changes the name of the Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development to the Department of Commerce. HB 2242 also requires the Department of Commerce Director to develop recommendations for the Governor and appropriate legislative committees on the Department mission, goals, organizational structure, responsibilities, program alignment, service delivery mechanisms and related issues. This will not only help to improve the effectiveness of the programs the Department of Commerce provides to the state, but also will help to reduce costs, saving taxpayer dollars.

This is just a small sample from the new laws that took effect on July 26. Click this link to see a PDF list of all new laws passed in 2009. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or comments about any of the new laws passed this year!

Coming up in our next edition

Just like you, I am sorting through the noise surrounding the national health care debate.

Each individual who is listening to and reading news reports about the federal debate is probably asking one key question: "How will this affect me?" I hope to help answer those concerns in our next issue of this e-memo.

For information on the national health care debate and President Obama's reform plan, follow this link.

My home page | Contact me | House Democrats Home | Washington State Legislature

Fwd: Legislative Update from Representative Scott White

2009-08-13T14:08:00.001-07:00

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: White, Rep. Scott <White.Scott@leg.wa.gov>
Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 2:02 PM
Subject: Legislative Update from Representative Scott White
To: WALEG-HOUSE-WHITE@listserv.wa.gov

In This
Issue

TeleTown Hall: Success!

New Laws now in effect

Lessons from the Food Bank

Featured School: John Rogers Elementary

Visit my web page

Contact me

About the Legislature

State Representative Scott White

46th District | white.scott@leg.wa.gov

Working for the Education of our Children

August 13, 2009

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Legislature won't reconvene until January, but I work as your representative all year long. I'm writing to keep you up to date on important legislative news. I'd also like to invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions as I work on legislation and policies for North Seattle's 46th District.

TeleTown Hall a big success!

Despite a sweltering summer heat wave, nearly 1,400 of our North Seattle friends and neighbors took part in my live TeleTown Hall for the 46th District on July 28. I'm very grateful to everyone who took the time to call in with ideas, comments, questions and support for various priorities—especially schools.

The TeleTown Hall helped me to interact with local citizens at a tiny fraction of the paper, production and mailing costs of a traditional newsletter. That's important, because every dollar saved through improved efficiency is another dollar we can prioritize for our schools and other essential services. If you have ideas for making the Legislature—or any state agency—more efficient, please let me know!

If you couldn't make TeleTown Hall, don't worry. You can always reach me quickly through any of the addresses and numbers on my contact page. And please feel free to stop by the district office that I share with Rep. Phyllis Kenney (12345 30th Ave. NE). I'd enjoy having coffee with you and listening to your ideas about how we can make our state an even better place to work, retire or raise a family.

New state laws take effect

Many who joined our TeleTown Hall were interested in new laws that officially took effect in the last week of July. Some of the brand new laws getting the greatest attention include:

Woman's right to breastfeed (HB 1596). Ensures that Washington's Law Against Discrimination protects the right of a mother to breastfeed her child in any place of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, or amusement.

Smarter funding for school projects (HB 1619). With strong support from Seattle Public Schools and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, lawmakers unanimously passed my smarter school-projects bill. It gives local schools more flexibility to use capital and levy funding for major repairs and preventative maintenance. Expanding local control will save tax dollars through increased preventive maintenance. I'm on a select committee that is looking for ways to further improve funding for school projects. This is essential for class-size reduction goals and taxpayers: restoring more of the state's historic share of funding for school projects would mean less pressure on local property taxes.

Tattoos and body-piercing safety (SB 5391) Persons practicing body art, body piercing and tattooing must now obtain a license and comply with state health standards for conducting their business;

Safer schools (HB 1741). In response to incidents of severe sexual misconduct with students, a new law that passed with the full support of the Washington Education Association greatly expands the list of serious crimes that require automatic dismissal of teachers or other school employees.

Child Welfare Reform (HB 2106). We learned that expanding evidence-based programs in child-welfare services could help children avoid out-of-home placements and produce long-term state benefits of between $317 and $493 million. That's why we enacted major reforms that will convert some 1,800 existing child-welfare service contracts into performance contracts that reward improved results. The reforms also explores opportunities for privatizing various child welfare services.

Higher-education online technology (HB 1946). North Seattle Community College is a local treasure, and one of my goals on the Higher Education Committee this year was to help students by encouraging open text books and online content for the top 50 courses. We succeeded! The new law I co-sponsored could ultimately save students $16.5 million ($100/each) annually at Washington's community and technical colleges.

Education reform (HB 2261). This important but much-misunderstood bill defines a process for increasing accountability for student success and greatly expanding the state's responsibility to fully fund "Basic Education." The Legislature must hold itself accountable for living up to our duty to make education the paramount duty of the state! I co-sponsored this reform because modernizing state funding formulas and expanding constitutionally protected school funding is vital to helping students and teachers succeed.

This is just a small sample from the new laws that took effect on August 26. Click this link to see a PDF list of all new laws passed in 2009. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or comments about any of the new laws passed this year!

Lessons from the Food Bank

I learned a lot by volunteering to help at the North Helpline Food Bank recently. The people operating the center are community heroes helping clients who truly are in need. You'd be surprised how many of the clients at the food bank are working families, including many moms with kids. Many people who had never before faced a lengthy period of unemployment have been hurt by this severe recession through no fault of their own. We are extremely fortunate to live in a community where neighbors still care about one another, and the North Helpline Food Bank is a beautiful expression of our communities values.

Featured School: John Rodgers Elementary School

John Rogers Elementary School, located at 4030 NE 109th Street, has been serving North-East Seattle families for 53 years. The school features a great library, an active PTA, terrific teachers and a wonderful range of before- and after-school programs.

This group of John Rogers Elementary School students visited me during the legislative session. I had a good time and I think it was good educational experience for the kids. If you'd like to bring a school group down when the Legislature is in session, just let me know, and we'll make arrangements.

I am always happy to visit schools to talk with students and teachers. I have already visited many schools in the district. Please contact my office if you would like me to visit your children's school or class. Additionally, I am currently planning a couple of Education Town Halls for this fall where I and members of the Seattle School Board will be meeting with the community to discuss fully funding our public schools. More details coming soon!

Please feel free to contact my office with any questions regarding state government or to schedule a personal meeting. I always enjoy meeting with Constituents in local coffee shops or other venues around the 46^th Legislative District.

Thanks,

Thank you for subscribing to my E-memo. Please do not respond to this message; it is an automated service. To contact me directly, send an email to white.scott@leg.wa.gov

Click here to unsubscribe

Resolutions for August 20th

2009-08-08T21:08:00.001-07:00

Two resolutions will be considered at our meeting on August 20th.

The first concerns the debate about how SR520 will be rebuilt. The version printed in the Demogram is here:

http://46dems.com/res/20090820a.pdf

However, I was informed by Dean Fournier that this was the original draft of the resolution before it had gone through the Platform/Resolutions Committee. They had completed a rewrite of the resolution, but I failed to see it when he sent it to me. That version is here:

http://46dems.com/res/res20090820a.pdf

To fix this mistake, I will ask the Resolutions Committee to have copies of the updated resolution available for everyone, and we will consider it as a substitute when the SR520 Resolution is to be considered.

The other resolution that we will consider is about the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, asking for our Representatives and Senators in Washington DC to repeal this measure. Here is the text:

http://46dems.com/res/res20090820b.pdf

I hope that clears up some of the confusion.

I also want to mention that Endorsements will NOT be considered at the August meeting. All of the candidates who were not considered at our June meeting for Seattle City Council Position 2 and Seattle City Attorney have asked to wait until the September meeting, giving them more time to contact people and encourage more participation in our endorsement meeting.

A health care story from North Seattle

2009-08-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

The Health Care Reform debate touches every single person in the United States. I would like to share one story that I received from someone in the 46th:

I am a 75 year old Senior who until very recently enjoyed excellent health. I am on Medicare Advantage through the Essence Health Plan. The plan has zero premium and my maximum out of pocket expense is $2,600. My primary care doctor is through Polyclinic, which is closely associated with the Swedish Hospital.

About 3 weeks ago my skin became jaundice. Two days after this observation, I saw my Primary Care Doctor. Two days later I was admitted to Swedish for a procedure to put a stint that bypassed my common bile duct. An ultrasound and CAT Scan showed there was a tumor blocking my common bile duct. The procedure did not work and surgery was performed on Friday. The surgery, while very dangerous, was successful and the cancerous tumor was removed, and by the following Thursday I was at home recuperating rapidly. Again, my total out of pocket was capped at $2,600. At every turn, I received the finest, most responsive treatment a person could ever have at any cost.

At this point, I am saddened and angry over all the misinformation out there about how "a government system does not work". Medicare Advantage DOES WORK, and it works well. If anyone wants to use my story to battle the misinformation, you can and you may use my name if you wish. As an aside, I spoke with a close friend who is involved in Medicare Advantage plans. I asked him what his feedback is on the client satisfaction with Medicare Advantage. He said he has experienced virtually no complaints. An occasional technical issue, maybe, but those are easily resolved.

Chad, I am an active Democrat in the 46th district and I am turning to you so this story can be told at both the State and National level if anyone wishes. By the way, my recovery appears rapid.
Walt

Please tell your friends and neighbors that we are trying to strengthen a system that works. Medicare for All, or a Public Insurance Option that helps us reach for that goal, is something that everyone in this country should be looking forward to. I pay taxes to help pay for Walt's medical care. I only wish I could pay for my own through the same system.

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Eboard changes

2009-08-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, I received an email from Matthew McSheehy:

I am sure some of you have heard that I have been thinking about resigning my post on the board. It’s not for lack of desire, but more lack of time to commit to this post. Although my position may appear to be a small one as it is a backup position, in all honestly all roles on this board are very important. And if anyone member isn’t carrying his/her weight it affects the rest. I know there are a number of people in the 46th who can commit more time to this valuable position and look forward to supporting who ever that is.
I will continue to participate in the monthly meetings and act as PCO, but I am handing Chad my official resignation for my position on the Executive board.
Matthew McSheehy
PCO 46-2371

Matthew was our Male Alternate to the King County Democratic Central Committee, a position that I will announce as vacant at the August meeting, with an election to be held at the September meeting. If you are interested in being on a VERY active executive board as we finish out this election year and prepare for the 2010 cycle, please let me know.

Chad

August Demogram is posted

2009-08-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

The August Demogram is printed and on its way. I sent out the email notification yesterday, and here are my notes from the chair.

We’re breaking records in Seattle! Wednesday, July 29th was the hottest day ever recorded at SeaTac Airport. Amazing.

We’re also getting a lot of work done. I’d like to thank Jason Sawatzki for all the work that he and Shanna have put into the Literature Distribution plan. It started with an event on July 20th when we batched together all of the literature we had dropped off by our endorsed candidates into bags for each of our Precinct Committee Officers. Jason has broken the district into 5 areas, with a coordinator in each of them.

R1: Jason Sawatzki, jlsawatzki@gmail.com, 206-226-3598
R2: Shanna Sawatzki, shanna7@gmail.com, 206-434-6023
R3: Virginia Rankin, varankin@comcast.net, 206-525-6436
R4: Erica Minshull, erica_minshull@hotmail.com, 253-468-8582
R5: Peter Shapiro, j.p.shapiro@comcast.net, 206-524-9386

These five coordinators took the bags that we filled at the meeting and dropped them off on the doorstep of each of our PCO’s. With 8,000 pieces coming from each of our endorsed candidates, that’s a lot of literature.

Peter, Sarajane and I worked all day August 1st in our booth at Lake City Pioneer Days, the biggest summer event in North Seattle. We had several candidates come by and stay for several hours, having a great time talking to voters and enjoying the sun. Check our blog for the whole story!

It’s not all work, though! The 46dems proved again on July 11th that we could have fun with a Summer Holiday Party at the home of Rod Dembowski and Lynna Song. This was the same location where we had our Winter Holiday Party, and we may be setting a tradition. It’s a wonderful home, with wonderful hosts, and it was great to be able to see and enjoy their back yard this time.

The Raymond T. Cole Committee has finished their work to prepare a final draft proposal on what we can do with the gift we received. You can see what is being proposed on pages 6 and 7 of this issue of the Demogram, as well as on our website. The executive board will be reviewing everything on Tuesday, August 4th, and we’ll have a presentation ready at the meeting on August 20th.

We have been pushing organization business like this off for a few months, so the August meeting is going to be very focused on business. Our three elected officials in Olympia will finally get a chance to give us their stories from the Legislative Session earlier this year. And we will be going over how we count and handle voting by considering a proposal that came from the lessons learned in our 2008 election cycle. And the last thing we need to do is hear the report from the Financial Review Committee on how our financial books look in 2009.

All this, and we still have to keep an eye on Washington D.C. Something exciting happened this past week that applies to our platform, and I can’t let the month go without bringing it up. Representative Andrew Weiner from New York’s 9th congressional district introduced a Single Payer amendment to one of the several bills going through Committees on the hill. He was asked to withdraw it at the committee level because the Speaker of the House wanted Single Payer to be introduced, debated and voted upon by the entire US House of Representatives! This means it is up to us to push it through! YES WE CAN!

Chad Lupkes
Chair, 46th District Democrats

Also: An early version of the SR520 resolution was printed in the Demogram. A substitute will be offered at the August 20th meeting, which is available here.