Last week, I wrote that 32nd District Democrat committee won with 34 percent of its endorsements, while local republicans won 61 percent of theirs. Labor turns have narrowed the gap to 60-42 in favor of the Republicans.
Still, the Democrats’ showing is not good in the district where they have won every legislative election for 39 years and consistently elected Democrats to county offices.
King County voters made a mistake in passing an initiative to hold a vote next year on a charter amendment to elect a county elections director. Proponents argue that every other county in Washington has an elected auditor, responsible for elections. But most of those counties also elect a coroner. We can easily put this decision off for a year when the county will convene a charter reviews panel, which can consider whether we’ll continue to elect an assessor and a sheriff.
Simple majority passes, now what?
HJR 4240, which would allow a simple majority to pass school levies, is apparently headed to victory. Now it’s time to eliminate the need for these special levies that account for nearly 20 percent of local school budgets.
It’s time to provide support for basic education through regular state and local tax money. Our Legislature has an obligation to provide basic education to all our children. Voters shouldn’t have to be asked to approve levies over and over again.
What now for roads and transit?
The roads and transit package lost overwhelmingly.
The question is, what next?
If Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Improvement District want my vote in the future, here’s what they will have to do:
1. Make Sound Transit and RTID boards elected bodies. If we vote for schools, we’re turning over our money to an elected body. We should do the same for transportation.
2. Let’s have no more expansion of light rail until the first phase of the project is done.
3. Let’s allow private development of the Eastside railway corridor. Let the private developer put commuter rail on existing track on the Eastside rather than tear out the tracks and build a light rail system to serve the Eastside Corridor.
Don’t expand the Evergreen Point Bridge
Keep it at four lanes. If we build six lanes they’ll just fill up. And then we’ll need eight lanes. If we need more capacity we should follow King County’s lead in establishing ferry runs across the lake.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com
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