Initiative 77 (A tax on espresso drinks for early childhood education)
We urge a NO vote, not because early childhood education isnt a worthy cause, but because this is a bad way to fund that or any other public program. The claim by opponents that a 10-cent tax on espresso drinks would adversely affect sales seems preposterous. Yet this measure is arbitrary to the point of whimsy. Regular coffee is exempted, which imposes an odd demarcation between luxury (latte) and necessity (drip). (Is everyone presumed to be addicted to caffeine?) And while were at it, why not tax French fries and ice-cream cones? Those, too, are discretionary consumables. Meanwhile, the measure earmarks the revenue in overly specific ways. Instead of giving up on the lawmakers responsible for finding ways to finance programs like early childhood education, proponents should redouble their efforts to influence them.
Metropolitan King County Council
District 2 (Northeast Seattle)
We recommend longtime incumbent Cynthia Sullivan. As chair of the sometimes-fractious County Council, Sullivan managed to get a budget passed during a time of dramatic cuts without completely gutting social services. Shes also done solid work on affordable housing and the environment. Her demerits come from sitting on the Sound Transit board, an agency thats largely failed to deliver on its promises but seems to finally be moving in an acceptable direction.
Her opponent, Bob Ferguson, could only muster two arguments for his candidacy: reducing the County Council from 13 members to nine, and taking Sound Transit back to the voters. The latter would probably lead to the feds taking money away from the long-delayed project. Ferguson is energetic, and his issues appeal to some of our mossier editorial board members, but not to most of us.
District 9 (Enumclaw, Auburn, Kent)
Recently appointed Steve Hammond is the tepid best of the three conservative Republicans running for this seat. The inexperienced Hammond is politically similar to his opponents, but his more genial personality means he would not be a polarizing force on an already fractious council.
The sole Democrat in the race, Barbara Heavey, is far superior. Unopposed, she will automatically advance to Novembers general election.
Volatile state Sen. Pam Roach and feisty former state Rep. Phil Fortunato also are seeking the Republican nomination.
Port of Seattle Commission
Position 2
Incumbent Bob Edwards is a stockbroker and former Renton City Council member seeking his second term. He got our vote when he opposed fellow commissioners last year on a hefty 37 percent tax increase to fund a cruise-ship terminal and airport noise mitigation.
His opponents, lawyer Jim Baker and joker Clarke Fletcher, are not actively campaigning.
Position 5
Alec Fisken brings a great mix of skills for a port commissioner. He is a wonk with a background in marine and financial business who works in the citys Office of Policy and Management. Fisken will promote much-needed change at the Port, getting the commission to focus on marine jobs and lowering the taxpayer burden.
The current officeholder, Clare Norquist, is a venture capitalist whose junkets have set recordseven for the high-flying Port commissioners. He is raising tons of dough from Port customers, has been inaccessible to the public at times, and has not provided the tough, skeptical oversight we think the Port needs.
Other candidates seeking this office are civil engineer Claudia Hirschey and airport-expansion opponent Chris Cain.
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Seattle Weekly Editorial Board members are Editor in Chief Knute Berger, Managing Editor Chuck Taylor, Political Editor George Howland Jr., Senior Editor Nina Shapiro, staff writers Rick Anderson and Philip Dawdy, and columnist Geov Parrish.
