Ron Sims

More Jail Yadda Yadda?

Proposition, Indeed

A New Way to Think About Rail

Sims Braces for Challenge

Sue Rahr Wants You to Spam Ron Sims

Expensive Sheriff Deputies

Today in Rahr v. Sims

Sims Reacts to Rahr's Budget Shots

Still No Lid On That Growing Budget Deficit

Today in County Budget Wars

Less Links More Twitter

Sims Twitters the Budget Amid Criticism From Former Economist

Ron Sims on Nickelsville

Sims on Obama Conference Call

Who Would Nickels Endorse?

Rahr is Making More Noise

King County Budget Smackdown

More King County Jobs on the Line

King County is Shutting Down for 10 Days

It Was a Fun Way to Save the Budget While it Lasted

Now What Will County Politics Watchers Talk About?

Finally something for these two to smile about. (Photo via www.kingcounty.gov)Today King County government finally passed the controversial budget, making up a $93 million shortfall that's been the source of much "hot rhetoric" between Executive Ron Sims and his opponents on the council. Both sides ... More >>

Is a Federal Appointment Still on the Table for Sims?

A source inside King County says a federal agent did interviews at county offices today, asking questions about Executive Ron Sims' background. The source says the agent said the interviews were to vet Sims for a possible federal appointment.Is it possible Sims will be leaving King County for the ot ... More >>

US, County Jail Deal

King County has a preliminary agreement with the Dept. of Justice to prevent deaths and improve the unhealthy conditions in its aging downtown jail. But there seems no end to the county's non-denial denials. Exec Ron Sims says he is "gratified that this agreement acknowledges the jail improvements a ... More >>

Morning Links

Salt won't help with this: Flooding predictedSchools chief finalizes list of recommended closures.That's as good as money, sir--those are IOUs: Obama warns of trillion dollar deficits.Iraqi patriotism on the rise. (h/t Matthew Yglesias)Grand jury charges local couple with gay asylum fraud. RNC hopef ... More >>

Sims Office Says No HUD Job, But Does That Mean He's Staying?

Credit where credit is due, and Josh Feit at Horse's Ass is the first person I saw report the rumor that County Executive Ron Sims might have an offer as an undersecretary at Housing and Urban Development. Reps for Sims are vehemently denying it. A source at the county says the clamp's come down and ... More >>

Phillips Is In, Would It Hurt To Get a Third?

Larry Phillips is running against incumbent Ron Sims' for King County Executive. Of course, you already knew that, but this morning with a backdrop of people (including former County Executive Randy Revelle) holding "Larry Phillips: For Our County Executive" signs, he made it official. Standing ... More >>

Sayonara, Ron

KIRO TV is reporting that, after much speculation, Ron Sims will become deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There's been no announcement on Sims' Twitter page, but he does have a news conference in 10 minutes, so we'll know for sure then.  In the mean ... More >>

Phillips to Sims: Yay For You

Here's Larry Phillips' 72 word statement on losing his only competitor in the race for Exec. (Though the smart money--or even just moderately observant money--knows that Sims' exit leave this race pretty wide open so someone else--paging Bob Ferguson--will probably get in soon.) I'd like to extend ... More >>

Blogging Sims' Departure

Ron Sims is going to DC and the speculation about his replacement is in full tilt (he'd pretty much like it to be anyone but Larry Phillips). Here you can keep track of his statements on leaving, responses from other King County politicos, and most important, the future of his Twitter feed:Tuesday, ... More >>

Does Ron Sims Have the Stomach for D.C. Politics?

The Seattle Times' Joni Balter had a post today about Ron Sims' departure that was dead-on in at least one respect. As Balter wrote (speaking as if the Executive himself were now dead):Sims always seemed like the real thing, a politician, yes, in every sense of the word, but a human being behind the ... More >>

Fun With Speculation: Is Ron Annointing Dow?

Soon-to-be-former County Executive Ron Sims is holding a press conference in a couple hours to announce something about development and climate change. (See, they can go together.) Joining him is current County Council Chair Dow Constantine, whose response to the question: "Are you running for execu ... More >>

Things We'll Miss About Ron Sims

We don't know exactly when King County Executive Ron Sims will depart for Washington DC, where he's expected to be confirmed as Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The date could be as soon as March, and we're already getting a little verklempt at the loss. What ... More >>

Ron Sims: Gambling Man

The King County Executive’s plan for saving the county budget depends on sinking multiple bank shots.

Senate to Grill Gary Tomorrow

From the STimes, our former Gov. Gary Locke will appear in DC tomorrow to explain just why the third time is indeed the charm for getting a Commerce Secretary. And why his associations with local corporate giants will be an advantage in the process of clawing our way out of this recession. So I wan ... More >>

Sims, Locke File US Disclosure Reports

King County Executive-turned-Assistant HUD Secretary Ron Sims has somewhere around $600,000 - or much less - in assets and maybe $180,000 - or less - in debts, according to his 8-page financial disclosure statement filed under the new Obama administration's transparent-government rules. Former gover ... More >>

The HUD Stud

Will Ron Sims be able to deliver what local housing advocates want?

Is Sims Already Gone?

The county executive insists he’s up for another four years atop a county in crisis. But some say his head’s in the clouds.

Cyclists, the Tunnel Is Yours

Sims and Co. lift moratorium for downtown depot.

County Budget Shortfall: Bum Economy or Overspending?

Depends whom you ask.

Ron Sims Comes Out Swinging on Budget Complaints

The Executive points to his report card: AAA.

Crunch Time

Can we trust the budget numbers coming out of King County?

With Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies?

When the shit hits the fan, Sheriff Sue Rahr will be standing alone.

Death Sentence

The feds throw the book at King County's jail as inmate fatalities skyrocket.

Are Gang Task Forces Outdated?

LAPD vet says Seattle's proposed gang task force will be “ineffective.”

Sims' Lifeboat Sinks

As swine flu takes over the front pages of newspapers and sends hypochondriacs into a panic every time they sneeze, King County politicians and department heads are scrambling to find a way to save more than $3.5 million worth of public health programs after Ron Sims' attempt to save the budget thro ... More >>

Animal Advocates Let Slip the Dogs of War on Kurt Triplett

When Ron Sims got called up to the majors, the council decided that rather than give his seat to someone who wants to run for a full term in the fall, it would appoint a caretaker. That's a shift in the way it's been done in the past, both Sims and his predecessor Gary Locke ran for full terms after ... More >>

It's Finally Official: Mr. Sims Is Going to Washington

As you've probably read, Ron Sims finally got confirmed as deputy secretary of Housing and Urban Development yesterday, despite some minor drama from Louisiana's infamous David Vitter over the Armen Yousoufian lawsuit. Uncharacteristically silent, Sims doesn't appear to have released a statement or ... More >>

Still Building...or at Least Permitting

Ron Sims' HUD-shotThe Department of Housing and Urban Development--i.e. that federal giant now being Deputy-Secretaried by a man we call Sims--released its much-awaited Regional Activity Report (pdf) on May 29th. The skinny: Our region lost a bunch of jobs from March of '08 to March of '09 and had a ... More >>

Isabel Wilkerson

Ron Sims' HUD-shotThe Department of Housing and Urban Development--i.e. that federal giant now being Deputy-Secretaried by a man we call Sims--released its much-awaited Regional Activity Report (pdf) on May 29th. The skinny: Our region lost a bunch of jobs from March of '08 to March of '09 and had a ... More >>

Isabel Wilkerson

Ron Sims' HUD-shotThe Department of Housing and Urban Development--i.e. that federal giant now being Deputy-Secretaried by a man we call Sims--released its much-awaited Regional Activity Report (pdf) on May 29th. The skinny: Our region lost a bunch of jobs from March of '08 to March of '09 and had a ... More >>