Cascadia Report

Category: Politics

  • Maybe Seattle doesn’t need to move so many cars

    Maybe Seattle doesn’t need a freeway along its downtown waterfront. Gov. Chris Gregoire punted on the decision of whether to rebuild the viaduct or replace it with a tunnel. She could’ve questioned the need for that much car-moving capacity:

    It’s hardly an unreasonable order. Legislators don’t rush in with cash when health departments, human service agencies or educators complain that demand for service is overtaxing facilities. First they ask if problems can be contained through innovation and better use of resources.

    Her lack of a decision is ironic because she truly seems to realize the challenge is transporting more people and freight, not more cars and trucks. And do it soon. She explains her vision in this conversation here.

  • Seattle’s port isn’t a monopoly

    The Port of Seattle may have a blank check locally but it isn’t a monopoly to shippers or airlines, notes Bill Virgin in today’s Seattle P-I.

    Taxpayers have a chance this year to vote out Bob Edwards, one of the five commissioners responsible for the port’s poor performance. (Commissioner Alec Fisken is also up, but at least he’s been consistently agitating for better management.)

  • Lumber deal will be just temporary fix

    Last year may be remembered for a deal between Canada and the U.S. that finally halted the long-running fight over the trade of lumber.

    The agreement had a major impact on industry by ending legal proceedings and freeing up funds that Canadian exporters had paid in duties to the U.S. But the deal itself will be remembered for what it didn’t address.

    Most important, it simply replaced one form of trade barrier (a duty) with another (an export tax). It didn’t bring regulation any closer in line with the market by addressing the ownership of forestland or the other factors that influence the price of materials. That means that when the market for wood recovers the trade spat is sure to rekindle.

  • Reports: Chances better for Sonics, worse for NASCAR

    Prospects to keep pro basketball in Seattle appear to be improving, while a proposed NASCAR track faces more hurdles.

    The News Tribune reported that the owner of the Sonics is leaning toward building a new stadium in Renton. The site, which the city would give to the team at a steep discount, is close to Eastside corporate customers and near several highways. The team is expected to ask the state legislature for a subsidy of about $300 million.

    The request likely further complicates plans for a 83,500-seat NASCAR track on the Kitsap Pensinsula. According to the newspaper, no legislator in the area supports a public subsidy for the project, which supposedly would bring a development boon to the region. Yet State Sen. Derek Kilmer of Gig Harbor, who holds an economic development PhD from Oxford, says financing the project should at least be considered.

  • B.C. report predicts bonanza from Asia trade

    A British Columbia government report says Canada could see a bonanza of another C$230 billion a year in trade and as many as 500,000 new jobs by 2020 — if the country gets behind plans for massive new port and transportation projects.

    The report, leaked to the Vancouver Sun, is likely to stoke the upcoming federal election campaign and encourage examination of B.C.’s ties to Asia. Completing the projects on the government’s wish list could eclipse the planned trade-related development in Washington and Oregon.

    The report assumes constant growth in Asia and no disruption in trans-Pacific trade. B.C. would gain 55,000 direct jobs by 2020, with the rest indirect or in other provinces. According to the report, B.C. would see about $76 billion of the additional trade in goods and services, the equivalent of 50 percent of B.C.’s current trade activity.

  • “Husband of the Year” represents King County

    King County Executive Ron Sims was named “husband of the year” by Seattle Magazine and apparently is proud enough of the distinction to post it on his official Web site. The Seattle area’s top elected official drew attention by skipping a dinner with the president of China at Bill Gates’ home:

    ron sims and wife; photo courtesy of seattlepi.com

    Was his absence caused by some sort of county-wide emergency or pressing issue? Well, if you consider “date night” a pressing isue, as Sims does, yes. Instead of eating halibut with the richest man in the universe and the president of the most populated country on earth, the King County executve enjoyed the evening with his wife of 19 years, Cayan.

    The approach is a contrast to Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, who reportedly has made hospitality toward official Chinese visitors a priority. The city appointed a person to handle protocol because such niceties can influence the direction of any future business relationship.

  • B.C.’s sports projects may be on chopping block

    Federal pork in the form of sports facilities in British Columbia may be cut as Canada’s ruling party tries to roll back some political favors.

    The C$70 million cuts threaten at least four major sports complexes now planned or under construction, plus several smaller ones, that were kicked off by Premier Gordon Campbell’s 2005 election pledges to ensure a legacy after the 2010 Olympics, according to the Vancouver Sun. The projects received funding but are under scrutiny after a change in ruling party earlier this year.

    Projects include a speed-skating track in Fort St. John, an indoor-outdoor track and field complex in Prince George and projects at universities in Vancouver and Victoria. Defenders say the projects will help enrollment at the schools and boost sports-related visits to the region.

  • More on why Gov’s viaduct punt was wrong

    Seattle Times Columnist Danny Westneat gets it right in Sunday’s paper: Gov. Chris Gregoire copped out by punting a decision on the viaduct back to voters.

    He nails Gregoire for simply proposing a vote between a rebuild, which isn’t popular, and an expensive tunnel supported by Mayor Greg Nickels. Instead of asking for yet another vote, elected leaders should lead.

    We barely have a representative democracy anymore. The representative part has checked out. The democracy part may look like it’s in full swing — there’s certainly a lot of voting going on — but it isn’t leading anywhere.

    Why aren’t other options — such as a surface alternative — on the table? What will one more advisory public vote on transportation solve?

  • Governor decides to punt on plan for road fixes

    Gov. Chris Gregoire’s lack of a decision on what to do about Seattle’s critical state-funded road projects will be remembered as a major lack of leadership.

    After months of saying she would decide how the state should spend its money to fix Seattle’s waterfront viaduct freeway, in a press release today she punted the decision to city voters. She said both a new overhead freeway and a tunnel would be obstructed by opponents. She called for “a path forward” to break the stalemate but unfortunately didn’t deliver.

    On replacing the 520 floating bridge, she seemed to endorse the six-lane transit-friendly replacement option, but noted that the financing plan isn’t sufficient. Yet she didn’t suggest a better alternative.

    With a difficult 2008 election ahead, she no doubt wants to avoid appearing to favor pricey Seattle projects at the expense of suburban and rural voters. Considering that options to rebuild the viaduct depend on shaky finances and will take years, she should have recommended a package of improved streets and transit, worked to build consensus with warring local politicians and then explained why the fixes matter to the whole state. This is a case where failing to take a stand is worse than making the wrong call.

  • County collecting get-well notes for its leader

    King County Executive Ron Sims, the top elected official in the Seattle area, was recuperating from gallbladder surgery Monday. His office said he will recover at home for a week with a “light work schedule” and thoughtfully sent the following note:

    Dear King County Employee,

    Below is a copy of a press release that is being sent out today. Please know that Executive Sims’ surgery went well and he is resting at home. If you would like to send the Executive good wishes, please direct e-mails to [email protected] or simply click reply to this e-mail. All messages will be compiled for him. We ask that you please do not direct such e-mails to his personal e-mail as he may not be able to get messages for some time.

    Thank you.

    Office of the King County Executive