Mar 29
TobyinFremont commented on Man on the Street: Meet a Paid Signature-Gatherer.
A major problems with citizen initiated governance (initiatives, referendums, charter amendments) is the imposed time limit on gathering signatures. We have six months. There would be less need for paid signature gatherers if we had longer to do it.
Mar 24
TobyinFremont commented on Seattle Needs to Welcome Growth and Get Over Itself.
"I have always been... east coaster": You said (@52): "You make some good points about the loss of neighbor relationships." It's not just "neighbor relations," it's "neighbor empowerment," or the lack of it.
This argument about growth has happened many times in many places. Even NYC neighborhoods fight growth machines. Like Columbia University. Or NYU's latest in the Village: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/07/17/c…
@57 you said: "there are far too few dense transit-oriented city areas to accommodate those who want to live in such places." I agree, but we're not going to solve that problem until we resolve not to be fossil fuel oriented in our transportation and transit. Peak oil and global warming will terminate our dependence on fossil energy. Population overshoot beyond the sustainable level of resources will make the transition more difficult. The longer we continue "business as usual" the more painful it will be.
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This argument about growth has happened many times in many places. Even NYC neighborhoods fight growth machines. Like Columbia University. Or NYU's latest in the Village: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/07/17/c…
@57 you said: "there are far too few dense transit-oriented city areas to accommodate those who want to live in such places." I agree, but we're not going to solve that problem until we resolve not to be fossil fuel oriented in our transportation and transit. Peak oil and global warming will terminate our dependence on fossil energy. Population overshoot beyond the sustainable level of resources will make the transition more difficult. The longer we continue "business as usual" the more painful it will be.
Mar 22
TobyinFremont commented on Sally Clark Says I'm Trying to "Intimidate" the City Council.
Ben @ 53: I am an ardent supporter of the state's Public Disclosure Act (I use it a lot), and oppose efforts by municipalities to weaken it. But your suggestion is absurd. How about we make them scan every piece of paper they produce (same day!) and put them on the big PDA server in the cloud? If not all employees, just elected officials? Wire them up like we should with cops on duty? Talk about a burden on local governments; imagine the huffing and puffing against PDA in Olympia if your suggestion were implemented. Not to speak of the destruction of email as a communication tool.
Not only is your suggestion unworkable but your post proves my point about the difficulty many people have distinguishing between ethics and law. Compare with "Legally speaking, all email from public officials is a public record..."
Not only is your suggestion unworkable but your post proves my point about the difficulty many people have distinguishing between ethics and law. Compare with "Legally speaking, all email from public officials is a public record..."
Mar 21
TobyinFremont commented on Sally Clark Says I'm Trying to "Intimidate" the City Council.
Dominic and the posters who say "the emails are public info from seattle.gov" so no foul don't understand the difference between rules and ethics. All behavior that follows 'the rules' is not ethical. Dominic agreed as much when he says his behavior is "dickish." Acting like a prick in public also undermines both his credibility as a journalist as well as his ability to influence elected representatives and voters.
I agree with the posters pointing out that apodments are not affordable housing beyond a very specific demographic (@16: "single young people trying to stretch out that dorm lifestyle another few years"). And building rooming houses serves the interests of the money makers far more than any need to increase housing available to most lower income people.
p.s. I am not a huge fan of Sally Clark's conflict avoidance, nor do I think Tom Rasmussen's call for a moratorium is productive. The only way that would work is if he had an ordinance drafted and lined up the necessary votes first.
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I agree with the posters pointing out that apodments are not affordable housing beyond a very specific demographic (@16: "single young people trying to stretch out that dorm lifestyle another few years"). And building rooming houses serves the interests of the money makers far more than any need to increase housing available to most lower income people.
p.s. I am not a huge fan of Sally Clark's conflict avoidance, nor do I think Tom Rasmussen's call for a moratorium is productive. The only way that would work is if he had an ordinance drafted and lined up the necessary votes first.
Mar 6
TobyinFremont commented on Union Bossy.
@2--Why not go look at the map before posting? http://www.seattledistrictsnow.org/maps.…
@3--SDN does not claim districts will solve every problem. We do claim that district elections shift the power away from the "district of money."
Of course the oligarchs can swamp a district election. They do it now with city-wide council anyway. On the other hand, districts makes retail politics possible, something that is close to impossible with a district of 385,000 voters behind 240,000 doors.
Everyone--For some reason, The Stranger ran another version of this article. Longer and with more comments: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
@3--SDN does not claim districts will solve every problem. We do claim that district elections shift the power away from the "district of money."
Of course the oligarchs can swamp a district election. They do it now with city-wide council anyway. On the other hand, districts makes retail politics possible, something that is close to impossible with a district of 385,000 voters behind 240,000 doors.
Everyone--For some reason, The Stranger ran another version of this article. Longer and with more comments: http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Feb 27
TobyinFremont commented on Liberals vs. Liberals? Unions Accuse Districts Campaign of Disenfranchising People of Color.
@13: You thought wrong.
Feb 27
TobyinFremont commented on Liberals vs. Liberals? Unions Accuse Districts Campaign of Disenfranchising People of Color.
Joel: “Couldn't they just propose a different set of district lines without delaying the progress of this legislation?” Getting a charter amendment on the ballot takes a lot of effort. And time. It cannot just be changed with a new set of district lines without re-starting the signature gathering clock.
Junipero: Changing to all 9 districts has been tried repeatedly and lost at the polls. Discussion among numerous interests took place in the first half of 2012, and it was determined that a 7-2 proposal had a better chance of passing. Once you settle on 7 districts, the map basically draws itself. 7 districts cannot be drawn to increase “minority majority” districts; it was this reality that caused UFCW to ask SDN to return to an all 9 proposal. [Demographics: SDN’s district 2 is 67% POC, district 3 is 29%, district 5 is 27%, and district 1 is 26%. Seattle overall is 28%. --2010 Census data]
After some discussions UFCW and allies agree in principle that districts is better than no districts. No “organized opposition” to Seattle Districts Now is apparent, notwithstanding The Stranger’s attempt to gin one up with a leaked two week old email. It is unfortunate that this dirty laundry has been aired; SDN and UFCW have a great deal of overlapping interests and supporters in common—check out the list of endorsers at seattledistrictsnow.org.
“The backers of this proposal are a bunch of white NIMBYs who have never shown much concern for the needs of people of color.” This is simply not true, and not deserving of a response.
Cascadian: SDN’s map was drawn without any consideration of the residence of existing councilmembers. If Charter Amendment No. 19 passes, incumbents will have to decide in 2015 whether to run in the district where they live, for one of the two at large positions, or retire. More importantly, in future redistricting, the process explicitly prohibits “consider[ation of] the residence of any person.”
Study the proposal and learn how it is inherently democratic; it makes retail politics viable. SDN cannot solve all the problems with Seattle's government, but it sure moves in the right direction. Download the petition, get some signatures, and please vote yes on November 5.
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Junipero: Changing to all 9 districts has been tried repeatedly and lost at the polls. Discussion among numerous interests took place in the first half of 2012, and it was determined that a 7-2 proposal had a better chance of passing. Once you settle on 7 districts, the map basically draws itself. 7 districts cannot be drawn to increase “minority majority” districts; it was this reality that caused UFCW to ask SDN to return to an all 9 proposal. [Demographics: SDN’s district 2 is 67% POC, district 3 is 29%, district 5 is 27%, and district 1 is 26%. Seattle overall is 28%. --2010 Census data]
After some discussions UFCW and allies agree in principle that districts is better than no districts. No “organized opposition” to Seattle Districts Now is apparent, notwithstanding The Stranger’s attempt to gin one up with a leaked two week old email. It is unfortunate that this dirty laundry has been aired; SDN and UFCW have a great deal of overlapping interests and supporters in common—check out the list of endorsers at seattledistrictsnow.org.
“The backers of this proposal are a bunch of white NIMBYs who have never shown much concern for the needs of people of color.” This is simply not true, and not deserving of a response.
Cascadian: SDN’s map was drawn without any consideration of the residence of existing councilmembers. If Charter Amendment No. 19 passes, incumbents will have to decide in 2015 whether to run in the district where they live, for one of the two at large positions, or retire. More importantly, in future redistricting, the process explicitly prohibits “consider[ation of] the residence of any person.”
Study the proposal and learn how it is inherently democratic; it makes retail politics viable. SDN cannot solve all the problems with Seattle's government, but it sure moves in the right direction. Download the petition, get some signatures, and please vote yes on November 5.
Feb 18
TobyinFremont commented on Rumors That Alison Holcomb May Run for City Council.
#9: "I wouldn't mind dumping just about the entire slate of council members up for re-election in 2 years."
If Seattle Districts Now's Charter Amendment No. 19 gets sufficient signatures and passes in November, it would put ALL NINE council positions on the ballot--seven districts and two at large.
Please come to SDN's signature gathering kick off this Wednesday (Feb 20). Details at www.seattledistrictsnow.org/news.html
If Seattle Districts Now's Charter Amendment No. 19 gets sufficient signatures and passes in November, it would put ALL NINE council positions on the ballot--seven districts and two at large.
Please come to SDN's signature gathering kick off this Wednesday (Feb 20). Details at www.seattledistrictsnow.org/news.html
Feb 5
TobyinFremont commented on Nobody Is Running for City Council.
I think the lack of candidates for these four positions is in good part because of the Seattle Districts Now proposal: Section 5 of the City Charter Amendment includes: "the four positions elected at the 2013 general municipal election (positions 2, 4, 6, and 8) shall each be for two year terms ending at midnight, December 31, 2015." The four year terms are automatically reduced to two year terms to facilitate the transition to a 7 districts, 2 at-large council.
Feb 2
TobyinFremont commented on Campaign for District Elections Will Finally Begin Circulating Petitions.
37/38: Your anger blinds you. You have named yourself well.
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