Today, the Seattle Times reports on the referendum campaign to put the deep-bore tunnel up to a public vote:
“It’s puzzling that the mayor keeps insisting it’s a popular uprising,” said Jon Scholes, vice president for advocacy and economic development with the Downtown Seattle Association.
“What we saw in Egypt was a popular uprising. This appears to be an inside job.”
Of course, it’s all part of an inside job. And tunnel referendum supporters are “not grassroots average citizens,” according to a recent Seattle Times editorial. In other words: Even though the latest filings with the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission show that lots more people have donated to Protect Seattle Now, which has only a 30-day window to qualify a tunnel referendum for the ballot, the effort for a public vote is not to be confused with democracy.
So who are the tunnel supporters, the self-proclaimed outsiders? The conglomerate of downtown businesses trying to stigmatize opponents, the huge daily newspaper trying to marginalize donors, the governor’s office that’s strong-armed the project, the state transportation department that lied to the city about contractors? Those are the real grassroots, the little guys… or something.
Be part of the “inside job” and donate right here.
“there will be no overruns.”
“The legislators who passed that provision, they don’t really mean to stick Seattle with overruns.”
“Taking $120 million out of the contingency fund prior to contract signing is normal — this in now way is an overrun already.”
“It’s the tunnel opponents who are the slick, rich insiders.”
“Spending two billions for a $1500 a year two mile highway segment to speed folks from highlands to the seahawks games is a wise use of money at a time when oil prices are rising, carbon emissions demand more transit and density, and we’re cutting teachers, basic health and all services. Because helping the tier that can pay a $4 toll to go two miles will trickle down and help all of us!”
You’d think they’d have a Twitter feed or some other way to let you know where you can sign the petition.
I’m downtown. Where can I sign?
As much as I like Jon Scholes, this is just DSA trying to get some anti referendum press. It’s a silly statement as you point out Dom. I’m a DSA member, and donated to the referendum effort, and as far as I know I don’t work for or am related to McGinn. And many, many other folks donating aren’t either. There are some pretty impressive folks on the list as well, like the Sightline Institute – a group everyone should check out and follow.
@2, if you like, you can print out and sign your own petition this very second – and take a day or so to maybe get some others to sign yours as well – then either mail it in to them or email them to arrange a volunteer to meet you to pick it up.
http://www.protectseattlenow.org/sign-th…
Great question Free Lunch, I have it as well. I cruise by Westlake Center/Park every so often and haven’t seem ’em there yet but that seems like a good defacto location to setup.
Donations + $10
@2 You can download and sign the petition from their website here: http://www.protectseattlenow.org/sign-th… then turn it in at one of several locations listed here: http://www.protectseattlenow.org/where-t…
Yes, I saw the download option, and I’ll probably do that (if I can figure out how to print double-sided on the company printer – a petition requirement, it seems), but they could make it much easier just by letting everyone know where their people are going to be.
The food trucks can get the word out, but these guys can’t?
Hold on, is that that the entire list? That is less than 50 individuals!! How exactly are you disproving what was reported in the Times?
http://westseattleblog.com/2011/02/highw…
Warren Aakervik
Interbay/BINMIC
Carol Binder
Former Executive Director, Pike Place Market
John Coney
Queen Anne resident
Mahlon Clements
Ballard/Fremont
Bob Donegan
Seattle Historic Waterfront Coalition
Don Newby
Southwest King County
David Freiboth
Executive Secretary
Martin Luther King
County Labor Council
Jim O’Halloran
Northeast Seattle
John Odland
Manufacturing Industrial Council
John Pehrson
Belltown
Vlad Oustimovitch
West Seattle
Earl Richardson
Southeast Seattle
Robert Sexton
Board of Directors of the Downtown
Seattle Association
Peter Spalding
West Seattle
Herald Ugles
International Longshore and Warehouse
Union
Todd Vogel
Former Allied Arts Chair and Chair of NW
Sustainability Collective
Tayloe Washburn
Former Chair of the Board
Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce
@7 free lunch. You can also use the copier machine (1 sided –> 2 sided). Then get a few friends and family to sign also.
Stevens Pass got 16″ of fresh snow in the past 24 hours. Why am I not there?!
Der. Derp. Derrrrr….
http://publicola.com/2011/03/09/anti-tun…
@8 – that is definitely not the entire list. I donated earlier today, and it’s not listed on there. I’m assuming it’s taking a while for donors to be added onto the list.
Oh, look. As of now, sixty percent of the money comes from only 3 individuals:
http://publicola.com/2011/03/10/anti-tun…
Which is either a big deal or not a big deal. Depends on your attitude, I guess. It’s not a big deal to me. The point is that Dominic Holden is a dishonest flack and a crap reporter.
I mailed a small donation and a signed petition today. From Toronto (I’m a registered Seattle voter still). If I can do it from here, you can do it there.
I’m part of the inside job!
Tell Joni “Van Susteren” Balter to go back to the 1985 Seattle she and Joel Connely are always reminiscing about.