News Oct 15, 2014 at 4:00 am

Your Guide to the Longest and Most Complicated Ballot Ever: Vote for Stronger Gun Control, More Metro Buses, and Universal Preschool!

Comments

1
WOW; I GOT TO ADMIT YOU GUYS REALLY CAN TWIST THINGS AROUND. I LEARNED LOT FROM YOU PEOPLE AS NOT TO TRUST NEWSPAPER GUYS. I CANNOT RECONIZE MY SELF FROM YOUR ARTICLE. YES, I AM COLORFUL, BUT WITH A VERY GOOD TASTE. WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT I AM A CANCER SURVIVOR AND AS SUCH, I READ MANY MEDICAL BOOKS INCLUDING 400 YEARS OLD MEDICINE BOOK, WRITTEN BY A KING'S PERSONAL PHYSICIAN AND URINE ADVICE IS ONE SIMPLE WAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR BODY IS FUNTIONING RIGHT. WHY NOT MENTION THAT I TOOK 2 CASES TO US SUPREME CT. FOR FREE BECAUSE IT DEALT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE. THAT I AM A PROFESSOR OF VERY PRESTIGIOUS WOMEN'S COLLEGE. I AM A STUDENT OF LIFE WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT PART BEING A JUDGE.
2
oh,yes, you forgot(or did you miss it purposely) to mention that I will donate $77,505.00 from my salary to charities including some to cancer society. I now regret making a trip to Seattle, to your lousy office and you guys serving water; thus, I assumed you are health freaks and that is why I gave the fee medical advice which is very common knowledge in Asia. You are not smart as you like to be. Eddie Yoon, candidate for Supreme Court
3
Here are 10 reasons to vote against the city's prek program (1B):



https://seattleducation2010.wordpress.co…



The League of Women Voters recommend voting against 1A and 1B. We need to wait for a better prek plan.
4
Two new Prop 1B ads list the campaign's top 5 contributors as Christopher Larson, Miguel Bezos (Mercer Island), Connie Balmer (Bellevue), Matt Griffin and Jeanne Nordstrom. All either contributed to the charter school initiative (I-1240) that failed with Seattle

voters, contributed to defeating I-1098, a high earner income tax proposal that passed with Seattle voters, or contributed to both.



>"The people behind charter schools, undermining economic equality, and blocking opportunity for low income families are many of the same folks backing City Hall's Prop 1B," said Karen Hart, President of SEIU

925, which represents nearly 1,000 preschool teachers in Seattle who make between $11 and $14/hour. "The better alternative for Seattle's

children is Prop 1A, which is endorsed by the NAACP of Seattle/King

County, early education experts, and hundreds of hard working preschool

teachers in Seattle. By far the biggest contribution ($50,000) to the Prop 1B campaign comes fromChristopher Larson, who helped pass the statewide charter school initiative (I-1240). Another $50,000 for Prop 1B comes from Connie Balmer (Bellevue)and Miguel Bezos (Mercer Island), two high dollar supporters of charter school and education reform PACs. Still more charter school proponents, such as Jeff Brotman (Medina), John Stanton (Medina), Howard Behar, and other ultra-wealthy conservatives are also supporting Prop 1B.
5
@1 and @2: you got my vote, bro!
6
Ive decided to go opposite this year on my elected officials. Seems like things have gotten so much worse with no cost of living increases, no jobs and higher rents and cost of living im giving the next guy a chance and that Includes republicans, nothing that includes taxes and levies, and people who breed without the ability pay for their brood to will have to home school or start using birth control.
7
SECB entrenches for Chopp after his 2 disastrous debate performances.

Do they believe in Chopp? Incomprehensible.
8
To your excellent list of reasons to prefer Chopp, I might add the transparency of Spear borrowing Sawant's playbook. Run against Chopp not to win but to gain voter recognition for a council bid. Of course, the ground's no longer as it was. For example, voters of all stripes who've come to respect Sawant's candlepower have not failed to perceive a difference in Spear's. Socialists don't seem to have a deep bench at the moment.
9
Did the Metro prop get cut off the cheat sheet?
10
Prison rape acceptance WTF?? (in I-1351 paragraph)
11
Spear also support 1A over 1B which shows she has limited judgment.
12
Wrong on 1B. It is supported by all the charter hucksters, hedge fund profiteers, and testing companies. It is a straight handout to $100K per year suits and data miners. Plus Tim Burgess is pushing it, and so is Frank Blethen. What the fuck got into you people to endorse this? It's bullshit. Vote NO.
13
Why Yes 1A

■It’s inclusive. All existing preschool programs can participate which provides greater choice for low income families.

â– Because it can include all programs it is easier to scale up to a county and even state level.

â– Teachers can be trained while working.

â– Wage increase to $15 per hour will be accelerated.

â– Educators who live and work in Seattle developed the program.

â– Families pay no more than 10% of their income across the board.



Why No on 1B

■Programs must agree to a prescribed curriculum and set of “assessments” in order to participate.

■An AA or BA is required which will displace existing teaching staff. 1B proponents say that scholarships will be provided but if you’re living on the edge financially, it will be very difficult, particularly if you have children.

■$15 wage increase will occur per the city’s plan. (Which is too long in my book)

■1B continually uses the word “quality” preK and yet doesn’t support appropriate teacher training and wage increases.

â– Because of the standardized material, programs such as Montessori and Waldorf will probably not want to be involved which decreases the choice and opportunities for lower-income students.
14
Hell no, do NOT vote to hike sales taxes and car tab taxes "for buses". The state/local taxing structure here is too regressive already. Why do fags hate progressive taxation?
15
eddy yoon@1:
WOW; I GOT TO ADMIT YOU GUYS REALLY CAN TWIST THINGS AROUND. I LEARNED LOT FROM YOU PEOPLE AS NOT TO TRUST NEWSPAPER GUYS. I CANNOT RECONIZE MY SELF FROM YOUR ARTICLE. YES, I AM COLORFUL, BUT WITH A VERY GOOD TASTE. WHY DIDN'T YOU MENTION THAT I AM A CANCER SURVIVOR AND AS SUCH, I READ MANY MEDICAL BOOKS INCLUDING 400 YEARS OLD MEDICINE BOOK, WRITTEN BY A KING'S PERSONAL PHYSICIAN AND URINE ADVICE IS ONE SIMPLE WAY TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOUR BODY IS FUNTIONING RIGHT. WHY NOT MENTION THAT I TOOK 2 CASES TO US SUPREME CT. FOR FREE BECAUSE IT DEALT WITH HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE. THAT I AM A PROFESSOR OF VERY PRESTIGIOUS WOMEN'S COLLEGE. I AM A STUDENT OF LIFE WHICH IS MOST IMPORTANT PART BEING A JUDGE.


DEAR DR. PROFESSOR: I SALUET YOU, FINE SIR. NEVER TRUST THE MINIONS OF THE FREE-WEAKLY INDUSTRAIL COMPLEX. REST ASSURED THAT YOU WILL HAVE MY VOTE SO LONG AS YOU WARANT PROTECTION OF OUR PRECIOUS BODILY FLUIDS.
16
As someone else pointed out, the Cheat Sheet is missing the recommendation for the Seattle Metro vote. (It has the measure, but YES is missing) Please fix it!
17
On the preschool measures:

"Picking neither would accomplish, well, nothing."

Actually, it would. If you vote no, it would force the two groups - governance and labor - back to the table to bring forth ONE proposition that both sides agree on.

You are NOT going to get good outcomes when ones side is against the other.

1B is for every family, not just low-income families. You will be subsidizing every single family that signs up - even people making $150K.

Also, the Stranger, sadly, is wrong about "nothing" being done.

Because right now, Seattle voters are ALREADY paying taxes for preschool services. Yes, that would be thru the Families and Education levy which is funding, over 7 years, $61M in preschool services. And, Seattle Schools has about 35 preschool classrooms.

Speaking of Seattle schools, did you know that 1B's "priority" goal is to partner with SPS? Why? Because they want space in Seattle schools (there is NONE).

There is NO space but that is not going to stop the City from pushing for it.

The district is already underfunded and guess what? That underfunded mandate is K-12, not preschool.

How the City has the nerve to pressure the district for space and resources is beyond me. Ditto on how/why The Stranger got this one wrong.

NOTE: you do NOT have to pick EITHER prop. You can vote NO on the first question and be done.

You should vote no and get these two back to the drawing board.
18
1351: If the state hasn't made any meaningful effort to comply with McCleary, what makes anyone believe that asking for even more money will be a success?

594: Are there any studies that attempt to address the effectiveness of universal background checks within a particular state? Comparing different states isn't helpful because universal background check laws have generally been enacted in states that already had relatively low rates of gun violence.
19
@13's points on 1A and 1B are very good ones. Unfortunately I think people are willfully sticking their fingers in their ears and not wanting to hear these valid criticisms and concerns because of an understandable feeling that "hey, we can get preschool with 1B!"

Except you won't. 1B funds maybe 2,000 slots at best. What 1B is really about is allowing Tim Burgess and the Gates Foundation to set the curriculum policies at Seattle Public Schools by using the power of the purse to go around the elected school board. But I get that for people who like preschool, that threat seems unrealistic (though it certainly is not) and not enough of a reason to vote against 1B and the small but real amount of funding it offers.

I would feel a lot better about the Stranger backing 1B if they also pledged to fight policies that turn our schools - including our preschools - into test-taking factories, and if they pledged to resist City efforts to dictate school policies.
20
What westello @17 said. Seriously, disappointed in the SECB lack of research on the preschool measures. Vote NO. We can, and must, do better without further burdening the underfunded, overcrowded K-12 system.
21
Tim Keck believes in 594 so much he's put $2,000 into the "pro-594" side.
22
@9 & 16: Thanks, fixing. (And we'll be running the corrected version in the next two issues of The Stranger.)
23
The Stranger has lost all credibility as far as I'm concerned with their weak attempts to justify endorsing Frank Chopp. They BEGGED Sawant to run against him two years ago, but now he's too important for a socialist challenger? What were you expecting Sawant to do if she had won that you don't think Spear could do? You are bending to pressure from the establishment, you are afraid if you endorse Spear and Chopp wins, you will lose access to House Dems for stories, am I right? After all, Chopp is well known for retaliating against those who aren't loyal to him. I've heard from friends who are union organizers that the only reason their union endorsed Chopp was fear of retaliation...I expected more integrity from journalists.
I never thought the Seattle Weekly would make the Stranger look conservative, but check out their cover this week ;)
24
Why are we even thinking of asking for more K-12 money, when we spend more on the few state college, than all K-12 schools?

Just give the kids a 100% of combined funds voucher, that they can take to a school of their choice. If that means the go to a parochial school, I don't really care.

Privatizing the vast majority of government services will improve the quality, and save money.

We can fire private companies, politicians a like a lingering fart, they never really ever go away.
25
@23 the writers who pushed for Sawant two years ago have been pushed out of the Stranger, as part of a broader effort to move the paper a bit toward the right. It is very disappointing.
26
Frank Chopp? This guy has prevented the proper funding of education in Washington for years. I am not going to bring your cheat sheet anymore. This is really sad.
27
@25 you are more out to lunch even than that DOUG. asshole who keeps trashing Murray. Get one thing straight. Spear is not Sawant.



Sawant was worth supporting, even when she was running for name familiarity and had no chance. She is smart and a savvy politician, and she has proven effective on the council. Spear is a bobblehead with no discernable skills. Why would anyone support her?
28
Agree with @17. I have a real problem voting for a measure to subsidize affluent people's kids. If they had limited this to people who truly cannot afford pre-K, then fine. I predict this will fail, because people are goddamned sick of regressive taxation.


29
Why not just improve or expand the 40+ year old Head Start Preschool Program, (ECEAP) Early Childhood Education Assistance Program, or Step Ahead Preschool Program? Why the need for an additional layer of high paid administrators, consultants and test providers ? See pages 20-24. Pilot programs starts with 280 kids.



http://clerk.seattle.gov/~ordpics/118114…



http://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/chi…
30
Vote NO 1b. The city already has an enormous Office of Education and has the capacity to run Seattle Public Schools...this information is from Brown Professor Kenneth Wong. Passage of 1B will allow the city to hire an additional 42 highly paid administrators (1 adm : 50 preschool children) to further attempt to control Seattle Public Schools. The city has already attempted to control educational policy via their Family and Education levy. Bill Gates is working in lock step with the city. A recent grant attempted to link PREK- FIFth grade. We're looking at a bigger agenda, here.





We're also looking at Common Core for Prek. The Gates grant indicates that tots will have a specific curriculum. If there is enough "growth" providers will have the opportunity to get a "waiver" from prescribed curriculum.





We're looking at educational research, folks. It is called P20...not proven strategies.





Let the tots be kids and keep the city out of our educational tent. They have done an awful job with transportation, housing, Bertha and more.





Vote NO and wait for a better option.
31
Know what's important to me? That at the end of the month I have a few bucks left over so that I can at least fantasize of chasing the Great American Dream. Right now, that ain't happening.

And to be clear, I'm sick and fucking tired of getting taxes hiked up because the State Legislature can't operate within a budget. It's been going on so long, we don't even notice anymore, we just bend over without even thinking about demanding accountability.

As far as I'm concernend, every encumbant position could be filled by a homeless person. Or me, for that matter. I did 5 tours in Afghanistan, can balance a checkbook, and know right from wrong, so that makes me qualified, right? No matter, neither of us could do any worse.

And for chrissakes, a candidate for Supreme Court judge who can't even fucking spell? Well, that about says it all I suppose. If it weren't so ironically tragic, it'd be hysterical.
32
"Voting No on both 1A and 1B will force them to come back with a single, better item next year"

Yeah... or, it will just derail the entire issue as a "voter mandate" against the entire idea. Predicting the future based on the idea that a magic fairy will fix all the issues that it couldn't fix this time around is generally a poor choice.
33
Vote NO on 1B.



Brown University professor- Kenneth Wong- has studied the city's Office of Education. The city already has enough staff to run SPS. The city's proposal will increase this staff by 42 positions. Essentially ..one administrator for every 50 students. And..how about those salaries?!! We're seeing many salaries north of $100K and many many salaries north of $150K. Say no to bureaucratic welfare. Who will fill these positions?



Payscale can be found by looking at Attachment E..page 24:



http://murray.seattle.gov/wp-content/upl…



Shame on Burgess for failing to hammer out a deal with the union. Shame on the city for allowing two intiatives to be pitted against each other. And, shame on the city for a confusing ballot measure.


34
Wow, stumping for an ACTUAL gun-grabber?

Way to play into the hands of the opposition, Stranger.
35
@31 for the MFing WIN!



you have my vote kalakala.



and thank your for your service.
37
@29 - good question on Head Start because one of the City's own experts works for a company that is revamping Head Start in Philly.

@32 - Voting no won't derail preschool. Why? Two reasons. One, Seattle voters are very public education driven - give them the right thing and they will vote yes.

Two, we need governance and labor to be working in unison, not against each other. Do you think if 1A wins that the City will fall all over itself to enact it (even though that was the will of voters)?

One prop, one voice - no on both. Let's get this right because @32 is right - there are no magic fairies. Just thinking voters.
38
Slog good endorsements, I too want single payer but you need to build you way up, ACA was a good first step. Don't go straight to house from college dorms, you get an apartment first.
39
Under 594, it is a felony to use your own gun to teach your 25 year old son proper firearms safety if he touches the gun on your own property or on public land where shooting is legal. That is an illegal "transfer" if you did not broker the deal through a licensed dealer twice to get your gun back from him.



Under 594, it is a felony to borrow the gun from your son that you gave to him as a birthday present to go hunting without brokering the "transfer" twice through the licensed dealer, paying two fees, and two use taxes, as well as two waiting periods.



Under 594, it is a felony to target shoot with the same gun with your brother who, in addition to you, has a concealed pistol license and is thoroughly vetted by law enforcement and the FBI.



Under 594, it is a felony to safely store your firearms in your dads gun safe while you go on vacation without brokering the "transfers" through the local dealer, doing two background checks on each firearm, paying two fees for each firearm, and paying two use taxes for each firearm, and two separate waiting periods before getting your guns back. It is legal to leave them home unse



Under 594, it is a felony to take the gun you handed someone under 18 that you were teaching to shoot because there is only an exemption to hand the gun to them. The underage individual must broker the "Transfer" back to the instructor through a licensed dealer, with use tax, fees, and waiting period.



Under 594, it is a felony to shoot a gun with anybody other than your spouse or domestic partner, even if they have a CPL, are an off duty cop, a member of the armed services, or you've already done 150,000 background checks on them if you're shooting on private or public land where shooting is legal.
40
Your endorsement of Mark Chow is absurd. I understood why in 2010 you endorsed Ed McKenna for Seattle Municipal Court. he is a pushover for DWI cases an you get revenue from businesses that sell alcohol. But Mark Chow? The Chow family is a Chinese version of the Bush family. He is a flat out RACIST! Just go into his traffic court. Everyone with a lawyer or who is Chinese is not guilty Everyone else guilty. He forces defendants to violate their fifth amendment rights by making them testify against them selves. This clown makes Judge Judy look legit. But congratulations your honor for being the KKK's Minority of the Year!
41
Westello is correct. Voters approved the largest Family and Education levy in the history of Seattle at $232M. The city has set-aside $60M for prek. The city has the capacity to fund prek until the next initiative.



Let's do it right.
42
You are wrong with your endorsement of Mark Chow. He is a RACIST! Sit in his traffic court sometime. If you have a lawyer or are Chinese you are automatically not guilty. Otherwise guilty. He ignores the Constitution. He forces defendants to testify against themselves violating their Fifth Amendment rights. The Chows are Seattle's answer to the Bushes. Except the Bushes don't play the race card. Mark Chow would win the KKK's Minority of the Year Award if there was one. He is a flat out RACIST!
43
I am voting no on the preschool measure and if I am forced to pick one, I will pick 1A.



This is a bad measure and needs to go back to the drawing board. If this passes, it will only support preschool they deem right for poor people while people with money will still be able to go to established pre-schools offering Waldorf, Montessori or Emilio Reggio. This measure means 6 hours of academic time for 3 and 4 year olds!



1B is even worse. It pays preschool teachers $30,000 a year and the admins (which there are many) $100,000 year. And again, no Waldorf, Montessori or Emilo Reggio for you poor slobs! Worst, 1B would try to shoehorn in pre-schools into our already overcrowded elementary schools. We have no room in Seattle Public Schools for the K-12 kids already! Plus, the school board's mission is K-12 not preschool. Double plus, we can't even get full day Kindergarten funded.



This preschool measure is a mess! Plus Tim Burgess supports it.



Rhonwyn
44
Wow. For the many-ballots-in-a-row, I will not be voting for Eric Pettigrew. That dude is a tool and one of the many, many people running for the Senate seat in the 37th should have challenged him. Why, universe, why?



I think Joe Fitzgibbon is still alright. He's done some good wonky stuff like SEPA reform, and we owe him a least a couple years credit for trying to fix that mess. At least he chairs a committee, which is more than can be said for Eric Pettigrew, who appears to have been slumbering soundly through the last few sessions.



Your endorsements suck, though - seriously. What horrible thing has happened to the Stranger to make these both terrible endorsements AND not funny? The most galling part is having an opening paragraph about how Olympia sucks, and then systematically endorsing for all the depressing Democratic incumbents who haven't done shit under Chopp.



Congrats, Stranger - you are part of the problem! Institutional inertia FTW!
45
Why doesn't the Stranger newspaper endorse JESS SPEAR of Socialist Alternative and $15Now, the workers' challenger on a workers' wage?



Instead, why does the Stranger endorse Boeing's and BNSF's bagman Frank Chopp?



Despite having endorsed Jess Spear's co-thinker, co-leader, co-fighter Kshama Sawant, against the self-same corporate politician, for the self-same 43rd district, at the previous election in 2012 ?



The Stranger's caviling criticisms of Jess Spear are just a fig-leaf.

The real reason for the Stranger's cowardly capitulation is, well, capitalism! -- pressure from the owners/board of directors/advertisers who have seen first-hand, and fear, the electrifying effect on the working class of having even one intransigent, incorruptible, inspiring representative: Kshama Sawant, on Seattle city council.



Yep, there really are "two big problems" with Jess Spear's criticism of Frank Chopp, "that he's a corporate toady":

The first "problem" is that she's completely correct; Chopp is indeed a dyed-in-the-wool corporate toady.

The second "problem" is that the majority on the Stranger Election Control Board are acting as corporate toadies also!

:)



The Stranger moans, "Spear promises rent control ... but doesn't explain how ...".

Nonsense.

Jess Spear emphasizes that the way to achieve it, or any other significant improvement in our living conditions, is by building mass movements so we can fight for it together.

That's precisely how the low-waged workers, the labor movement, $15Now ably directed by Jess Spear, and Kshama Sawant, won a historic victory over the Seattle establishment and their "corporate toady" city council, to win the highest minimum wage in the country so far!



Suppose millions of workers inspired by a Jess Spear victory surrounded the WA legislature to demand the passing of a WA-wide rent-control law, or minimum-wage law, or ....

Only those capitalist legislators contemplating political suicide would then oppose it, at least openly.



More hypocritical sleight-of-hand from the Stranger: "Chopp was behind a $15 wage well before it got hot in Seattle, supporting SeaTac's earlier successful effort to win a wage hike."

However the Stranger "forgets" Chopp's abject failure so far to present even his own tepid $12 per hour minimum-wage bill to the WA legislature!



The Stranger mewls, ".... there's little chance of [Jess Spear representing us in Olympia] making a difference, and ... there's real danger of progressive goals actually suffering", so "vote for the imperfect Mr. Chopp" because, whaddayaknow, "that's being pragmatic".

No, that's not pragmatism -- that's "corporate toadyism" incarnate.

In reality, Jess Spear dethroning Frank Chopp would be "a shot heard around the world", enthusing workers everywhere to fight their oppressors!

In this country it would represent a political earthquake!

In reality, we advance progressive goals by voting for socialists committed to fighting for them -- not by voting for "corporate toadies" committed to betraying them!

:)



From the capitalists' perspective, what could be worse than having one socialist fighter -- Kshama Sawant -- elected?

Having two -- Kshama and Jess Spear!

Because next thing they know, the capitalists will be facing a nationwide independent working-class political challenge -- like Eugene Debs a hundred years ago, only even better!



We hope to make those capitalists' nightmares come true.



Sister! Brother! Let's make history together!



Jess Spear is a splendid candidate, with a splendid chance of winning -- with your support, that is!

Obviously, if the 99% vote for their Jess Spear, then she wins -- by 99% .



Jess Spear has earned her spurs in battle:

-- as director of Kshama's victorious 2013 Seattle city council run.

-- as director of $15Now spearheading (no pun intended!) the magnificent relative triumph in Seattle of the $15 minimum-wage struggle.

-- in the fight to win back homes foreclosed on by the banksters.

-- getting arrested by BNSF police, and risking incarceration time and time again, to stop the BNSF bomb-trains.

-- making mincemeat of Frank Chopp's arguments on the few occasions he's deigned, or dared, to publicly debate her.



In addition to voting, make Socialist Alternative and $15Now your very own party -- join it, fund it, build it, influence it.

http://www.socialistalternative.org/

http://15now.org/



Dump the Elephant, Dump the Ass! Build a Party of the Working Class!
46
1B is terrible. It paves the way for TFA, Bill Gates, Pearson, the City of Seattle, and K12 inc. to get their hands on your preschooler. 1A is better, though both need work.
Bad call, SECB. The devil is in the details (and in the service providers).
47
I'm writing in Kalakala.

Vote for Kalakala, vote for sanity.
48
I agree with ALL this EXCEPT I am voting for Judge Bonner. I will forgive a 70+ year old jurist the perk of free parking. He’s earned it, for Christ’s sake. If that’s the worst he’s ever done… I mean, come on. He’s a compassionate and innovative judge and, indeed, a strong proponent of social justice programs. We need more of those, not folks with a political eye to their own future



It’s appalling that judgeships are politicized by being voting on (our judiciary is *supposed* to be independent), but unfortunately we do, but I’m not looking to put a political animal on the bench. The only concern a judge should have is for the parties and the issues before her or him, and fairness. So he drives a Corvette. You people are petty.



Matt Isenhower is the real deal.
49
The Stranger Election CONtroll Board is evil : no true human person would choose Frankie " The Wall-Street Shill " Chopp over any Socialist ! --- http://planet.squat.net .
50
@35,@47...thanks for the ringing endorsement.

I was going to go on a rant here, but I deleted it. What's the fucking point? We're such a self-empowered, self-absorbed self-entitled bunch of snotbags around here that all we ever do is chase our tail. And whine. Nothing gets done.

So, what's point in voting for an incumbant? Wipe the whole fucking slate clean sez I. Give the kid behind the counter at the local 7-11 a shot at it. Can he do any worse?

Jeez...FIX SOMETHING. FIX ANYTHING. Fix our schools. Fix our highways and bridges. Fix the ferries. Beef up utility infrastructure and de-privatize bandwidth. Pick one, just ONE public issue and FIX IT. SOLVE IT. MAKE IT GO AWAY. Our tax dollars are being spent on band-aids that wash off in the shower because there's too many cooks in the kitchen with private interests and personal agendas.

You knew that shit was going to start really going south when they took J.P. off the air, right?

51
Good job lying on Prop 1. It's a $60 car tab fee, not $20.
52
Prop 1 would hike bad taxes for no good reason.



What is it with you fags? Do you hate progressive taxes or love regressive ones? Help me understand.
53
What a bunch of mainstream milktoasts you have turned into! Scannell stands for exactly the same lefty values that The Stranger trumpets time and again. The same reasons I tune in every election season to see the endorsements. Why fail to show such a guy support now?

I'll get to the point. Scannell was my lawyer.

In 2004, the King County Library System - one of the single largest library systems in the nation - violated WA State employment law, as pertains to librarians and library staff in particular, by firing staff without cause. There is special state statute relating to library staff, sadly unlike all the other poor saps in the private market.

KCLS ignored state law, fired approximately 150 staff right on the eve of signing their first ever union contract. A brutal housecleaning move before said 150 staff could be shepherded into the new union negotiations. The whole business was rotten in a number of ways. Don't even ask about how we were structurally prevented from working enough hours to qualify for benefits nevermind much in the way of unemployment insurance.

I was among the minimum 6 person required to form a class action (3 librarians, 3 library assistants in our case) who were represented by Scannell. In the end, we did not prevail on technicalities. So, this do-gooder case among Scannell's many didn't rate much notice. Unlike his celebrated case against the City of Seattle for abuses during the WTO protests. Unlike his case against Seattle for abuses of employee designations like "seasonal" "substitute" "temporary" and "parttime" used by The City to deny benefits and pensions to employees.

You would think that lawyers would have flocked to our sides given the established state statute that was violated (re: librarians) along with caselaw around substitute employees (established by Scannell). You would think, but we were largely ignored as clients by lawyerdom. Only Scannell took up our cause.

Say what you like about scrappy Scannell looking weird and taking the oddball cases but that's what merits my respect. Slick lawyers who chase money are a dime a dozen. Scannell is the genuine article.

Re-bar Scannell!
54
Hey "Research Center" and every other fucking phonespam survey cocksucker assholes out there: A of all, Fuck you in the mouth, and B of all, TALKING ON PHONES IS FUCKING IRRELEVANT BY NOW DIDN'T YOU KNOW THAT?
55
Wow, journalism at it's best. (insert sarcasm)

I couldn't even read this overly-dramatic rant. Please rewrite in a more professional manner, rather than that of an adolescent school boy.

I get that these are emotional topics, and you want to get a point across, and you're probably right about most of it, sadly, but this piece of writing is unreadable.
56
@51, $20 hike over the current $40 fee that's expiring. Yes, it's language designed to minimize the fact that if the measure fails (or was nixed entirely because no further cuts are needed) our car tabs would decrease by a significant amount.
57
@51, @56 - I think it's a $20 fee that's expiring, meaning a $40 rate hike.

"Upon establishing the STBD, a $20 annual vehicle license fee was implemented and enacted in May 2011."
-Seattle transportation benefit district

"there is a $20 fee, the congestion-reduction charge, which vehicle owners have been paying for two years, that expires in May[2014]."
- westseattleblog

My Registration paid in 6/2014 (after the May expiration) totaled $108.

But I'm not sure here- perhaps it was actually $40. Can anyone help clarify?
58
Just vote for SARAH HAYNE!!
59
@57, excellent point and my mistake. $20 = $60 - $20 expiring - $20 "low income rebate" maybe?

Expecting facts and reasonable math from this place is a stretch, especially post-Goldy. The publisher Keck contributed 4 figures to 594 and the ed board he's on endorses 594 (it's like imagining what ST editorials are outlined by Blethens).
60
The publisher Keck contributed 4 figures to 594 and the ed board he's on endorses 594

Horrors.

But I'm surprised this is an issue for you considering how much your politics align with ST editorials. You've never seemed to have an issue with it before.

Things that make you go hmm.
61
@8: Were you paid to post that claptrap? -- http://www.politicalcompass.org .
62
@27: Are you a Wall-Street shill? Do you get a fifteen-minute work break every two hours between trolling for the Greedsters? --- http://www.alternet.org .
63
I usually vote over 95% in accordance with The Stranger cheat sheet. But this year I will take it less seriously, and compile my own. With over 50 exclamation points, and more unnecessary expletives than ever: 28 fucks 9 sucks 15 shits and 3 assholes, I am missing the old ECB.
64
I had thought 'yes' 1B, but anything to do with Gates and Common Core is bad for public education. 'No' on 1a and 1b.
65
The city's prek plan is the Cadillac version of prek, which will be funded at $10K per child. Within 4 years the cost is expected to increase to $15K per child. The city kicked the union to the curb. Send the city and the union back to the table. The city's plan only covers a very small percentage of children.





The city is also being disingenuous. The city is working directly with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and their prek is actually prek aligned through FIFTH grade. WTH??!





8 individuals have contributed over $400K to the city's plan and I have to wonder: What is going on?





Vote NO on 1B.
66
#63 I am with you. Dominic left and the endorsement board isn't looking behind the curtain to see that Gates is working with the city on 1B. The city has enough administrative staff to run Seattle Public Schools. SPS and the city are aligning computer systems and I think we're looking at more than a prek initiative.



Gates pushes charter schools, mayoral control of public education, testing the cr#& out of our kids and more.



1B is a research project and these kids will be followed until they are 20.



Bring back Dominic!!!!!!!!!!!!!
67
Very little sickens me anymore coming from the public/corporate media. The lies and social conditioning have become so common it's expected. This time, however, is nauseating to say the least and to think it came from the Stranger, a supposedly independently thoughtful critical analyst of our reality... screw Big Brother and so on.







After reading the gutter filthy opening statements I finally arrived at the Stranger's position on 594. No surprise to me, I expected that much but I honestly didn't expect to find so many blatant, horribly detrimental lies stacked on top of each other at least five or six times! You want to hate on the 2nd Amendment? Fine, but don't be lying like this to get your way. If your position is so noble and common sense than why must you be SO DECEITFUL? C'mon how stupid are your readers? A simple little Google search pops up dozens of well researched and professional websites decrying I 594 with extremely valid facts.







SEE THIS FOR THE TRUTH!!!!



https://washingtonarmscollectors.org/ref…
68
"Like, OMG you guys!!!"
69
It doesn't seem that anyone asked the NAACP in Seattle what they thought about the preschool propositions or is this just white folks deciding what's best for the rest of us?



See The Seattle King County branch of the NAACP supports Prop 1A, http://seattleducation2010.wordpress.com….
70
@51 I had the same thought for Proposition 1 regarding Metro Funding. The tab fee will increase by $60 unless one qualifies as a low-income individual, where it'll be $20 less (or $40 total).



71
without a funding source, the class size initiative will only make matters worse. it is the perfect example of why initiatives are stupid and make bad laws.



YES, smaller class sizes are good. but that means hiring more teachers. and without more money, that means cutting anything that is non-core out of the budget (arts, music, skills classes, etc...).



a vote for the class size initiative is a stupid liberal vote designed to make you stupid liberals think you are doing something to help when in actuality you are making the problem worse, just like the $15 min wage thing.

at least the republicans are honest in being assholes. thinking this will force the legislature to raise taxes is head-in-the-sand stupid. this will only make matters worse unless the law includes a funding mechanism.



that doesn't make me an asshole, it makes me a "progressive."



try a progressive solution next time and include a way to pay for your ideas. otherwise you are tits on a bull.
72
The electing of Seth Fleetwood to Washington State Senate's 42nd District and thus bringing forth the long overdue removal of Doug Ericksen by industrial-sized garbage bag would indeed, be a major blessing, ending many corporate loopholes and the bipartisan gridlock in Olympia.

This midterm election is crucial--get out and vote everybody!
73
The Stranger doesn't know their head from their ass. I'll use this guide as how NOT to vote. Thanks
74
I voted against the transit initiative for the buses. Sorry, but regressive taxes have to stop somewhere and it starts now. If they want to put real progressive taxes on the ballot I'll vote for them in a second (income tax? YES!!). But this screws over lower income folks far more than anyone else.
75
No on 1351, no on 594, and yes on 591. Oh, and I voted for Reichert. We dont need some fat city libtard representing us in WA-8, thanks.
76
As always, thank you for this. It's very helpful.
77
@6: you are one evil basturd: so if a kid has shitty parents, then fuck them, eh? What about Universal Restitution? Ever heard of the Golden Rule? The Categorical Imperative? The Precautionary Principle? "No Man is an Island"? Pfft! SO WHEN WHITE FOLKS STARTED STEALING LAND IN AFRICA AND THE AMERICAS AND AUSTRALIA AND AOTEAROA AND HAWAI'I, THAT WAS OKAY?( because they were "breeding" and stuff, you know . . . . --- http://www.akpress.org )
78
I generally agree with the SECB, but come on, your argument for Mark Chow is weak as hell.



After doing a little research, it seems he is indeed pretty damn unprofessional. Without knowing all that much about Tavel, he seems like a decent guy and he probably won't act like a child in the courtroom.



I'm voting Tavel.
79
did anyone else notice on their ballot that Justice position #7 candidate Scannell actually has "Zamboni" as his middle name?
80
Wow, Dan on KUOW's Week in Review sounded pretty much "leave Brittany alone" unhinged about the right to bear arms. Someone needs to show him how to handle a 9 mm.

http://kuow.org/programs/week-review episode for today should be posted within the hour.
81
"But guess what? His opponent, Tamra Smilanich, is a realtor with no party or identifiable platform. So hold your nose and vote Pettigrew."

A little searching reveals that she is a Ron Paul libertopian.
82
#78--Yeah, I thought so too. I saw both of them speak at a candidate forum the other night, and Tavel came off as totally competent, while Chow seemed like a buffoon.
83
Initiative measure 591: This measure would PROHIBIT government agencies from CONFISCATING GUNS or other firearms from citizens WITHOUT DUE PROCESS.



This is what it says, directly. You do not comprehend this, Stranger?



You know what your problem is? You are our of touch with everyone else in Washington who does not live in Seattle. Guess what. YOU LIVE IN WASHINGTON STATE. People here like their guns, that is a fact, don't like it, GO BACK TO CALIFORNIA.



This is clear, this measure prevents the government from taking peoples guns. You are an idiot to read this otherwise, or try to twist it to say what your too-far-Left brain wishes it was saying because for some reason, you have been living in Seattle for over a decade with somehow not meeting any of the locals outside of your city.



I am a pot-smoking gender bending LGBT supporter, and I also support the right to bear arms and my many friends who have guns. Fuck you for thinking for a second this was saying something it was not, if this country comes knocking down all our doors and forces us into concentration camps, it will be your fault. Paranoid? Not even close, it is called history. Stop falling for either side dumb-asses, and think for yourself for once.
84
The Stranger does an excellent job at making you feel like a horrible jackass for questioning I-1351. Despite feeling like said jackass I decided to do a little independent research regarding the I-1351 and Classroom Size Reductions (CSR) in general. I found some studies that looked at the impact that CSR has on educational outcomes. The Brookings Institute (a left leaning think tank) presents multiple studies and their findings (see http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers…).



In general some studies find that there can be a benefit to CSR in early grades, kindergarten and early elementary school, in low income area schools. The benefit only seems to arise with a large class size reduction of 32%. In order to reach this 32% the class size would need to be reduced by 6.5 students. The initiative only seeks to reduce the class size by 5 students in Kindergarten and first grade. The 32% threshold would however be met after first grade.



In addition, any benefit that is seen, which it is not always, is only seen in early education. There is no indication that reduction in class size alone in the upper grades has any discernible effect at an improvement in educational outcomes. There were also studies that did not show any improvement in educational outcomes from CSR, and some that even found a detrimental effect.



The state of our public education system in Washington is in shambles. However, I do not think that implementing Class Size Reductions across all grades at the price tag of 4.7 billion dollars without designated funding is the answer. Even if we assume that class size reduction is the holy grail of better eduction (which it isn’t) this initiative does not actually guarantee reduced class sizes. Reduced class sizes means that we need more classrooms. The schools that do not have additional classrooms will be allowed to spend the money on “support staff”. In fact, there will only be an increase of 7,453 teachers and an increase of 18,108 in school and district based staff.



To sum it up, I-1351 goes too far. Funding for reduced class size in the early grades could potentially be worthwhile, and the legislature is already committed to reducing class size. This initiative funds reduction in class sizes for grades where there is absolutely no indication there is a benefit and at a large price. I would prefer to see this money be spent on proven reforms which can actually improve our children’s education.
85
I see alot of people focusing on the amount of administration per student in the 1B plan. http://murray.seattle.gov/wp-content/upl… . The numbers for 1B do not look particularly out of line, especially when you consider the system will be serviong such a small number of kids - perhaps the measures greatest weakness - in 2018/19, so there will naturally be a higher administrative costs. Also, the compensation specifically includes all salary and benefits. Think about it: does overseeing all aspects related to the education of 2300 pre-schoolers including facilities, record keeping, budgeting, safety, staffing, etc. for $200k including benefits sound unreasonably high?



The administrative cost per child appears to be around 10% (attachment D page 5) after the first couple of start-up years, which seems to be pretty close to in-line with a random selection of early childhood education non-profits I checked on charitynavigator.org. The overall labor cost for administration appears to be about 25% of instructor labor (attachment D page 1). I do not know how that compares to SPS or other educational systems, organizations, and departments, but it doesn't seem unreasonable. Does the 1A proposal even include administraive costs? If so, are they any better?



Don't get me wrong; there appears to be plenty to like and hate in both of these plans. And it is absurd that these parties decided it was better to face off against each other rather than coming up with a cohesive strategy and present an up/down vote.
86
Just google and you'll probably seriously consider voting for Eddie Yoon. Pro-democracy students protesting US-supported dictatorship were beaten. They were joined by workers and just about the entire city. Ronald Reagan evidently approved ensuing massacre of townspeople and students by military dictator Chun Do-whan. If Eddie Yoon brought cases against Korea's military dictators, he's got my vote.

Available from Seattle Public Library in foreign language DVD movie section: "May 18". It's based on the 1980 massacre. Made in 2007. Directed by Kim Ji-hoon w/ English subtitles.
87
There's an old sayin' "Different Animals, Same Shit". so i say, if they are the same, vote opposite regardless of party affiliation an institute some term limits via your vote. If you really feel daring, I say read your approved voters pamphlet which of course, is free, right?, and inform yourselves about the pros AND cons of each issue and again, use YOUR vote and not let anyone, not even a local newspaper that has advertisters that pay the paper for advertising, that really just wants to tell you how to think in the most rude and obnioxiously lowest language available just to appeal to the lowest common denominator of thinking and emotion.
88
@39 I am totally OK with all of these things being felonies. I believe there should be waaaay more hoops to jump through before handing/selling a gun to anybody, I don't give a shit who it is. It is a tool for killing, not a bottle opener. There should be no casual transfer of it what so ever. You won't be allowed to hand your anti-social, clinically depressed child a gun to teach them to be a more effective killer? And the transfer would require a background check? PERFECT.
89
@83 It's already illegal to confiscate any of your property, whether it be a gun or your bible, without due process.
90
Was calling my children "little fucking brats" really necessary?
91
Those that kill others with vehicles should be held accountable along with the brand, make, model of the 'killing vehicle'....





Why not push for this...?





Uhhhhh maybe the instrument (vehicle or gun) is Not the Problem?!





Maybe the individual behind the instrument(wheel or gun)is possibly responsible for the problem...not the instrument?





Will someone please use some logic...?





People have problems...issues....not instruments involved with deaths....





Ask the Doctors who slice up babies in the womb with their instruments....
92
@90 It was important for The Stranger Election Control Board to remind its remaining readers that they too were or still are someone's "stupid fucking brats", and that they themselves are either childfree, or have children who've graduated from high school by now, or have shifted to a "Hell No! No $15 Minimum Wage" viewpoint, or have accepted guest editorials from people whose children have also graduated and who are now at liberty to campaign for education deform/charter school proponents.
93
Instead of only telling people why you think the points against Chow are not important, why don't you tell us why Tavel is not qualified?





So far you have stated that you have two candidates who are both qualified for the job and one acts professional, and the other doesn't. So why shouldn't we be voting for the one who acts professional?
94
@83

They already cannot confiscate your guns without due process. It is in the bill of rights. It is a federally protected right. the only reason it's wording is in that is to get idiots to have a knee-jerk reaction and vote for it because they think if they don't then "they" will come for everyone's guns.
95
Tamra Smilanich used to run the Othello Neighborhood Association and seems very "tea party" like; My husband and I disagree with her political beliefs, and we think she is crazy.
96
Please check out the lucid comment 45, which encapsulates my perspective why to vote for Jess Spear to unseat Frank Chopp for WA Leg 43. Thanks!
97
I filled out my ballot a week ago. I have no idea who I voted for and what I voted on. I smoked some pot that was high in THC and then I voted the opposite of what I wanted on every person and issue. I laughed my ass off the whole time. An angel appeared unto me and suggested I take a nap. When I awoke my ballot was no where to be found. I just assumed I mailed it in and forget. Beats me!!!!!
98
I'm sure this has been mentioned but i dont want to read through it all. I'm lazy. However, in the Metro funding piece it says tabs will be raised by $20. Nope!!!! iIt's actually 60 with a 20 rebate for "low-income." 20 i could live with but another 60 added to annual license fees? No thanks.
99
@79 of course I noticed that he put "Zamboni" as his middle name and can only assume it was a desperate attempt at getting votes based on the idea that people want to vote for a guy with a cool nickname like "Zamboni".... Don't they?

And at the same time be so hopelessly uneducated they don't realize he's been disbarred. I have to agree with SECB here: it's a sad state of affairs that his name even ended up on the ballot.
100
@83 Actually, the reason the authors of I-591 added the prohibition against confiscation is so that the initiative would violate the single subject provision.



They are all really looking forward to being outraged when the courts when the courts invalidate the damn thing, assuming it even passes.

    Please wait...

    Comments are closed.

    Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


    Add a comment
    Preview

    By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.