Council Laughs at Monorail

Obviously a bit tired of the public's monorail zealotry (a recent poll shows 80-percent support for building the proposed Ballard-to Downtown-to West Seattle line), city council staff took a lunch break on Friday, May 24, to watch the famous Simpsons episode that ridicules the monorail as a fly-by-night scam. Popcorn was provided for the screening.

No word if monorail planners at the Elevated Transportation Company were invited, but the monorail contingent could crash the next viewing. "Due to wild enthusiasm, we'll show the Simpsons monorail episode again. Friday, May 31, 3:30 p.m., 11th floor conference room," a follow-up e-mail informed council staffers. JOSH FEIT


Business Backs State Spending Limits

Big business is launching a new initiative to limit taxes again. I-791, backed by $10,000 donations from companies like Philip Morris, puts stricter caps on Washington state government spending and requires the legislature to get a two-thirds majority before raising any new taxes (I-791 is a sequel to I-601).

The League of Education Voters, which is fighting the initiative campaign, fears the proposed caps will hurt education spending. PAT KEARNEY


Quote of the Month

School Superintendent Joseph Olchefske's May 10 letter to parents announcing the appointment of new Whittier elementary school principal Alex Coberly was riddled with cumbersome phrases ("quality leadership for the principalship"), redundant language ("Coberly has worked... where he has served as"), annoying jargon ("transformation administrator"), and this gem: "He will officially begin her appointment in July 2002." Huh?

"Is she pre-op or post-op? How should the kids address him/her?" one bewildered parent wondered. JOSH FEIT


Businesses Lose Interest in King County

Local pro-business group the Economic Development Council (EDC) says out-of-town companies just aren't interested in King County anymore. According to the latest EDC figures, biz inquiries are plummeting. In '96, the EDC heard from close to 1,000 companies interested in relocating to King County. This year there were only 100. A weak economy and chronic transportation problems are mostly to blame. The May 24 Puget Sound Business Journal reported that the EDC plans to raise over $150,000 for targeted advertising in Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. (Both areas are similar to King County and have a large high-tech industry.) The EDC admits that over 20 years of local prosperity, especially during the dot-com boom, has made Seattle and King County complacent about attracting new companies and talent. PAT KEARNEY