In Trouble

A new SurveyUSA/KING 5 poll shows that while Seattle voters overwhelmingly rank the condition of the city's roads somewhere between "fair" and "poor," a plurality—48 percent—are unwilling to put up with higher taxes to pay for their maintenance. Mayor Greg Nickels (judged "favorably" by just 25 percent of poll participants) has pushed an initiative to do just that; the nine-year, $365 million proposal will be on the ballot this November. ERICA C. BARNETT

In Debt

Eastside Republican State Senator Luke Esser—currently facing a tough challenge from former Republican state-house member turned Democratic candidate Rodney Tom—had a date in King County Superior Court with MBNA America Bank, which was going after Esser over delinquent credit-card debt. However, according to MBNA America's lawyers, the fiscal conservative finally paid off the court-worthy debt before the scheduled October 3 hearing. JOSH FEIT

Not in the P-I

Last week, the P-I profiled Mars Hill Church, which just opened a new branch at Chief Sealth High School in West Seattle, under the headline "Young Families Finding Their Faith in Mars Hill's Urban Ministry." The piece focused on church members' efforts to "become 'missionaries to the city,' displaying biblical hallmarks... that would attract others." The P-I describes Mars Hill's philosophy as "contemporary biblical teaching."

However, contrary to what that description implies, Mars Hill is an evangelical church with a radical-right agenda and a taste for conquest.

For the record, here are a few of the things Mars Hill's members believe (all quotes are from chief pastor Mark Driscoll's sermons). God wants women to quit their jobs, get married, stay at home, and have babies: "Women will be saved by going back to that role that God has chosen for them." God wants women to be followers, not leaders: "It's a matter of biblical creation." God hates fags: "Anything but one man, one woman, one God, one life is sexually immoral." Evolution is a lie: "We all descend from [Adam] and there was no human life before this man." Hell is a real, physical place, and "it's hot. Real hot." ERICA C. BARNETT