STB’s endorsements for the general election will be out in a few days, and as usual the Board is interested in any somewhat more obscure races that have strong transit and/or land use cases. Leave your tips in the comments. Links are very much appreciated.
Call for Endorsements
October 15, 2012 at 11:30 am By
About Martin H. DukeMartin joined the blog in Fall 2007 and became Editor-in-Chief in 2009. He is originally from suburban DC, but has lived in the Greater Seattle area since 1997. He lives with his family in Columbia City and splits his work time as a Communications Engineer between the Eastgate area and Tukwila.
You may want to read our comment policy.
While Gael Tarleton doesn’t have an issues section on her page, she’s very pro-transit whilst her opponent Noel Frame is very anti-transit. I was shocked to hear Noel hate on transit so much during the candidates forum a few months back for the 36th Legislative District that covered transit extensively.
I hate them both.
Reuven Carlyle, who is definitely on our side, seems to have endorsed Tarleton. I’m tempted to defer to his judgment about who would be best to work with at the state level.
But man… those coal trains.
I totally get that sentiment. Tarleton is arrogant and boring, but she’s a smart cookie and supports good planning and transit. Something Frame is totally ignorant of. Why does she live in Seattle and why does she call herself a progressive? She may as well be a Republican.
Could you provide a little more info? I’m in the 36th and was planning on unenthusiastically voting for Frame. (Voted for Phillips in the primary; Tarleton seems like a Seattle Time Ed Board dream candidate.) Can you can give me a link or something to show how Frame is anti-transit?
This is the only coverage we have. http://seattletransitblog.com/2012/06/19/36th-district-candidate-debate-review/ Perhaps it was videotaped? Her 50% response was pretty much her only pro-transit statement of the night. But, I can assure you, she kept saying that transit isn’t her thing, education was her sole issue. She also showed her complete lack of knowledge or care for environmental or urban issues. Awful woman. Please don’t let her represent my district!!
Oh, and Frame drove. Tarleton took the bus!
Here is a plug for Maurren Judge in the 41st. Steve Litzow indeed took a courageous stand for marriage equality (at least for an R), but he spent a good portion of his time on teh Mercer Island council working with Jim Horn and Rob McKenna trying to stop East Link. See action on Reso 1337:
http://www.mercergov.org/Agendas.asp?Display=Minutes&AMID=956
I know it isn’t in the Seattle area, but Paula Thompson is running for Kittitas County Council and she is very well educated in current land use issues and is very progressive in her views of rural development and protecting our rural areas from sprawling urbanesque development. I would appreciate a shout out for her if for no other reason than because it is such a rarity to have a candidate in such a rural area as Ellensburg have such a profound platform that is based on growth management and good urban planning policy.
Transit lovers for marriage equality!
Jake Fey for 27th
Pierce Transit Prop 1 – Save it already!
Gay people ride transit too – Yup on 74
High People ride transit as well! – More money can help Public Transportation – bingo on 502
STB probably won’t endorse on 74 because it doesn’t directly affect transit (502 is another matter), and didn’t need to be told to say Yes on Pierce Transit Prop 1.
I think this is a no brainier, but Jessyn Farrel.
Ross Hunter and Cyrus Habib are/will be very good for transit on the Eastside.
As always, Marko Liias in the 21st along with Joe Fitzgibon in the 34rd but they’re not running in very competitive races.
Andy Billing in Spokane is a very strong transit champion in the House and will continue to be great in the Senate. Running for his seat in the House, Marcus Riccelli will be good on transit.
Prop 1 in Clark County…
The Transit Riders Union sent a survey about funding for public transit to all candidates for the state legislature. We’re posting their responses on our website as they come in. Here’s the link:
http://transitriders.org/2012/10/08/candidates-responses-to-transit-funding-survey/
I hope that Kshama Sawant in the 43rd district is being seriously considered over her opponent Frank Chopp. She’s endorsed by the Transit Rider’s Union, The Stranger and is a strong supporter of public transportation.
From her website she states that she would, “Tax freeloading big corporations and millionaires to fund job programs, schools, public transit and social services.” Then later expands that to say she would, “Massively expand public transit. Save the Ride Free Zone in downtown Seattle and make all of King County a ‘ride free zone!’” (http://votesawant.org/issues/)
It’s time that Olympia has new voices, voices that come from someone other than the usual Republicans and Democrats who we’ve watched slash state funding for programs that everyday people rely on.
http://transitriders.org/2012/10/08/candidates-responses-to-transit-funding-survey/
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-stranger-election-control-boards-endorsements-for-the-november-6-2012-general-election/Content?oid=15029933
“From her website she states that she would, “Tax freeloading big corporations and millionaires to fund job programs, schools, public transit and social services.” Then later expands that to say she would, “Massively expand public transit. Save the Ride Free Zone in downtown Seattle and make all of King County a ‘ride free zone!’””
Oy vey. Just want we don’t need. Making metro free would be a disaster.
Yeah that freeloading top 1 percent that pay nearly 40 percent of all federal income taxes. Obviously playing to 47% that votes for a living instead of works for a living. But why stop with transit? Why not free ponies, free love…
Bernie, you’re (of course, as usual) wrong about federal taxes (google “payroll tax”).
Also, the top 0.1%, the million-dollar-a-year crowd (not to be confused with the top 1%, who are mostly just well-to-do) really are a bunch of freeloaders; they are paying insanely low tax rates thanks to the dividend and capital gains tax breaks. They pay lower *income* tax rates than most people’s *payroll* tax rates.
Nathanael, nice try but I’m not doing any more homework for you. If you believe capital gains should be taxed as regular income I can see that working if used to lower tax rates on regular income. The argument that it kills investment doesn’t wash because what it would do is put dividend paying stocks on a more equal footing with more speculative investment. What I don’t buy is someone paying $15 million in taxes is a freeloader because it’s “only” 15% of their income and someone paying 20% of $100k for essentially the same government services is getting screwed. The rich do pay the overwhelming bulk of the federal tax burden. The problem is we all are paying way to much to finance the spending diarrhea that’s been going on in D.C. for decades.
What? Someone running against Chopp that might actually kinda sorta look like an actual alternative? Naturally, I’ve since moved away from there and now live in (different level, but still) Dave Reichert’s Gerrymandered Hourglass. Grr.
I’m guessing you’re going to say no on I-1185 and SJR 8221, two ballot measures not getting as much pub as the pot/gay marriage/charter school initiatives (it’s a wild election season when Tim Eyman’s Yearly Paycheck is almost unheard of) but with potential impact on transit.