On local issues, I’m pretty much a single-issue voter. That’s why Goldy’s post on Friday disheartened me:

Word is that state Secretary of Transportation Paula Hammond is planning to vote against putting a revised Sound Transit rail proposal on the November ballot. Hammond reports directly to Gov. Chris Gregoire, and is thus her surrogate on the Sound Transit board.

Based on our own analysis and some statements by Executive Ladenburg, Hammond switching over would be good enough by itself to get ST on the ballot in 2008.  The Governor, presented with an opportunity to deliver rail as soon as possible, has apparently opted not to do so.

Of course, we’ve pointed out before that Dino Rossi’s transportation philosophy goes beyond pro-SOV and anti-transit, into the realm of the unconstitutional and delusional. In the Governor’s race, there really is no choice on whom to vote for on transportation and other progressive issues.

However, when deciding where to send your finite contribution dollars in this and other years, might I suggest anyone listed as a strong YES vote in this post.  Also, U.S. Senator Patty Murray has been instrumental in delivering federal dollars where the state has been MIA.  They’re all leaders who are moving forward the pro-rail agenda. I might also suggest the Transportation Choices Coalition, who have been out in front on getting light rail built.  In very local races, small contributions can make a big difference.

20 Replies to “Why I won’t be donating to the Gregoire campaign”

  2. She’s proven herself to be opposed to small business (as with the anti-small toy seller/manufacturer lead paint standards she’s having implemented) and against non-legacy projects.

    Anything that she doesn’t have a hand in or that doesn’t make her look good will not be seeing the light of day if she can help it. This includes regional transportation projects that aren’t big name (“OOOOH, THE VIADUCT AND 520 COULD FALL DOWN! LET’S BUILD THE GREGOIRE MEMORIAL PARKWAY AND GREGOIRE POINT BRIDGE!”) and legislation that doesn’t have a veneer that could be used to make her look compassionate or tough (“I really, truly, deeply, honestly, strongly care for children!”).

    I think if we run her out of office, even with Dino, we can clean house in the next administration since ST2.1 will either pass or fail at this point. If it fails, it will be an uphill battle through to 2012 to get it back to vote, and if it passes, there’s not much people can do to stop it since, again, we can clean house in the next election. After a close-call last election, a failure to get elected will only stand to make Gregoire throw in the towel.

    Dino’s transpo ideas are so far afield that it’s hard to pick any single one that could survive any judicial challenge.

    I’m going to have to side with the “Gregoire Out in 2008” camp. I’m not voting for Dino, I’m voting against Gregoire.

    1. I agree with waht your saying, my only hesitation would be that a Gov Dino does nothing for the progressive/Democratic national movement as a whole. I think that it would be a huge loss for all Washingtonians if we did not have a Dem in Olympia, dont you think?

      1. That’s why I hesitate to vote for him at all. Of course, if it appears there’s going to be a blue tide in other areas of the government this year, I’d probably be more considerate of the notion that we’d get a continuation in 2012 and might bite the bullet.

  3. I think Gregoire has reached a stand-off with Nickels, and as such, is distancing herself from anything related to the Puget Sound.

    I don’t blame her. What I’ve heard is that since it’s an election year, Nickels essentially blackmailed Gregoire over Key Arena, viaduct, etc, and that’s why she’s taken a hard-stance, hoping the Obama coattails will be sufficient. Then, when Nickels is gone, she’ll get on board with the new mayor.

    I don’t see how a Republican governor is good for transit or the state.

    And as someone who has started 3 businesses under Gregoire’s term, I’ve seen no ill effects of her influence on small business. The Dept of License and the Dept of Revenue have made huge strides in the past years.

    YMMV

    1. Being “kinda” on the fence, you do present me with a persuasive argument, but I’m honestly itching over the desire to have a new demo in the office as soon as possible.

      Unfortunately for her, Seattle could be her biggest enemy with her stand-off, and while I understand her position, there’s a definite reason Dino’s campaign has used placards that say “Don’t let Seattle steal this election.”

      It’s really rough to be the principle city in a region and state and still get treated second-class.

      1. I support her on most issues, just not transit. She gets my vote – I don’t think there’s any significant local impact from harder laws on lead in paint – I think the impact in healthcare costs would be higher!

        Four years of Rossi will do far more damage than 8 years of another Democrat can fix. Nickels has beaten her on ST, too – if we pass ST2, she’ll change her tune.

      2. Archie McPhee’s, iZilla, several stores in Pike Place Market will all have to close due to these policies and associated costs.

  4. Although she has not been that strong on transportation, Governor Gregoire has done incredible things for the state, including getting healthcare for every child in Washington State, creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and negotiating a large budget surplus for times when the state is in need. One of AJ’s examples, about the lead paint standards, may be “against small business,” but I’m pretty sure the lives of small children are more important than toy stores making a few extra dollars.

    It is true that there would be major transportation policy changes under Rossi: we’d get an eight-lane 520 bridge, constant widening of the 405, probably a large, several billion dollar new viaduct, and there would be no possibility of any transit expansion. You can’t be so much of a single-issue voter that you even ignore the facts.

    1. The federal standards are already strict enough for lead paint and oversight is incredible. This is why we get federal-level recalls within days of a product getting on the shelves if it happens to slip through testing. The standards presented would impose millions of dollars in fees on suppliers that small businesses would shoulder and larger businesses would be able to absorb or circumvent.

      And I don’t know why people are so afraid of Dino’s policies regarding transportation since it’s hard to say if they’re even legal at this point. If there’s a question about legality, then it can certainly be reasoned that it would be hard to defend something against overruling.

      There has to be someone on the left who is a little more capable at this point.

    2. Alex,

      Read the post: I’m voting for Gregoire.

      Transportation-wise: AJ’s right that few of those road projects will be built, because there isn’t the money, and the Dem legislature will stop him, and anyway they won’t stand up to judicial challenge.

      And sure there will be a “possibility of any transit expansion.” There just won’t be any help from the state, which is par for the course.

      1. Martin: What do you think about the possibility of the state changing its tune with the Yellow Line extension in Vancouver? Vancouver is on-board with extending MAX which ties a lot of state funds into its expansion based on the design and planning structure of the proposals. All of them. Even the “supplemental transit alignment” one.

        If they finally agree to something regarding the Columbia River Crossing and sink state money into rail, do you think this could be used in future arguments for state support in the Puget Sound region?

      2. Any expansion of rail transit that makes it seem like more of a statewide issue and less of a subsidy program for wealthy residents of Seattle and Bellevue is good politics.

        Regardless of what happens in Vancouver, I’m highly skeptical of significant funding coming out of the state in the next decade or so. The budget’s tight, gas tax money is off limits thanks to the Constitution, and frankly, Puget Sound legislators haven’t made it enough of a priority to really get anywhere. They’ve been more interested in K-12 education, Puget Sound cleanup, UW funding, etc.

        The most I’m hoping for is that they get out of Sound Transit’s way. About actual direct support, I’m mostly just bitter.

      3. Basically, my point is that she’s done so many great things for the state outside of transportation, that we should still put our support behind her. And AJ, you say that you’re voting for Rossi because you’re “itching over the desire to have a new demo in the office as soon as possible.” …Explain please? And remember that an incumbent is hard to defeat, so if Rossi gets elected, a new Democrat would probably not be in office for a long time.
        Under Rossi, there will be no chance at getting transit, whereas Gregoire is at least a little bit open to it.

      4. She’s not a “little bit open to it” in the slightest. They had to twist her arm to get light rail into consideration for the CRC and she won’t even listen to anyone in even small towns about implementing transit funding.

        Remember when she basically rushed to Eyman’s aide when his 1% property tax cap got overturned? And now she’s complaining about shortfalls?

        She’s not the saint people make her out to be. Better than a lot, but we can seriously do better.

        If we voted Rossi in, he’d be pretty much out of there after a while since that would absolutely galvanize the Puget Sound region due to his anti-Seattle rhetoric and his campaign’s sleighting of the entire region.

        I, of course, am not saying I will vote for Rossi, but if I see in any way shape or form that someone I prefer can get into office, you’ll be sure I’ll rally for that someone.

        Joni Earl 2012!

      5. Rossi would have a huge impact on ST, though. He could rally his forces around changing it in damaging ways, certainly – the legislature can seriously screw it up.

      6. Yes, but isn’t it democrats that are working to do the most damage by dismantling Sound Transit as we know it?

  6. Honestly, I think you’re going to see an Obama win w/ Rossi as governor, ST2.1 passing ( if on the ballot) and yet the HOV lanes being opened up ( per Eyman’s initiative ). One thing you can count in Washington is our schizophrenia…

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