For the last several years, the University of Washington’s Center for Survey Research has taken the pulse of Washington’s electorate each autumn, in the weeks leading up to Election Day. The Center’s survey, known as the Washington Poll, has successfully predicted the outcome of many fiercely contested ballot measures, including the defeats of I‑933 and […]
Monthly Archives: October 2011
When is a public vote not a public vote? When it doesn’t go Tim Eyman’s way, that’s when
Yesterday, KING 5 aired a story on the provision of I‑1125 that attempts to sabotage Sound Transit’s East Link project. The provision in question, Section 3, would forbid WSDOT from transferring part of the Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge to the agency for light rail, which obviously would prevent light rail from reaching Bellevue and […]
Meet the hypocrites: Bank of America
You may recall that a couple of weeks ago Bank of America Bank of Greed instituted a $5 monthly penalty for customers who use a debit card that is tied to their checking account. All the while, modern-day Scrooge, CEO Brian Moynihan was whining that the bank “has a right to make a profit” and […]
Pacific NW Portal 5.0 (Newport) to launch in December after years of development
I have some exciting news to share this morning: In a couple of months, NPI’s Pacific NW Portal is finally going to be getting a much-needed overhaul with the launch of Version 5.0, codenamed Newport. We’ve been working on this new version for a very long time, and I’m pleased to say we’re close to […]
A conversation with John Stokes, Part 3: The Belleuve community supports its schools by working together
This is the third and final segment of a series of posts covering my recent conversation with Bellevue City Council candidate John Stokes. John and I are connected through our education advocacy work and I know him to be a well-informed and dedicated advocate for children. In part one of our conversation, posted last week, […]
Poll Watch: Support for Eyman’s I‑1125 sinks
Local pollster Stuart Elway, whose firm has been surveying public opinion in Washington State for many years, has another survey measuring support for I‑1125 out today — the third in a series he has conducted for this election. The survey found that support for I‑1125 has sunk dramatically, from fifty-six percent in favor last month […]
A conversation with John Stokes, Part 2: Let’s bring light rail and smart growth to Bellevue
Last week, I met up with Bellevue City Council candidate John Stokes in a Redmond coffee shop. John and I are connected through our education advocacy work and I know him to be a deep thinker and a dedicated advocate for children. I wanted to find out more about his decision to run for office […]
Scott White: 1970–2011
Tragic news from Roslyn tonight: State Senator Scott White, who has capably represented Seattle’s 46th District in the state Legislature since the beginning of 2009, was found dead in his room at the Suncadia Resort after housekeeping staff noticed that he had failed to check out. The cause of death is currently unknown, but it may […]
America’s occupation of Iraq will end with the close of 2011, President Obama confirms
America’s occupation of Iraq will come to a close as originally promised, President Obama said at the White House on Friday, confirming that all American forces — with the exception of a token force left to guard the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad — will be pulling out of Iraq by year’s end. “Over the next […]
A conversation with John Stokes, Part 1: A progressive vision for Bellevue
Earlier this week, I met up with Bellevue City Council candidate John Stokes in a Redmond coffee shop. John and I are connected through our education advocacy work and I know him to be a deep thinker and a dedicated advocate for children. I wanted to find out more about his decision to run for […]
Bank of America joins Keep Washington Rolling, donates $10,000 to beat I‑1125
A year and a half after donating $10,000 to help Tim Eyman get I‑1053 on the November 2010 ballot, Bank of America (which we like to call Bank of Greed) has donated an identical amount to beat Eyman’s I‑1125, new PDC data shows. Keep Washington Rolling has been bolstered by some $1 million in fresh contributions […]
Jay Inslee releases positions on Washington’s 2011 statewide initiatives
Jay Inslee, Washington’s likely Democratic nominee for governor in 2012, released his positions on all three of Washington’s 2011 statewide initiatives this afternoon, after earlier taking a strong stand on one of them (Tim Eyman’s I‑1125) at the Washington Conservation Voters’ Breakfast of Champions earlier this month. Inslee opposes I‑1125 and Costco’s I‑1183, and supports SEIU’s […]
Bellevue City Council deadlocks as to whether to take a position on Tim Eyman’s I‑1125
Last night, the Bellevue City Council had an opportunity to take a position against Tim Eyman’s I‑1125, which places important transportation projects that would improve mobility in and out of Bellevue at risk. The city council scheduled a hearing, as required by Washington State law, providing proponents and opponents with an equal amount of time […]
Washington has always trusted an expert commission to set tolls — why change that?
Having been in the business of selling initiatives for more than a decade (and possessing a gift for media manipulation) Tim Eyman has become a master snake oil salesman. Every year, he develops a remarkably slick (yet shallow) sales pitch for his latest initiative. This year’s sales pitch has stressed a comforting theme — continuity. […]