February 2008

I join with The Stranger's Erica C. Barnett in finding the regularity with which Councilmember Tim Burgess posts to his blog "frightening." I see and hear about things I'd like to blog about all the time, but then I move into my next meeting or click open the next email. Then the ideas pile up and I experience blog paralysis.

I'll use one of Councilmember Burgess' recent postings as a springboard. Burgess writes about yesterday's briefing on the lobbyist registration legislation proposed by Councilmember Nick Licata. Councilmember Licata has been working on this for a quite a while, years really, and I support the proposal. I think you should be able to find out who's being paid to talk with me, what they're being paid to do it, and what else they may be spending on swaying me. I had to register with the State of Washington as a lobbyist when I worked at Lifelong AIDS Alliance. Yes, it's a layer of paperwork that takes time, but I really think the benefit of transparency is worth it. My only concern at this point is whether the proposal will result in a searchable database that will make it simple for you to find the information both on the lobbyists and their employers. My guess is that no one knows the individual lobbyists names. More likely, you'd jump online and look up Johnson Frisbee Factory if you wanted to know if they're involved with trying to rezone Laurelhurst's single family zones for industrial use (development of a new glow-in-the-dark frisbee factory). I also want to make sure the new rules don't inadvertently penalize union representatives. The bill passed unanimously out of committee. I look forward to voting on it Monday, March 10.

One of my "pet" concerns is how we in City government can support the creation of more living wage jobs in Seattle. This may seem odd on a day when the unemployment rate in the state reached a new low, but that number doesn't tell a complete story. There are way too many in Seattle who can't afford the going rent. Someone has to work the counter at the dry cleaners, someone has to learn to be a mechanic, and someone has to teach third grade. These people have a tougher and tougher time making a life in Seattle.

Recently, the Partnership for Learning released "Improving the Odds: Preparing Washington Students for Family-Wage Jobs." PFL is all about improving the quality of public education in Washington. Despite coming from an inspiring organization, the report delivers a depressing message: "Currently, the system practically guarantees that, even if students meet the minimum high school graduation requirements, they won't be adequately prepared for a two-year college — or eligible to even apply to a four-year college."

Ouch. I don't think everyone should necessarily be forced to go to college, but advanced education is the best indicator of earning power. The report says that statewide a family of three (one worker and two kids) needs to earn $22.90 per hour, or $46,372 per year. In King and Snohomish Counties specifically, the report says $25.24 is the number, or $52,509 a year. According to the report, "...just 15 percent of all jobs paying sufficient wages to support a family of three will be held by workers with a high school diploma or less."

We used to say, "Stay in school, kids." Now we're faced with keeping up the adult end of the bargain — that we'll ensure the diploma means something.

You can catch the whole report from the PFL website at: http://www.partnership4learning.org/

If you're a civic involvement geek, this past weekend was an awesome super-charge of activity. I started Saturday with dragons and firecrackers at the ribbon cutting for the new Chinatown Gate at King St. and Fifth Ave. This has been a multi-year project to fund and build an ornate gateway into the Chinatown-International District. The gate looks great, but it begs for a second complimentary gate at the east end of King St. I think fundraising for the second gate may have started before the scissors were all the way through the ribbon on the first gate.

Then I zipped down to the Rainier Beach Community Center for the annual Neighbor Appreciation Day Pancake Breakfast. The breakfast was coupled this year with recognition of the student artists who submitted drawings for the Neighbor Appreciation Day card produced by the Department of Neighborhoods. Congratulations to Simon Thai, a seventh grader at Asa Mercer Middle School, on winning the design competition.

Then — caucuses! I'll leave out the overtly political stuff, but I will say it was awesome to see my caucus location in Brighton Beach packed to overflowing. I wore my candidate sticker for the rest of the day and had multiple cashiers around town tell me how much they wished they could have caucused. Maybe someday we'll become a truly civilized country and give people a holiday for national elections (including caucuses and primaries).

Sunday saw more than 150 people take part in the City Neighborhood Council's Citizen Budget Priorities Conference. This is an every-two-years event that tees up conversations about needs and wants in advance of the Mayor putting together his budget proposal to the Council. Councilmembers Godden, Rasmussen, Conlin, Burgess and myself convened a special meeting of the Council's Finance & Budget Committee to field questions and talk about how we determine spending priorities. The basic messages were:

1. Get organized NOW if you want to see something included in the 2009-2010 budgets.

2. See number 1 above.

On Monday we introduced legislation that will lead to a renegotiation of the Seattle Storm's lease at Key Arena. The new owners have committed publicly that they want to remain in Key Arena no matter what happens with the Sonics. This seems like a great opportunity to lock the team into longer-term lease (they're currently year-to-year). There's a benefit to taxpayers if the lights stay on in Key Arena and if the Storm are successful here.

Here's one of the emails I received after the legislation was announced. It's the winner for "Best Long Distance E-Mail." (The random ones from Ivory Coast talking about estate funds are automatically disqualified, even though being called “Dearest One” is nice.)

Hi, I'm a former storm season ticket holder. (SIX YEARS RUNNING!) Currently I'm in Iraq and unable to attend any of the games but I did want to thank you for what you are doing for the storm! When I return I do plan on becoming a season ticket holder again and I can't wait!

Thank you again for your support of the team!

GO STORM!

MSG Robin Garrett