Current Issues:

While we're waiting for the Governor to decide on the Alaskan Way Viaduct let's talk about the other leviathan transportation infrastructure project looming over the city - replacement of the State Route 520/Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. The Washington State Department of Transportation says the 43-year-old bridge is in danger of "failure" - the hollow columns supporting the elevated portions could collapse in an earthquake and the floating bridge sections could breach and sink in a severe storm. The span was designed to withstand sustained winds of 57.5 miles per hour. Upgrade work in 1999 upped that to 77 miles per hour, but WSDOT's desired standard is 92 miles per hour. WSDOT says the bridge's life expectancy is now 13-18 years.

As with the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement debate, identifying threats is easy. Finding solutions is the hard part. The 520 bridge carries 113,300 vehicles per day. It does that now with no shoulders for pulling off in the event of a breakdown; no bike lanes; and no high occupancy vehicle lanes across the bridge. Cars, trucks and buses carry people and goods back and forth over some of Seattle's most sensitive wetlands and lake edges, sending noise, exhaust and traffic into surrounding neighborhoods.

The state is considering replacement of the bridge with either a new 4-lane roadway or a 6-lane roadway, both of which will be wider than the existing bridge because of adding safety shoulders, a separate bike lane, and, in the 6-lane option, a dedicated HOV lane. Strangely, the 6-lane option doesn't move that many more vehicles than the 4-lane, but it moves people more efficiently because of the dedicated HOV lane. This comes at the price of a greater "footprint" through Portage Bay, the Arboretum and, maybe, Union Bay.

As with the Alaskan Way Viaduct, Seattle is being asked its preference. City Council held a public hearing at Seattle Prep on October 4 and we got an earful from all sides. "No more concrete for cars!" was a common rallying cry from people who object to spending billions to move single occupancy vehicles and who object to the project's damaging effects on the Arboretum. "Tunnel" was a word that came up frequently, but WSDOT dismissed that idea. The Pacific Interchange 6-lane option generated the most heated comments (both for and against the proposal). Montlake area residents suggested this option where a new Union Bay Bridge sprouts off from the main bridge and sweeps off toward Husky Stadium touching down in the parking lot. It is the most expensive option and has the biggest foot print, but it's the only one that moves the interchange to the future light rail station, thereby connecting people with mass transit. Click here to check out the options.

Unfortunately, there was no agreement about a best alternative at the public hearing. There was agreement that the state needs to do a better job looking out for the Arboretum than it did when the original 520 bridge was built and that neighborhood impacts must be taken care of through sound walls and parks atop lids.

This project has so many facets that warrant review and opinion. I don't want to spread around more concrete, but I do want transit connections that work. I would love to have people live nearer their jobs so they wouldn't have to cross the lake, but not everyone has that luxury. I would love to be able to afford a tunnel and I support the state studying the option seriously. For now we're being asked 4-lanes or 6-lanes. What do you think?

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Ethics

This summer the Economic Development and Neighborhoods (EDN) Committee, which I chair, worked through a proposal from Mayor Greg Nickels to amend the ethics penalties as they apply to citizens who volunteer on Seattle's advisory boards and commissions.

The city's boards and commissions provide invaluable advice to the Council, the Mayor and city departments on a variety of issues, ranging from human rights and the arts to parks and telecommunications. Over the years the Seattle Ethics & Elections Commission has been of two minds about penalties for misconduct by volunteers. For many years the ethics code did not apply to volunteers. Unfortunately, there were a few cases of what appeared to be misconduct by volunteers. Few, though. Most people who serve on our more than 50 boards and commissions do it because they care about Seattle and they want to contribute their time and their brain.

Last year, Ethics & Elections ruled that the city's ethics code does apply to volunteers in the same way it applies to paid staff. Conceptually this seems great. However, many volunteers became nervous when they realized that paid staff face the possibility of a maximum $5,000 penalty for issues involving both "real" financial conflicts of interest and possible or perceived conflicts (even if there is no real conflict). The Mayor proposed that there be no fine for volunteers who fail to recuse themselves from a discussion when they have a real financial interest, and no fine for volunteers who fail to at least disclose publicly that they could be seen as having a conflict even though they don't.

To borrow from Hamlet, "To fine or not to fine, and how much to fine, those are the questions." Some people simply disagreed that the threat of monetary fines determines people's conduct. Others maintain that fines are necessary. If people misuse their position knowingly, it's a crime against all of us and they should pay a price. Other people thought the fine level would deter lower-income people from stepping forward to serve. Some argued that censure is a stiffer price than any monetary fine.

The questions for me revolved around who we want to have serving on our boards and commissions and what should happen if someone purposefully misuses his or her position for financial gain. I do believe that our advisory committees are most effective when experts sit next to generalists. Both camps bring needed perspective, judgment, skepticism and dedication. I do think that if someone purposefully misuses his or her position on a board or commission for financial gain, that person should pay a penalty.

After several working meetings, we amended the Mayor's proposal in ways that I think make the rules clearer. The new ethics code sections applying to volunteers on boards and commissions require that members recuse themselves in matters in which they have a real financial conflict of interest. If they do not, the SEEC could impose a fine of up to $1,000. The SEEC could also recommend that commissioners found at fault should be removed from their positions. Councilmember Nick Licata put forward and the Council approved a maximum fine of $250 if a members fails to disclose what a reasonable person would consider an appearance of a conflict of interest.

I appreciated the interest and input of so many people during this review of the ethics rules. I think that together we found a way to strike a balance between getting the best people to provide informed opinions while making sure that our boards and commissions are not misused for personal gain.

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Living Wage Initiatives

As we head into the Economic Development & Neighborhoods Committee's hiatus (while the full Council works through the proposed city budget for 2007-2008), I realize we're six months into our investigation of how we get more living wage jobs in Seattle. We've spent part of at least one committee meeting each month on the subject. In August we invited non-profit groups that serve some of our most challenged citizens as they attempt to pull themselves up a wage ladder - sometimes from the very first rung. We spoke with three agencies (FareStart, Pioneer Human Serves, and the YWCA) who provide a comprehensive set of services meant to stabilize individuals, give them job skills and get them connected to the support services they need to be successful at keeping a job. If the agencies don't address the multiple issues their clients face - little or no job skills, substance abuse, mental illness, transportation needs, childcare issues, illiteracy, homelessness - these people will continue to struggle on the streets.

Fare Start: The Fare Start program is an intensive training program combining more than 16 weeks of hands-on food-service training with classroom instruction, individual case management and job placement services. This program demonstrates success: at the conclusion of the 16 weeks, FareStart sees 87% of its students employed within 90 days. Employment is just one goal: FareStart seeks steady housing for students and wage progression towards self-sufficiency. FareStart employs a housing first model, whereby private donors pay for housing so that the students may concentrate on program success. Close to 50% of their students find permanent housing at the end of the training. Others pursue transitional housing. And, truthfully, not all succeed.

YWCA: The YWCA employment programs help women, men and youth throughout King and Snohomish counties obtain gainful employment, earn a livable wage and achieve self-sufficiency. More than 4,800 have used the YWCA services in the past 12 months. In the last two years they have achieved a 75% job placement success rate.

The YWCA's philosophy is that they are doing economic development in building a skilled workforce to help Seattle compete with rest of the nation and the world in attracting companies and jobs. They believe that if we want a truly thriving economy, we can't afford to have significant numbers of people who don't have the skills to contribute to the workforce in a meaningful way.

Pioneer Human Services is one of the largest and perhaps least known Seattle non-profit organizations. They can also be somewhat controversial because of who they serve - former offenders. Pioneer, like FareStart and YWCA - finds success with clients through an integrated array of services including: housing, employment/training, treatment, counseling and corrections. Unlike most non-profits, Pioneer has a large and healthy entrepreneurial side. They operate retail cafés, institutional food service, sheet metal fabrication, aerospace precision machining, wholesale food distribution and contract packaging and fulfillment. The revenues earned through the manufacture, distribution, and sale of products and fees for services means that less than one percent of the annual budget is derived from donations, contributions, or grants. Pioneer places an emphasis on job creation, but they help their employees with every facet of rebuilding their lives in order to develop stable, productive citizens. Pioneer serves a very challenging slice of our city, but they show success: 79% of clients stayed in their job for a minimum of 60 days. For former offenders discharged to Pioneer programs, the recidivism rate was a very low 6.4%.

I appreciate these organizations for their tremendous contribution to Seattle's workforce and economic development.

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Economic Development and Neighborhoods

Throughout September I had several opportunities to spend time in South Park. For northerners reading this, South Park is a southern "edge" neighborhood west of Boeing Field and the Duwamish Waterway, and, according to the media, one of the last remaining affordable neighborhoods in Seattle. It's a neighborhood that was a city until 1907 (like Columbia City, West Seattle and Ballard). Since 1907, South Park has remained a lower income, working class, sometimes forgotten corner of the city.

South Park is both a great and challenging place at the same time. It's a mix of residential and industrial side by side. It's along a waterway listed for SuperFund clean-up. Quiet residential streets lie in the flight path. Most of it is in Seattle, but a "sliver by the river" sits in King County awaiting annexation. South Park is home to a large Spanish speaking population that has brought new restaurants, traditions and expectations to the area. It is also home to the Marra Farm, a former working farm converted into a fantastic community garden with a city P-Patch, as well as gardens tended by Mien immigrants, Lettuce Link and extension programs. Marra is located behind the South Transfer Station (the garbage dump satellite).

Over the past few weeks, I've walked the neighborhood with the McNeils and their neighbors. We checked where the sewer line ends and septic tanks begin, and checked out the aging South Park Bridge (owned by King County and in need of replacement). I joined South Parkers in celebrating the opening of the new branch library, and the following weekend ran out of candy to toss in the Fiestas Patrias parade. I saw great photography by South Park students who took part in the Voces Comunitarias project (funded in part by the city's Neighborhood Matching Fund). They took pictures of what they like and don't like about their community following gun violence in the community last year. Not surprisingly, they don't like violence and disrepair.

It may be more through neglect than crafty planning, but South Park has what we're looking for in terms of work-force priced housing and living wage jobs. Mayor Nickels has included in his 2007-2008 budget proposal several "earmarks" just for South Park. These improvements to streets and drainage, and expansion of youth programs should be considered partial payment on long-deferred attention for this neighborhood. I'll be working to follow through on our commitment.

You can find out more about South Park and other neighborhoods at http://www.historylink.org.

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Random Thoughts

Since September 25 my colleagues and I have been taking our initial swing at the proposed City Budget for 2007-2008. The Mayor has made a series of one-time and ongoing additions to the budget. Our job is now to sift through the package and see if the city's priorities are truly addressed in the budget. After all, it's where policy becomes real.

My concern is being able to sustain our 2007 budget in 2008. Come 2008 there is a good chance that Seattle will lose about $20 million in Business & Occupation tax revenues due to a State change in how the tax is collected and apportioned to cities. We'll be asking the State in this next legislative session to lighten that hit, but there's no guarantee help will come. A resulting option could be to raise the B&O tax in Seattle to help make up some of the loss, but without some relief from the State even this wouldn't fill the whole gap. That leaves us praying for money and contemplating cuts in 2008 and beyond.

This all makes me very cautious about spending on things in 2007 that we won't be able to pay for in 2008 and beyond. I'm very concerned about police staffing levels and human services. And I don't want to make any promises I can't keep.

Budget review lasts until just before Thanksgiving so you have plenty of time to weigh in with your priorities. Check out the public hearing schedule contained in this newsletter.

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Kudos to everyone who came out for the Jumpstart Broadway Street and Business Cleanup on Saturday, October 14. Massive turnout, for weather, excitement, squeegees, new trees, and a cello. What more could you want?

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