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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

Money Update on the Initiatives

2010 Election, Politics, This Washington   September 20, 2010 at 12:34 pm Josh Feit

The PI.com has a couple of money updates on this year’s ballot initiatives:

Linda Derschang, the owner of Linda’s Tavern on Capitol Hill (and Oddfellows Hall and Smith on Capitol Hill, as well as King’s Hardware in Ballard) gave $1,000 to I-1100, one of the two initiatives to privatize booze. (I-1100 is the more dramatic of the two liquor initiatives, because it would dismantle the walls between manufacturers, distributors, and retailers—allowing retailers like Costco to become distributors. It would also allow bulk discounts for retailers.)

They’ve also got the news that Safeway has contributed $300,000 to the initiative and that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos have each contributed $100,000 to defeat I-1098, the high-earners’ income tax.

(The funny footnote on the Ballmer contribution is that Bill Gates, Sr., is heading up the campaign for I-1098.)

Speaking of which, lefty Seattle state Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-36) held a fundraiser for I-1098 at her home last week and Gates Sr. was in the house. About 100 people showed up. But evidently nobody on par with their CEO rivals: The event raised less than $5,000.

All in all, though, the pro-1098 campaign still has the money advantage. They’ve raised $3.5 million with $2.2 million on hand. Big contributors include the Service Employees International Union, the National Education Association, Gates, Sr., and investor Nick Hanauer, and lefty food safety attorney Bill Marler.

The anti-1098 campaign has raised $2.3 million with $2.1 million on hand, with big contributions from Bezos, Ballmer, billboard magnate Barry Ackerly, John Nordstrom, wireless mogul John Stanton, real estate busienssman Jon Runstad, Bartell Drugs, and Russell Investments.




  • Bmarler

    Josh, “lefty food safety attorney Bill Marler” here – actually on a flight to DC for the Salmonella Egg Hearing. Me, along with “Bezos, Ballmer, billboard magnate Barry Ackerly, John Nordstrom, wireless mogul John Stanton, real estate busienssman Jon Runstad, Bartell Drugs, and Russell Investments” need to be taxed.

  • http://yrihf.com John Bailo

    1098 is anti-Middle Class. Defeat 1098.

  • http://www.politickling.com/ poliTICKLING

    Kudos for supporting a progressive tax structure, Mr. Marler.

    And at those Salmonella Egg Hearings, please hold our legislator’s feet to the fire so that the FDA will stop allowing food producers to put profit over safety. We need the FDA to do a meaningful job of inspection and enforcement to ensure the integrity and safety of our food supply. In my opinion, this is an issue critical to our nation’s security and health.

    Go get ‘em!

  • Justin

    The fundraiser for I-1098 attended by Gates, Rick Steves and other notables was hosted by the Metropolitan Democratic Club of Seattle (www.metrodems.org), of which Kohl-Welles is a board member.

  • Justin

    Also, it is important to bear in mind that the $4,625 (at last count) raised for I-1098 at the MDC fundraiser at Sen. Kohl-Welles’ home was the net sum from 100 individuals – not big corporations – making suggested donations (not including additional in-kind donations) of just $50 each.

  • http://spifflines.blogspot.com/ John Bailo

    Nowhere is the division more clear.

    Entrenched Assets: vote for the unfair 1098

    Working Middle Class: vote NO on 1098

    People who sit around on their assets all day want to get a tax cut.

    People who work for a living want to be rewarded for innovation.