Caffeinated News and Gossip. Your Daily Morning Fizz.
1. The AP had the news last night: Gov. Chris Gregoire will call a special session of the legislature to balance the budget in light of the latest (bad) revenue news, a $1.4 billion shortfall to fund the $32 billion budget passed just last May.
Gregoire issued the following statement this morning:
Congressional gridlock, the European debt crisis and high unemployment continue to take their toll on consumer confidence and our state’s economy. Once again, we are facing a budget shortfall and once again I’m calling the Legislature back into special session to address the state’s budget. My only option is across-the-board cuts, and that option is unacceptable. Solving this budget crisis will require the Legislature to act.
Her press release added this fact: “Since the national recession began, the state has made nearly $10 billion in cuts. Gregoire has warned that additional reductions will continue to hurt public health, safety and education programs.”
2. Karl Rove will headline at this year’s Washington State Republican Party fall fundraising dinner on October 18 at the Bellevue Westin.
3. The 36th District Democrats—Ballard, Belltown, Fremont, Greenwood, Magnolia, Phinney Ridge, Queen Anne—issued its endorsements for the November election last night.
Tim Eyman’s measure to regulate tolling (and kill light rail across I-90), Initiative 1125: NO (unanimous).
SEIU’s measure to mandate training for long term home care workers, Initiative 1163, YES.
Costco’s liquor privatization measure, Initiative 1183, NO.
Seattle’s $231 million Families and Education Levy YES (unanimous).
Seattle Proposition 1 ($60 tab fee) YES (A close one: 25-22).
School Board, Position 1, N. Seattle, challenger Sharon Peaslee, (26-23 in incumbent Peter Maier’s home turf.)
School Board, Position 2, Green Lake area, challenger Kate Martin (27-18 in incumbent Sherry Carr’s home turf.)
School Board Position 3, Capitol Hill North to Wedgwood, challenger Michelle Buetow.
School Board Position 6, West Seattle, No endorsement.
4. In case you missed it late yesterday afternoon, Erica had a little scoop about Mayor Mike McGinn’s budget plan: He’s decided not to fund the permanent homeless encampment in Lake City.
5. In a small win for the Seattle Police Department this week, an appeals overturned a King County Superior Court judge’s ruling which fined the city $70,000 for failing to turn over documents in a case of alleged police misconduct.
In July 2009, Evan Sargent got into an altercation with off-duty SPD officer Don Waters. Sargent later requested documents in the investigation, and filed a complaint with SPD’s Office of Professional Accountability.
Police refused to turn over documents to Sargent, citing exemptions in public records law, which led Sargent to file a lawsuit against the department.
Says SPD eventually did provide Sargent with the majority of information he’d requested in the case—after it was referred to prosecutors, who declined to file charges.
Upon reviewing the case, the court of appeals found “no showing of gross negligence, bad faith, or other improper conduct” in how SPD handled Sargent’s records requests.
