Sound Politics: Critical Protest

November 23, 2004

Critical Protest

King County Executive Ron Sims has joined with the goofy-assed environmental extremists in a lawsuit to quash property rights and the right to self-determination: "Groups file legal challenge against referenda that seek to overturn Critical Areas package"

Emphasizing that state law and court rulings are clear that land use planning decisions under the state Growth Management Act (GMA) are not subject to referendum, Center for Environmental Law and Policy (CELP) and 1000 Friends of Washington today joined with King County in filing a legal challenge to three referenda that seek to overturn King County’s Critical Areas Ordinance package

The Citizens’ Alliance for Property Rights is at this moment protesting in downtown Seattle against the "Critical Areas" ordinance and for their right to hold a referendum.

I'm told that Dori Monson of 710 KIRO will be covering the protest.

UPDATE (1:32pm): Just heard on 710 KIRO: The CAO protest has left downtown. About 40 trucks are driving down I-5 south from downtown at about 20 mph.

Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at November 23, 2004 12:25 PM | Email This

Comments

1. There was a group that was set up out on Avondale Way in Redmond last night trying to get petitions signed for the referendum. I wasn't able to sign it, as they were only collecting signatures from rural King County residents.

Somehow, I suspect that the ultimate result of this will be a revitalized Cedar County secessionist movement. I probably wouldn't have supported it in the past, but I would now.

Posted by: Vexorg on November 23, 2004 01:34 PM

2. Just got done sitting for 45 minutes in their traffic jam. Was sympathetic to their cause, but not anymore.

Posted by: steven on November 23, 2004 01:57 PM

3. Posted by steven at November 23, 2004 01:57 PM

WHINER! YOU EVER HEAR OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE?!? GANDHI? MLK?

Posted by: A FARM BOY on November 23, 2004 01:58 PM

4. I think steven has a good point. I'm sympathetic to the CAO protesters, but I doubt that creating a traffic jam is a particularly effective way to enlist support for a cause.

Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on November 23, 2004 02:29 PM

5. Stefan, I hear you somewhat. But you got any better ideas at this point?

It's just I think this legislation is so wrong and this seems to be the last alternative. My family has 7 acres 3 miles N of Sedro-Woolley and sure, no stream runs through it. But I can easily imagine 75% of that being unable to be cleared. As somebody who's had to clear away blackberries and vine maples (while keeping the evergreens) from my family pasture for my family's cattle just last summer and before WITHOUT chemicals - I feel their pain. BIG TIME!

So I say to the CAPR: Please keep on doing what you're doing.

I wonder what Marsha Richards, the activist of activists of SoundPolitics.com, thinks. It's time to Save Our State!

Posted by: Josef on November 23, 2004 02:47 PM

6. Maybe I'm confused on this point, but didn't we just have an election where members of the King County Council were elected? Aren't those representatives the ones who adopted this ordinance? I have to say that I'm getting sick of law by referendum. There are lots of laws passed in this county, state and country that I completely disagree with, but the way to effect change is through your legislative body, not to Tim Eyman the process to death. I'm generally a pro-environment voter, but from what I've read, this ordinace seems like killing a mosquito with a sledge hammer, but you can't get the necessary compromises through a referendum process. OK, enough soapbox for today. Everybody have a good Thanksgiving.

Posted by: Steven on November 23, 2004 04:31 PM

7. Posted by Steven at November 23, 2004 04:31 PM

I agree with your general sentiment. Tim Eyman needs to be watched and stood up to. His 892 was bordering on the racist and like 864, threatned to decimate our communities. I'm intensely proud to have a hand in sledging them.

BUT this law is so bad that I believe dramatic action is necessary for the rationales I posted earlier. Sure, elected officials make mistakes: That's why we have referendums. Remember the charter school legislation whammed down the state's throat? Well, the people (and the WEA) and I said enough was enough and voted NO on R-55! Charter schools are presumed dead. G*d willing, for the rural King County: This too will get it.

To use your words, let's take a "sledge hammer" to this "sledge hammer". Hell, I might spend some X-mas vacation down there to help and give some talks. All I've heard is ugly, ugly and ugly.

Besides, with Tim Eyman not getting involved - we can prove that direct democratic challenges of government is NOT the sole purview of Eyman.

Posted by: Josef on November 23, 2004 05:50 PM

8. Shark- See this article! Looks like Ron is on the Run!

http://www.kingcountyjournal.com/sited/story/html/186153

Posted by: CR ACTIVIST on February 17, 2005 02:25 PM