The Muni League (Luni League) of King County released their "2005 candidate evaluations" today, proving yet again why it deserves its spot on our list of "Unsound Institutions".
Among its lunier recommendations:
Rons Sims -- Outstanding [to David Irons' "Good"]The Luni League's history says that it was founded as an independent movement of
Greg Nickels -- Outstanding
Carolyn Edmonds -- Very Good [a notch better than Bob Ferguson]
Former Black Panther Larry Gossett -- Very Good
Jan Drago -- Very Good
Urban "good government" reformers" ... who sought to replace corrupt, graft-ridden city governments with honest and "scientific" administrationsIt's a shame that it's been co-opted by and turned into just another wing of the corrupt Sims/Nickels machine. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at August 30, 2005 12:22 PM | Email This
Take your pick thank you very much!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Barbie 4 President on August 30, 2005 12:50 PMYou guys just didn't get your "magic decoder red glasses" to decode the cereal box's "Dufus Ratings." Mein Got!
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on August 30, 2005 01:28 PMChe Guevara
Larry Springer
Chou en Lai
Leonid Brezshnev
I say, "The question is not to let everyone vote, but to let the informed vote."
How many elections have been lost because of the uneducated voter getting some dumb 11th hour 'dirty trick' played on one candidate to get the 'sheeple' to vote for another. That is why negative campaigning works.
Posted by: swatter on August 30, 2005 02:05 PMThe Muni League has therefore shown itself to be a group that no one should take seriously
Posted by: Realist on August 30, 2005 02:06 PMThese Lenin's USEFUL IDIOTS (aka LEFTIST PINHEADS) will support any piece of crap who confesses a hatred of Bush and the things good men & women have died for over the past 229 years.
The Municipal Leech doesn’t like me for the Port Commission because of my steadfast opposition to their original sacred cow – the $62.7 million property tax levy that King County taxpayers are currently forking over every year to the Port of Seattle to subsidize shipping companies, cruise lines, developers, and (to a lesser extent) airlines.
The Municipal Leech gave nearly as bad of a rating – merely “Adequate” – to Lloyd Hara, who is by far the most qualified candidate for Position 3, and shares my unequivocal opposition to the port property tax.
Big business interests and other civic “do-gooders", such as the Municipal Leech and the Alki Foundation, are strong promoters of corporate welfare. The port property tax was one of the first major forms of corporate welfare in King County.
The Municipal Leech was primarily responsible for getting the 1911 legislature to pass a law authorizing the creation of port districts (and the imposition of a general property tax to subsidize them). The Municipal Leech then got the matter on the November 1911 ballot and got King County voters to approve the creation of a port district (i.e. the Port of Seattle).
The Municipal Leech was organized in 1910. The primary purpose for its creation was to establish port districts subsidized by property tax revenues. And the impetus for its formation came from business interests that believed they would benefit from this property tax subsidy.
Prior to 1911, of course, Seattle conducted maritime trading operations, as did every other coastal city of consequence in the state. These operations actually made money and did not require any taxpayer general subsidy.
Since 1911, King County taxpayers have heavily subsidized the operations of the Port of Seattle through their property taxes. This property tax subsidy appears to be unique to Washington and Oregon. Most other port authorities in the USA break even, or actually made a profit.
The Municipal Leech believes that the port property tax is a sacrament essential to salvation and good government. It is okay to talk about it, or even mildly criticize it, but God forbid someone should actually propose to totally eliminate it.
Just look at the candidate ratings by the Municipal Leech for the Port of Seattle this year. There are only two candidates openly calling for the total elimination of the port property tax – Lloyd Hara for Position 3 and myself for Position 4.
Lloyd Hara is only rated as “Adequate". This is a terrible injustice, since Hara should be “Outstanding” or at least “Very Good". Hara has a truly impressive record of public achievement – nine years as King County Auditor, twelve years as Seattle City Treasurer (including receiving an award as the best municipal treasurer in the USA), and regional director of the Federal Emergency Management Administration.
So how can you explain the Municipal Leech rating Hara as merely “Adequate", other than punishing him for calling for the total elimination of the port property tax?
If you look at my own rating, the Municipal Leech has delivered the ultimate insult – “Not Qualified". They gave me a “Poor” rating 4 years ago when I campaigned for elimination of the port tax. Probably they would have done the same this time, but they eliminated “Poor” as a rating category a couple of years ago.
Maybe one could claim that Richard Pope is a total dirtbag, and not even the least bit qualified to serve on a legislative type board such as a Port Commission – a multi-member body which sets policy and directly hires only the very top level staff (which in turn manages the employees). If someone like Richard Pope really is a total dirtbag, then they shouldn’t serve in any capacity.
However, two years ago in 2003, I ran for King County Assessor. That is an executive position responsible for hiring and supervising nearly 300 employees in the Department of Assessments. As well as determining property values that are used to allocate over $2 billion per year in property taxes (including the unjustified largesse going to the Port of Seattle).
In 2003, when I was running for this position of much greater responsibility, the Municipal Leech actually rated me as “Adequate” for King County Assessor. Probably fair enough under the circumstances, given my lack of specialized experience relevant to property assessment.
So obviously the Municipal Leech doesn’t care much for my position on eliminating the port property tax. And I don’t care much for the Municipal Leech and their desire to suck the taxpayer’s blood to subsidize their corporate welfare schemes.
Posted by: Richard Pope on August 30, 2005 07:34 PMhttp://www.metrokc.gov/sheriff/services/sex_offender_search/search_results.aspx
Then I'd slap them silly with my property tax assessment.
Whatever. Sometimes I just want to sell the house, pocket the money, and hit the airport with one small carry-on... to a place that doesn't let the lunatics run the asylum. Sigh. I imagine I will soon and that's a shame, because this is such a beautiful place, even if I won't go buy a quart of milk without tucking a Glock into my waistband. If the Iraq war was happening in Seattle, then people here would at least know what Reality is and stop whining about injustice. Is all this just some kind of weird sexual frustration, male and female menopause, a bad case of moral castration? Too much TV? Sometimes I actually fanatasize the Big What-if, that 9/11 happened in Seattle instead of NYC -- not that I'd transfer that evil visitiation onto anyone. What happened happened. But it's a damn fact this town needs a big-ass dose of reality.
Posted by: bobby brown on August 31, 2005 05:47 AMThey were most interested in hearing how I stood on issues that were far outside the scope of a King County Council member.
Clearly the ratings were based on who you are and not what you do.
Frankly any group that would rate Ron Sims as outstanding is a group that makes me proud to be rated "Adequate".
Posted by: Steven Pyeatt on August 31, 2005 01:05 PMWell, is it relevant to you who YOUR friends associate with? Are YOUR friends with dope dealers? That's not to imply anything about a candidate, nor you, but simply to make a point about "affiliations."
That old saw of 'birds of a feather' is fair game--especially for one who VOLUNTARILY enters public life for all to see.
I saw the REAL effects of the Panthers in my old home town. They were not a bunch of idealist college kids. They REALLY shot at police and-or advocated ARMED resistance. Don't forget that.
True--people change as do their idealologies. However, one's roots ARE a valid point for public officials. It gives one an idea of where THEIR ball is teed-up. Remember the hoopla about David Duke and his alledged KKK affiliations? It mattered for THOSE voters in his state--why not for Seattle's leaders as well?
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on August 31, 2005 01:59 PMYou know how things like truth and factuality upset the lefties ;'}
Posted by: alphabet soup on September 1, 2005 05:57 PM