Text Transcript - KING COUNTY VIDEO VOTERS GUIDE - 2011 General election

Introduction

Welcome to the 2011 King County Video Voters Guide for the November General Election.

This is an all-mail election. Instead of going to a polling place, ballots will be sent to all registered voters. All the elective positions included in this Guide are non-partisan.

In this edition you will hear statements from the candidates who have filed to run for the King County Assessor, King County Elections Director, the Metropolitan King County Council, and the Port of Seattle Commission.

Each of the statements is up to two-minutes long and unedited. The speakers appear on your screen, in the same order as they will on the ballot.

FIRST UP…King County Assessor

King County Assessor

The King County Assessor oversees assessments of residential and commercial properties in King County.

The Assessor is elected to a four-year term.

ALL voters within King County are eligible to vote in this race.

Lloyd Hara

Hi, I’m Lloyd Hara – your King County Assessor. I’m asking you to re-elect me as your taxpayer champion.

As King County Assessor, I’ve put homeowners first. I’ve pushed to make our office more open, transparent and accountable. We’ve worked hard to make sure our values reflect the market – and the law.

Real estate has been crazy the last couple years. Home values have plunged. Some of our neighbors have been hit with the double whammy of lost jobs and foreclosures.

I’ve directed our staff to make sure values are fair, uniform and understandable. I don’t want any homeowner to pay one cent more than they owe. But I also want everyone to pay their fair share.

Since taking office, we’ve streamlined how we do business, improved customer service and put more information online. We’ve saved hundreds of thousands of dollars and improved our service.

We’re re-engineering our office to find innovative ways to be more efficient and effective. We’re working so you can appeal your property values online.

Our office is one of 7 nationally certified for Best Practices.

I’ve travelled to all 39 cities in King County and met with more than 300 groups to hear your suggestion and questions.
I’ve talked to seniors and others about tax relief programs available to qualified homeowners.

I’ve been endorsed by business, labor, Democrats, Republicans, Independents and scores of citizens like you.

I’m proud of what we’ve done, but there’s more to do. Please vote for me as Assessor and champion of King County taxpayers. I’m Lloyd Hara. Thank you.

King County Elections Director

In November 2008, the voters of King County amended the Charter to make the position of King County Elections Director a non-partisan elective position.

The Elections Director is responsible for conducting elections and overseeing voter registration and voter education in King County.

The Elections Director is elected to a four-year term and ALL voters in King County are eligible to vote in this race.

Mark Greene

Hello. In 1959, I first saw the Wizard of Oz, and you'll soon see how this classic movie ties in -- to this election. I hope that the clique of ratings agents, editorialists, and other professional hacks, amateurs and sycophants will not sway your vote. All of whom were shocked when somebody had the gall to run against the Potemkin Village called King County Elections, so they all got together and decided to stamp me as an interloper, and keep the elections director election hushed up. Their plans backfired when people realized that they knew me from politics for years, listened to me speak, read my writings, and knew better than to think this was right. The Establishment wasn't so shrewd as to treat this election like any other, and their attempt to hoodwink and play We, the People, for fools, reminded me of Dorothy and Toto as they were whisked away from Kansas, and only served to make me look further inside the village: so we're off to see the wizard, and down the yellow brick road we go to the Elections Department, who with coddling from their media friends would rather that you didn't know about certain irregular elections of the past. Two Thousand Four was worst than you ever knew, but I will pull the curtain back, find the grandstanders and illusionists, and focus on the 3 main goals of elections: registration correctness: everybody eligible to vote should be able to vote; vote tabulation correctness: we won't just be relying on machines anymore; and security of ballots: we will seek out fraud in whatever remote corner it may be. My name is Mark Greene, an independent candidate, remembering Judy Garland and the great song: Somewhere over the Rainbow. Thank you.

Sherril Huff -was unable or chose not to participate

Metropolitan King County Council

The Metropolitan King County Council sets policies and enacts laws. The Council develops and adopts the budget for services provided throughout the County, and in unincorporated areas. All residents in King County have a representative on the County Council.

Four of the nine Council seats are on the November ballot. Councilmembers are elected to four-year terms and the positions are non-partisan.

Councilmembers are elected by geographic district, and only voters in those districts are eligible to vote in that race.

King County Council District 6

Richard E. Mitchell  – King County Council District No. 6
Hi. I’m Richard Mitchell, and I’m running for the King County Council’s 6th District seat. It’s time we had experienced, leadership with integrity representing the eastside. I am a husband, father of three, and an attorney educated in architecture and urban planning. I am a partner in a local law firm, serve as a King County Housing Authority Commissioner, Regent at Seattle University, and as a Trustee on the Legal Foundation of Washington. King County and Eastside residents are at a crossroads. With strong collaborative leadership on the Council, we can shape the economic future of our county. Without it, we will slow our economic recovery, fail to protect the environment and prevent county residents from getting back to work. Finding a long term funding solution to essential services, such as Metro Transit, must be a priority – as we continue to implement efficiency measures and work toward the full integration of Metro Transit with light rail. We must continue to revisit the County’s budgeting process to focus on direct and region-wide services that support working families, fully fund law and justice programs, protect the environment and ensure funding for public health services. The future expansion and development of suburban housing developments must include planning for and implementation of transportation options, if we are to reduce congestion, and improve air and water quality. As my professional career has evolved from architecture, to urban planning and law, I have developed experience and worked with a wide range of groups across several industries essential to county government. I‘ve also served on community boards and organizations including the International Community Health Services Foundation, Environmental Works and the King County Bar Association. I’ve been endorsed by the Sierra Club, the King County Democrats, and all of the legislative district democratic organizations in the County’s 6th District. I hope to earn your support for the upcoming election. You can learn more about my campaign at ELECT RICHARD MITCHELL DOT COM. Thank you.

Jane Hague – King County Council District No. 6
It is a tremendous honor to serve the people of the Eastside. The Eastside has changed a great deal during the past decade. It is no longer a sleepy suburb. Now we’re a high tech center and great retail with a diverse and energetic population. We expect our institutions to innovate. County government needs to catch up. We must tighten our budgets. We need better transportation options and more active parks and open space. Over the years, I have worked with my colleagues on the Council to reduce spending and prioritize services. I blocked two tax increase proposals – one for a sales tax last year and one to increase car tabs this year. Tax increases are not the solution – we need to look for ways to deliver our mandated services, efficiently and responsibly. Last year, as Council Vice-Chair, I worked with county unions to reduce costs, saving more than 20 million dollars. More than ninety percent of county employees agreed to voluntary wage reductions. It’s a good beginning, but we need to do more to make county government efficient. In the years ahead, we need to make certain the Eastside has a strong transportation system and our tax dollars are being spent wisely. I try hard to be a good listener and to never let party politics get in the way of forming good policy, or advocating for my constituents. I’ve been endorsed by Republican and Democrats at all levels, as well as the King County Corrections Guild, the Eastside Business Alliance, the National Women's Political Caucus, Build-PAC, Seattle-King County Realtors, Bellevue Deputy Mayor Conrad Lee, and many other local officials. It is an honor to serve you. I would appreciate your vote this year.

King County Council District 8

Joe McDermott  – King County Council District No. 8
Hello, I am King County Councilmember Joe McDermott. Last year you elected me to a one year term on the King County Council. At that time I had spent ten years in the Legislature and I ran for the County Council to take my passion for transportation, the environment, and human services to local government. In my short time on the job, I already have achieved significant results in each of these areas. In transportation, I made sure the final agreements for funding from the City of Seattle and the Port of Seattle were in place to replace the South Park Bridge, and was pleased to participate in the groundbreaking for the new bridge on Cinco de Mayo. On environmental issues, I voted for the Shoreline Master Program to protect shorelines throughout the County. I also sponsored the legislation for the County to purchase the former gravel mine on Maury Island for a park, protecting the largest stretch of undeveloped shoreline in King County from development. And I joined my colleagues in putting the renewal of the existing Veterans and Human Services Levy on the August ballot to continue these vital human services. But there is much more work ahead of us. We need revenue solutions to bring stability to county budgeting and protect critical services across the budget, and particularly for Metro transit. We must pass the veterans and human services levy to backstop cuts and protect vulnerable populations. I will continue to focus on accountability and reform. And I will always be a champion for bolstering environmental protections, growth management, and protecting Puget Sound. I ask for your support to continue this work. I am endorsed by the King County Democrats, the King County Labor Council, and Seattle Firefighters. I would welcome your support as well.

Diana Toledo  – King County Council District No. 8
Hello, I’m Diana Toledo and I’m running for the King County Council, District 8 Position. I would like to take a few minutes to tell you about myself and my family. And why I’m highly qualified to represent you on the King County Council. I was born and raised in Seattle. I was the first in my family to go to college and earned a Business Degree from the University of Washington. My father, an immigrant from the Philippines, joined the U.S. Navy to give his family opportunities he never had. My parents taught me about community service and responsibility early in life; my mother pioneered neighborhood food-banks to help struggling neighborhoods . I still remember as a young girl carrying bags of groceries to senior citizens. Today, along with my wonderful husband Jerry, I’m working hard to teach our three young daughters the importance of family, community, and social responsibility. You and I share the same the values. And I’m qualified for this position! I have 15 years experience on the front-lines in King County Government. I managed regulatory licensing programs, and as a whistleblower I demonstrated the courage necessary to go against the establishment to eliminate wasteful spending and respond directly to the outcry of the community. I supported Dow Constantine’s efforts to bring better accountability to Animal Control, and under my supervision the department went from virtually no cases of animal cruelty being investigated to over 17 individuals prosecuted for horrific crimes. I’ve stood up for social justice and equity issues and earned the grassroots support of taxicab drivers, animal rescue organizations, senior and immigrant community advocates. Last year, the County experienced a 60 million dollar budget shortfall. With this budget crisis, King County has decimated its safety net by cutting social services, yet we have millions of dollars to spend on ineffective and elitist programs. This has to stop. These aren’t just words. I sacrificed my job speaking out against County corruption and the waste of your tax dollars and I will continue to fight for you! I will use my front-line principles, insight and County expertise to make sure out-of-touch lawmakers hear YOUR voice. Please visit my website at VoteTOLEDO.com, to find out more, to endorse, and to support the campaign. I’m Diana Toledo and I appreciate your vote.

Port of Seattle

The Port of Seattle is a countywide municipal corporation that operates the marine terminals and Sea-Tac Airport.

TWO of the five commission seats are on the November ballot.

Commissioners are elected at-large to four-year terms by all voters in King County. These positions are non-partisan.

ALL voters within King County are eligible to vote in these races.

Commissioner Position No. 2

Richard Pope
Text transcript currently unavailable

Gael Tarleton
Four years ago I ran for Port Commission because the Port of Seattle had failed King County’s citizens. I asked for your vote because I believed, together, we would reform the Port.

We accomplished a lot during this first term. With your help, I’ve been able to stop the excessive practice of private executive sessions and now the audit committee I chaired meets in public every month. We’ve established a competitive bidding process for contracts and leases, saving taxpayers millions of dollars at the airport and seaport. I secured free Wi-Fi at the airport, and helped create more than 5,000 new jobs during our recession through capital improvement projects like the airport’s new rental car facility and seaport’s container terminal. I also led the adoption of new clean air requirements, two years ahead of schedule.

Although the Port has been a positive note in our economic recovery, we have more work to do to create jobs and accelerate clean trade. I have the experience, integrity and vision to continue reforming the Port and have 30 years of expertise on ports, national security and environmental stewardship. During 10 years at the Pentagon, I developed strategies to prevent attacks on U.S. ports and created disaster preparedness and emergency response plans. I later helped design U.S. Coast Guard plans for oil spill response and clean-up and reported to Al Gore’s Global Climate Change Commission.

It will be a privilege again to serve you. I am honored to have earned endorsements from Washington Conservation Voters, National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington, King County Democrats, the Citizens Alliance for a Sound Economy, King County Labor Council and more than ten labor unions representing working families and waterfront jobs. I hope for your continued support – together, we will continue to change the way the Port does business.

Thank you for voting Gael Tarleton for Seattle Port Commissioner. 

Commissioner Position No. 5 

Dean Willard
Hi, I'm Dean Willard. I'm running to bring King County's values to the Port of Seattle. That statement isn't just campaign talk. It means action …. and working hard every day.

There's lots of happy talk at the Port these days, but the rhetoric doesn't match reality. While my opponent poses for pictures, the Duwamish gets more contaminated every day. While my opponent brags about awards and accolades, Port workers fight for family wage jobs and economic justice. While my opponent makes critical decisions in private, accountability and transparency fall by the wayside.

King County taxpayers subsidize the Port with 75 million dollars every year. What are you getting for your money? Well, your cash bought a great PR campaign. Unfortunately, cleaning up Puget Sound and the Duwamish basin, family wage jobs, transparency and accountability all require action. Expensive public relations campaigns feel good. Leadership demands more.

The Seattle Port Commission – with my opponent as its president – celebrated adopting the lowest truck emissions standard on the West Coast. That's only one example of underwhelming leadership. Goals and expectations should never be set low enough to be easily met; they should be set high and we must strive to exceed them. One of my first acts will be to propose that we immediately adopt the more stringent 2007 emissions standard – the 1994 standard is unacceptable.

I am an experienced business executive, former T-Mobile Vice President, and partner in a global management consulting firm. I've been endorsed by the King County Democrats, all 17 local legislative district Democratic bodies, the Sierra Club, and unions representing hard-working blue-collar employees at the airport and seaport.

I'm proud of their support. Now I'm asking for yours. Let's bring King County's values to the Port of Seattle.

Bill Bryant
Hello, I’m Bill Bryant.
As President of the Seattle Port Commission, I have worked hard to transform the port into a responsible agency; an agency that both generates family wage jobs and protects our environment. I believe figuring out how to create good jobs while protecting our environment is the challenge of our time.

When I took office four years ago in 2008, the Port had lost the public’s trust. So I chaired the internal investigation that changed the port from an arrogant agency into a more open one.

To help transform the Port, I focused on bureaucratic expenses, cut taxes and got the seaport operating on its own revenue.

Since the core mission of the Port is to be an economic engine for the region and state, I focused the Port on strategies to generate more family wage jobs, fix our traffic mess, which affects the competitiveness of our port.

And at the same time, ensured the Port invested in environmental stewardship.

The results? In 2010 the seaport port set a record for cargo moved. SeaTac’s revenue is also growing, and the port now supports over 100,000 jobs, and we are making innovative investments to protect our air, water, and habitat.

Under my leadership, the Port’s become an example of how public agencies can transform themselves, generate jobs, and protect our environment.
I am proud to have been named Washington’s Outstanding Local Government Official and the Maritime Public Official of the Year. I have been endorsed by Washington State and King County Conservation Voters, The King County Labor Council, the eastside Business Alliance, King County/Seattle Realtors and by leading Democratic, Republican and Independent leaders.

I would very much like your vote.
Thank you

Closing

You’ve just seen all the video statements submitted for the November General Election for countywide offices and ballot issues in King County.

This program is a collaboration of the Seattle Ethics and Elections Commission, the Seattle Channel, and King County TV.

Again, this will be an all mail election. Instead of going to a polling place, ballots will be sent to all registered voters.

• Look for your ballot in the mail after October 19 and vote and return it by Tuesday, November 8.

• Ballots can be returned via U.S. Mail or at one of King County’s secured ballot drop-boxes.

• Ballots must be postmarked by November 8.

• You can track the progress of your ballot online, and find the location of drop-boxes, by visiting King County Elections at King County DOT Gov SLASH Elections.

Thanks for joining us.