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Friday, March 6, 2009

Media / Olympia Connelly's Latest

Posted by Erica C. Barnett on Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 10:24 AM

In his latest column, the P-I's Joel Connelly is mystified that Democratic leaders in the state House snubbed Seattle in doling out federal transportation stimulus dollars. He writes:

The snubbing of Seattle by Democratic rulers in Olympia is a little tougher to figure out. After all, the house speaker and vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee hail from the Emerald City.

Frank Chopp (D-43) is indeed from Seattle. But the house speaker hardly represents the values of his district; as exhaustively reported here two years ago, Chopp is well known for killing progressive legislation and pushing against Seattle values. (His latest move was to promote a two-story, enclosed elevated freeway on the waterfront, shutting Seattle off from its waterfront). And the vice chair, Chris Marr (D-6), is from Spokane.

More to the point, Seattle has only one representative on the (29-member) house and (16-member) senate transportation committees. Moreover, the chairs of those committees—Mary Margaret Haugen in the senate and Judy Clibborn (D-41) in the house—represent the conservative wing of the Washington State Democratic Party.

In other words: It's hardly "tough to figure out"—or even unprecedented—that committees led by conservative Democrats from the suburbs (Clibborn represents Mercer Island, Bellevue and Newcastle) and Camano (which Haugen represents, in addition to Langley) would give Seattle the shaft.

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"...and the Olympic Peninsula (Haugen represents Langley and Camano)..."

Really? That's what you know of Washington geography outside the Seattle city limits?

Posted by rjh on March 6, 2009 at 10:32 AM

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Re…

Posted by Horsewash on March 6, 2009 at 10:42 AM

It is hard enough to swallow that non-Seattle legislators stiff the city that receives about .50 on the dollar for sales and gas tax, but to have our own legislators screw us is truly sad. Why does everyone bitch about the Mayor fighting for Seattle again? Are we really so passive it is ok for Mercer Island to screw us? Mercer Island and Langley? Jesus. Give me Chicago any day. At least they can look themselves in the mirror in the morning.

Posted by TheTruthHurths on March 6, 2009 at 11:05 AM

If you don't like it - run against him.

Well?

Posted by Will in Seattle on March 6, 2009 at 11:16 AM

Speaking of looking yourself in the mirror in the morning, WTF is up with the Chopp voters?

Frank Chopp has been a fascist baby who compensates for his lack of intelligence with a fanatical devotion to whatever whack idea the roulette ball lands on. His only allegiance is to his own ideas/opinions and he is completely unable to digress, compromise, or collaborate.

I live outside the 43rd so he won't take my calls or emails, it's time for those of you who elected him to hold him accountable!

Posted by CHOP_Chopp!_Rossi_could_do_better on March 6, 2009 at 11:22 AM

ECB,

I think you mean one member on each of the House and Senate commitees. Mary Lou Dickerson in the House and Ken Jacobsen in the Senate.

Posted by Martin H. Duke on March 6, 2009 at 11:46 AM

I thought Connelly did a nice job of kicking Joni Balter's ass on KUOW this morning.

Posted by Trevor on March 6, 2009 at 11:58 AM

Uh, your fix doesn't help. Langley is on Whidbey Island, which is not on the Olympic Peninsula.

Thanks for playing Slog (as your boss would obnoxiously say...).

Posted by rjh on March 6, 2009 at 12:01 PM

I've never understood why no one ever runs against Chopp. Is he that powerful despite his in-city unpopularity?

Posted by josh on March 6, 2009 at 12:59 PM

@7 - yeah, about frickin time.

Much as I love Joni, who helped solve the demand problem for recycled paper.

Posted by Will in Seattle on March 6, 2009 at 1:19 PM

Which of the issues he has pushed don't represent his district? Is it the Housing Trust Fund building affordable housing, health care for all kids, mental health parity, opportunity grants for community colleges, maintaining the estate tax on the wealthy for education, million of acres for open space and habitat? Ask the people who actually know something - none of this would have happened without Chopp.

Posted by Seagal on March 6, 2009 at 7:21 PM