Results tagged “governor”

Mayor Nickels, speaking of the tunnel for which no cost overruns can be foreseen, noted that, "The design work and engineering on the 'mile in the middle,' which has been the controversial part, will go forward in about two years." Does that mean what it sounds like? Is the most controversial part really undesigned? (The Weekly's Damon Agnos has some terrific quotes from someone who looked like the Mayor speaking out strongly against a tunnel a little while ago.)

When former governor Gary Locke accepted Obama's Commerce Secretary appointment, he had to leave a cushy job at Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and move to DC. Now, he's expected to divest all of his Microsoft stock as he continues to adapt to the heavy demands of his new national role. Boeing and Microsoft both contributed the maximum amount allowed to his re-election campaign, and now watchdog groups have their eye on Locke to make sure he's not unduly fond of Washington businesses. Here's hoping his heart never hardens entirely towards Washington; we want him back someday!

When the inevitable anti-tunnel initiative was filed, Governor Gregoire said she'd be disappointed if there was a delay. (A delay? Dealing with the viaduct? Pshaw.) The governor is in a hurry to disburse that estimated $2.8 billion, conjured up for a design that's said to be one percent complete. (Here we pause to admire the precision of knowing what one percent of a plan looks like.)

In her inaugural speech [pdf] on Wednesday, Governor Gregoire hearkened back to the Great Depression and called for "generosity among all Washingtonians" in the next few years as the state navigates the worst economic recession since the 1930s. She also hinted at a new program she has named "Washington Jobs Now," saying that she thinks it could create as many as 20,000 new jobs for the state by cutting unemployment taxes for businesses and pushing forward some $1 billion in public works projects. Yesterday, she revealed the details of the plan [pdf] at the 37th Annual Economic Forecast Conference at enterpriseSeattle.

It's opening day of the 2009 duck-hunting season state legislative session, and all signs point towards an interestingly contentious set of months in Olympia as the legislators deal with a deepening budget crisis. The Times notes that since Gregoire isn't campaigning anymore, state Democrats are now free to complain as loudly as their hearts desire without fear of giving an advantage to Dino Rossi's camp. For more information about the agendas of each committee meeting today, check Access Washington's calendar page.

Gregoire just got hit with a second lawsuit over her proposed 2009 budget, which--unlawfully, according to the unions suing the governor--reneges on certain contracted pay raises for state employees and home-care workers. Gregoire's office has responded, saying the money simply isn't there to fulfill the terms of those contracts. Seattlest is a union girl (we have a fraction of Irish blood coursing through our veins, and some stubborn Midwest farmer blood in there too), but we have to wonder: what exactly are the two angry unions hoping to accomplish? A different budget allocating non-existent money? A token acknowledgment that though what's done is done, what's done was illegal? Good luck with that.

This morning, Gregoire released her proposal for the state's next three-year budget. The damage in terms of cuts is to the tune of $3.5 billion, the bulk of which is in Health and Human Services. Highlights from the budget can be found on the Washington State Office of Financial Management website, but be prepared: it's pretty brutal as is, and even so, it counts on a heavy chunk of change from the upcoming federal economic stimulus package and dips $600 million into Washington state's rainy day fund. Yeesh.

Our sister site Chicagoist has been rocking and rolling on the Rod Blagojevich story all morning. The Illinois Governor was taken into federal custody on corruption charges, and Chicagoist went straight to the profanity-laced complaint that has multiple, wiretapped instances of Blago making what sound like illicit "deals." Discussing Obama's vacant Senate seat, Blago said: "I’ve got this thing and it’s fucking golden, and, uh, uh, I’m just not giving it up for fuckin’ nothing. I’m not gonna do it. And, and I can always use it. I can parachute me there." Then they live-blogged the arrest press conference, took a hard look at Blago's Chief of Staff, and went hunting the web for all the Blago news fit to pixelize. While they were doing all that, we discovered Capitol Hill's Joe Bar has new crepe-making hours for December. Now the deliciousness begins at 7:30 a.m. Make a note of it.

Jesus, we feel so much better already. Landslide. We like the sound of that. Now we just need Governor Gregoire to hang in there.

ANNOUNCER VO: First, Governor Gregoire tried to visit a bar...WITHOUT a valid ID. Now she's been ticketed for parking ILLEGALLY. A lawyer should know better. Christine Gregoire. She can't get served. She can't talk her way out of a parking ticket. Is she right for Washington? A Republican governor wouldn't put up with this shit. (Thanks to Tessa over at waking jonas for the picture of Governor Gregoire's parking ticket, and accompanying story.)

Though we know you're just finishing up reading the transcripts from yesterday's Reichert vs. Burner debate, it's already time for another Washington State debate. Tonight, Governor Christine Gregoire and Dino Rossi will meet in Spokane for the fourth debate in the hotly contested gubernatorial race. It's the second to last meeting for the candidates before the general election on November 4th. The final debate will be held between Gregoire and Rossi next Wednesday in Seattle. With the way things are going, maybe this go-around can be won by a margin of at least 200 votes.

The Seattle Times--almost coming right out and saying something without regard for nuance and subtlety--has decided to set the facts straight about that Washington state deficit the Dino-Rossi-for-Gov ads are whacking Gov Gregoire over the head with. "The ads assert the state has a deficit. [...] The ad is inaccurate for this reason: The state is facing a projected $3.2 billion budget hole next year, but it does not have a deficit today." In fact, for this fiscal year we've got a surplus. We have to hand it to Rossi though: A major ad campaign tarring someone for how they've handled the future is an example of bold leadership.

Well, that was fun! Absentee ballots are still pouring in, but yesterday's (rather predictable) primary results have been announced. Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire are neck and neck and by far the top two gubernatorial candidates, so settle in for a truly American-style bloody campaign this fall as they race to the finish line. Check out Slog's exhaustive coverage, starting here with the percentage results. And KIRO 7 has post-election interviews with both Gregoire (with words on "the hopes and the dreams of every Washingtonian") and Rossi (he talks a lot about money, and calls his campaign a "citizen's movement").

Governor Christine Gregoire was denied entrance to an Olympia bar last weekend, when she couldn't produce valid ID proving she was over 21. Sure, she is 61 years old and the Governor of Washington, but you got to give it to the brand new bouncer for being vigilant about not letting un-ID'd patrons in. After being denied entrance to the bar, the governor called it a night and headed back to her home--the Governor's mansion--which can't be too bad. We imagine they have better liquor there anyway.

photo by Flickr Contributor lachance

Unlike Kevin Henry, Congressman Brian Baird, of Washington's third district, has endorsed Barack Obama. He joins Congressman Adam Smith, Governor Gregoire, and Pearl Jam as state leaders on Obama's side.

This Seattlest will be heading to a private party tonight, where we will celebrate among our favorite people the fact that Super Tuesday is FINALLY here. But, if you're looking for somewhere more out-on-the-town to get your drink on and watch the returns trickle in, and pancakes aren't your bag, here's the guide for you. Most of these events start at 5pm, and they're all free. Go America!

When we first heard about the extra tax being levied on car-sharing companies like Flexcar in September, we were pretty incensed, as were many other one-car households. Sounds like the folks down in Oly may have actually heard our cries. The PI reports this morning that:

Boom! Governor Gregoire comes right out of the gate at the new legislative session with a new bill laying "the groundwork for concrete limits on greenhouse gas emissions beginning in 2012." And, in just four short (or long, depending on how you look at it) years, the bill "would give the state Department of Ecology the authority to regulate those emissions," reports the P-I.

Governor Christine Gregoire officially proclaimed today "Blue Friday" in honor of the Seahawks and Mike Holmgren -- but mostly in honor of the fans, their noise and the 43 consecutive sold-out home games.

The Times reports that the toll would be around $6 at peak hours.

Glory be! Is this the year all our wishes come true? It wasn't but yesterday that we asked whether a decision would be made on the Viaduct this year.

Dennis McLerran, head of the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is "pissed." Governor Schwarzenegger is suing federal regulators. According to more than 500 news articles, The Environmental Protection Agency denied California’s bill to place limitations on vehicle emissions, which would have cut greenhouse-gas emissions by 30 percent in the next 10 years. McLerran claims in a Seattle Times article the EPA’s decision is purely political, not factual.

WSF is still dead to us, but Governor Gregoire could make our "holiday card" list if she keeps it up. First the viaduct course correction, now she's scrounged up $100 million to pay for three new ferries. Budget, schmudget! She's all action! Plus, the Port Townsenders, come January, will be reunited with their cars on ferry trips, says the P-I:

Pierce County has agreed to loan one of its boats to the Washington State Ferries, beginning in January, to resume car service between Keystone and Port Townsend.

The Republicans, learning from the mistakes of the Democrats in King County's Sixth, may decide to run a candidate against Governor Gregoire next fall.

With unseasonable weather descending upon much of North America, schools getting ready to reconvene, and sports seasons getting exciting, it's a busy time of year for us here in the Ist-A-Verse. Luckily, even with all the things we have to do, we still managed to get together to let you know what we've all been up to.

Seattlest is all about complaining about transportation in Seattle. We invented complaining about transportation in Seattle. We were complaining about transportation in Seattle via pony express when the Duwamish were still arguing over whether to build canoes or kayaks. But this thing in the paper today about the UW light rail station being disconnected from other transit seems a little premature. The charge is that the fictional 520 exchange of the future doesn't connect with it and, furthermore, there's no parking in the vicinity either.

The scoreboard at Everett Memorial Stadium will be incredibly accurate this season. Why? Because Dino Rossi is buying a minority share in the Aquasox, and he tends to get bitchy when people lose count.

We here in the Ist-A-Verse know that we're sensational, but it's very rare that we get a chance to be sensationalistic. This week, we've decided to have ourselves a little fun and try our hand at tacky tabloid headlines, using nothing more than our favorite posts from this week.