He also said that he will not run for re-election to a seventh consecutive term as a state representative. Since 2000, he has represented the 5^th Legislative District, which includes Snoqualmie Valley.

At least four candidates will by vying for the seat — Anderson, the incumbent Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, former state Sen. Bill Finkbeiner and an independent candidate, Mark Greene. All have filed with the state’s Public Disclosure Commission.

So far, only Owen has raised money — $41,000.

Anderson has Owen’s record in his sights.

“He’s been in office for 16 years and so far, there’s not a lot to show for it,” Anderson said.

Owen did not reply for comment.

The office carries few significant responsibilities. Official duties include taking over for the governor if she is incapacitated, presiding over the state Senate when in session, and serving on a handful of committees and commissions, such as the state Finance Committee.

Owen has focused on championing substance abuse and prevention issues, and has chaired the Legislative Committee on Economic Development and International Relations.

Spain’s King Juan Carlos I knighted Owen in 2008 in recognition of more than 15 years of working with the country’s government on projects related to Washington.

Anderson acknowledged that the office holds little actual power, and said he would use the office to advocate for creating jobs, and funding and reforming education.

The situation in Washington is “a mess, and it’s not getting any better. So, I’m going to give it a go,” he said. “Doing what we’re doing now is a sure death train.”

Anderson has long advocated for fully funding education and reforming state education guidelines.

He also has gained a reputation as a fiscal conservative during his time in Olympia.

“No matter how good the cause for government spending, if you don’t have the money, you just can’t spend it and then try to terrorize, mislead or emotionally extort taxpayers to get more money. That’s just plain dishonest,” he said in a statement.

Anderson also served on each of the Legislature’s major budget committees and was a key advocate for getting performance audits of state agencies enacted into law.

For the time being, he is focusing on serving out his turn, he said. After the session ends next spring, he will put his efforts into the campaign.

“Then we’ll hit that switch,” he said.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.

Costco has succeeded in replacing the state with private retailers in the liquor business in Washington state. Voters passed Initiative 1183 with nearly 60 percent of early returns.

Costco and other supporters of I-1183 put more than $22 million into the campaign for the initiative.

If early returns hold up, private retailers will take over liquor sales in Washington next June. The outlets selling liquor will increase from 328 to 1,428, including three possible locations in the upper Snoqualmie Valley, according to the state budgeting office.

At the same time, more than 900 state employees, including those working at the state-run liquor store in North Bend, will lose their jobs.

The shift is estimated to net the state and local governments about $80 million annually for the next six years.

Initiative 1125

Tim Eyman’s Initiative 1125 is still trailing according to results announced Wednesday. If passed, I-1125 would require that money raised from tolls be dedicated to a specific project, and it would limit light rail’s construction across Lake Washington.

Fifty-one percent of votes counted so far oppose I-1125.

In Snoqualmie, Councilman Jeff Nichols had staked a large lead with 71 percent of votes counted to challenger Kevin Ostrem’s 29 percent. However, less than 30 percent of potential votes have been counted, and election officials estimate turnout as high as 52 percent.

Councilman Kingston Wall led challenger Terry Sorenson with 53.3 percent of votes counted so far.

In North Bend, Ryan Kolodejchuk and Piper Muio are locked in a close race for an open seat on City Council. Kolodejchuk led Muio by 16 votes.

Voters in Si View Metropolitan Parks District overwhelmingly backed two propositions to protect the district’s budget, which faced being cut in half next year due to declining property values.

King County Elections officials said ballots for 11,000 Eastside voters — including more than 1,000 people in North Bend and Snoqualmie — did not go out last week as planned due to a glitch.

The elections office plans to mail ballots Saturday; voters should receive them early next week. The deadline to return ballots via mail, drop box or accessible voting center is Nov. 8.

Overall, the issue impacted 11,000 Eastside voters, including 1,118 in North Bend and 72 in Snoqualmie. Some Issaquah, Newcastle and Sammamish voters also face delays in receiving ballots.

King County Elections started mailing 1.1 million ballots to voters Oct. 19.

“Fortunately, we had some voters who were on top of it and that tipped us off to start checking and seeing if there were any anomalies,” King County Elections spokeswoman Kim van Ekstrom said. “There are always voters who don’t get their ballots. Things happen, and that’s why they have several weeks to try to connect with us.”

Officials review calls to the elections office’s phone bank to determine if any issues arise during the election. In recent days, the office started to receive calls from Eastside voters about not receiving ballots in the mail.

The office hears from a small percentage of voters in every elections about not receiving a ballot. Call the voter hotline at 206-296-VOTE.

“In every single election, you hear a fair amount from us about, if you haven’t received your ballot, call us, call us, call us,” van Ekstrom said.

The reason for the delay remains unknown.

“We were able to clearly figure out who didn’t get them, but we’re still not completely sure on why it happened,” van Ekstrom said. “We’re still trying to figure that out.”

Officials check ballots throughout the process, from printing and insertion into envelopes to mailing and then to the Renton elections office for tabulation.

“We investigated the matter and discovered a technical problem associated with part of our voter database that resulted in exclusion of these ballots from being mailed on the date originally scheduled,” Elections Director Sherril Huff said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “Quality assurance is an important component of our elections processes and while we regret that this event occurred, I’m pleased that the reviews we have in place helped us in identifying and problem solving the issue.”

Peggy Johnson, mother of four, and Dan Popp, father of five, square off in a November showdown that pits the incumbent Popp against the challenger Johnson.

Peggy Johnson

Drawing from volunteer experience with Eastside youths, and a desire to decrease bullying and increase graduation rates, Johnson said she is ready to take the issues facing the district head on.

The Fall City resident said the school board is inattentive to student and parent concerns, especially when it comes to providing a safe environment for children.

Johnson said the district must create an environment where students feel safe traveling to and from school and while they’re in the district’s facilities.

“It’s impossible for higher learning to take place when one is in survival mode,” she said. “I feel a lot of these kids are in survival mode.”

Peggy Johnson

(Johnson is passionate about the issue because her son was attacked by a Mount Si High School classmate in 2009 in a bullying incident.)

She said parents must feel respected and heard when they come before administrators or the school board.

If elected, Johnson said she’d bring honesty, transparency and accountability to the board — qualities she said the current board is lacking.

Repairing the reputation the school district has in the region and across the state would be something Johnson said she’d like to address.

Johnson said she has experience with youth after volunteering in the Lake Washington School District when three of her four children attended school there.

She has volunteered through Healthy Start, an education program that aims to support teens experiencing their first pregnancy.

Johnson said she has begun to attend the Snoqualmie Valley’s Healthy Community Coalition and taken on an administrative role with Safe Buttons for Schools.

She is a member of the Parent Advisory Council of the state Office of Education Ombudsman.

Johnson said she would continue to make connections with area youths by reaching out to them when they are at-risk of dropping out or when they’re most vulnerable.

“I’m passionate about seeking solutions to prominent problems that are in our school district,” she said.

Dan Popp

Popp said that in the years since he was first elected, the district has made great strides. He wants to continue that trend.

“Over the next four years, I want to focus on improving the quality of education and improving the experience with students in our school,” he said

He added his main desire is helping the community.

Dan Popp

“I’m here to serve,” he said.

The 49-year-old Popp is betting on his experience and enthusiasm as the trump cards in this race.

“The same reason I was interested in running years ago still applies today,” he said. “My commitment to our community to get an excellent education.”

He pledged to be “super careful” with the district’s budgets, to ensure the district’s facilities remain well, and to ensure students receive the maximum amount of individual attention.

“I want to create a better environment for our faculty and staff where they are meeting their career goals and meeting the expectations of the community,” he added.

Popp declined to compare himself to his opponent, saying Johnson did not have any experience on the school board and therefore a fair comparison was impossible to make.

“I can’t make an apples-to-apples comparison,” he said.

Nonetheless, the former head of the Valley’s Little League program, and current Microsoft executive, touted his background as a unique combination of community involvement and business know-how.

“My background helps me make sure we run a tight ship,” he said.

Popp said his family knows that another four years as a board member will mean a chunk of time away from his family.

“It’s a lot,” he said. “But everyone in my family recognizes it’s a worthy time investment. We have been involved since we moved here in 1998. We are going on 14 years of being directly involved.”

Christina Lords, newcas@isspress.com, or 392-6434, ext. 239. Sebastian Moraga, smoraga@snovalleystar.com, or 392-6434, ext. 221.

The port includes both the seaport in downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac International Airport. According to the port’s annual report for 2010, the port collected $75.6 million in property taxes in 2009. The projection for 2010 was $73.5 million. Those collections come from all King County residents.

Bill Bryant

Dean Willard

“The port is an economic engine for the entire county, not just the city of Seattle,” said Charla Skaggs, corporate media officer for the port.

Both Skaggs and other port officials said thousands of jobs depend directly and indirectly on port operations. According to what is billed by the port as an independent report released in 2009, the port was directly and indirectly responsible for 190,000 jobs in the Puget Sound region.

Port facilities generated more than $17 billion in revenue for businesses who deal with the port or the port tenants who operate the maritime terminals. All in all, those employers and employees pay about $867 million in state and local taxes.

Finally, the 2009 report stated that more than 135,000 people are employed at regional businesses that have cargo moving through the Port of Seattle.

Skaggs talked about how plenty of Eastside companies depend on the port for importing or exporting goods and raw materials. She stated port operations create a wide variety of jobs from the longshoremen who load and unload cargo to cruise ship employees.

Port operations themselves employ about 1,600 people, said Port Commission President Bill Bryant, one of two incumbent commission members up for election this year.

All in all, just from its maritime operations, Bryant said about 70,000 families depend on the port. Although his opponent in the upcoming election disagrees, Bryant said those jobs are well-paying, family-wage positions. He further argued the port is one of the top five or six job creators in King County, right up on the list with Boeing and Microsoft.

“I think the port is becoming an example of an agency that can create jobs,” Bryant said.

Bryant also wants to help support existing jobs and to create new ones outside Seattle by steering cruise ship tourists to visit places such as Snoqualmie Falls.

“There is no doubt the port is a critical economic engine for the region,” said Dean Willard, who is opposing Bryant for the latter’s spot on the port commission.

Willard specifically said the port does not do enough to create living-wage jobs, but also was highly critical of the port’s environmental record.

“I have observed decisions that are not transparent and not reflective of local values,” Willard said, adding those local values include environmentally sound operations. Bryant sharply disagreed, arguing the port’s environmental record is another reason the institution is important to voters and residents in the Puget Sound area.

As one example of what he said is the port’s environmental stewardship, Bryant pointed to what ultimately becomes of contaminated dredging materials the port removes from around its maritime facilities.

He said the port legally could dump those materials into Elliot Bay. Instead, the port takes on the added expense of having the materials moved inland.

As one example of how the port has dropped the ball environmentally, Willard pointed to what he said is the port’s lack of attention to problems with the Duwamish River. He said the port undoubtedly has a shared responsibility for cleaning up the waterway.

For his part, Bryant agreed the port has some responsibility for the Duwamish, but said officials are living up to the responsibility. He said the port has supported a plan to restore the river’s habitat, another environmental step he said the organization was not required to take.

Another voluntary environmental move, according to Bryant, includes replacing outdated port trucks with newer, more efficient models. By 2015, he said all port trucks must meet certain EPA standards.

Willard said Bryant and other board members consistently “talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk.”

For example, he again argued the port’s efforts regarding the Duwamish are completely insufficient. Willard backed a protest held downtown Sept. 15 as the Port of Seattle was hosting the American Association of Port Authorities.

The group directly mounting the protest is known as Puget Sound Sage. Among other claims, the group charges seaport truck drivers often are forced to work 10- to 12-hour shifts while not receiving health benefits or sick time and earning about $28,500 a year.

Tom Corrigan: 392-6434, ext. 241, or tcorrigan@isspress.com.

click here to read question and answers for the school board

click here to read questions and answers for the city council

Simpson said the community needs a different philosophy to cure an unresponsive school board.

“Over the years, there’s been a significant focus on buildings,” she said. “We need to redirect that focus on students and what they need to accomplish.”

Craig Husa

Carolyn Simpson

Husa said that what the school district needs on its school board are leaders like himself and not micromanagers like Simpson. On a school board “you hire the professional educators, and you provide the governance for them,” he said. “You don’t micromanage.”

Both married with two children, the two candidates agreed that the district is good but can be better.

Husa said he believes the most pressing issue for the district is finding funding, but the lack of state cash cannot be an excuse for student failure.

“Just because we are not being supported by the state, does not make it OK for us to not enable our students to have the maximum success possible,” he said.

Simpson said she believes the most pressing issue is student success, which she said the district is measuring the wrong way.

“We are comparing ourselves to the state and the nation, but that’s not really our league. Our league are the Eastside schools. Those are the schools our kids will compete with for jobs and college choices.”

Simpson touted her work on the Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation, which she led until 2010, the Mount Si High School Learning Improvement Team, the Band Boosters at two schools, the Snoqualmie Economic Development Commission and the Snoqualmie Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Husa highlighted his work as a children’s coach in four sports, a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, and years as a volunteer in different schools. He also mentioned his work as CEO of 3Tier, a renewable energy forecasting company.

Simpson said Husa is a very nice man who turned a deaf ear to her concerns about the school district.

“I have tried to work with him on these ideas,” she said. “And I haven’t seen progress.”

Husa said if he lost, a micromanager would take his spot.

“My opponent comes in by zeroing in on very narrowly focused pieces of issues and not looking at the big picture,” he said.

Husa said his experience as a leader and as member of governing boards make him the better choice.

“I understand how to work with people and make the whole more than the individual parts,” he said.

A board member since 2009, Husa said there’s important work left to do, like advancing online learning.

“Student achievement is multifaceted,” he said, later adding, “and we are trying to achieve a lot.”

If elected, Simpson said she would focus on raising standards, improving community planning and student success.

A Snoqualmie Ridge resident, Simpson said the concerns of her community equal the concerns of the rest of the Valley.

“It is important to have someone from Snoqualmie on the school board,” she said, dismissing fears that she will favor the Ridge if elected.

“No,” she said. “It’s about every single child.”

Sebastian Moraga: 392-6434, ext. 221, or smoraga@snovalleystar.com.

The race comes at a critical time in the hospital’s history. It has broken ground on a new $30 million facility on Snoqualmie Ridge.

Gene Pollard Occupation: Retired (former Foreign Service Officer and city official) Contact: genepoll@yahoo.com

Karyn Denton Occupation: Registered nurse Contact: karyn.l.denton@gmail.com

Only a few years ago, Public Hospital District No. 4, which runs the hospital, was in the red. The hospital’s designation as a critical access hospital and its subsequent transition to primarily a rehabilitation facility have turned its financial situation around. But to get in the black, the district did have to close two clinics to cut costs and free up money for new technology.

Despite the new facility, hospital administrators acknowledge that big questions about how the hospital is paid loom in the future.

Enter the two candidates running for Commissioner Position No. 3: Gene Pollard and Karyn Denton, who was appointed in July to a vacant position on the board.

Pollard’s campaign is focused on improving the hospital district’s decision-making process by making it more transparent and open to the public.

Piper Muoio and Ryan Kolodejchuk both want to bring businesses and jobs to North Bend.

But they have different ideas on how to do that and what that means.

Ryan Kolodejchuk

After a lifetime of as a business owner, Kolodejchuk wants to bring his experience of building a business from the ground up and his no-nonsense approach to the City Council.

Ryan Kolodejchuk Occupation: Small business owner Website: www.voteforryank.com

North Bend needs to work with businesses to make it easier for them to locate here, he said.

The city has been accommodating to home developers but has put up unnecessary hurdles for new businesses, said Kolodejchuk, who has owned a landscaping business for 25 years.

As a councilman, he said he would push to capitalize on the efforts of the city’s branding committee, work to resolve traffic issues to encourage more customers visiting downtown businesses and push for the city to collaborate more with businesses interested in moving here.

He backs the paving of Middle Fork Road as a way to encourage outdoor recreation users to come to the area.

Raised in rural Montana, Kolodejchuk said he started working when he was in fourth grade in the late 1960s.

Back then, he charged $2 to mow a lawn.

Today, he’s still in the landscaping industry.

“My business is excelling,” he said.

He wants to bring that experience to the council and working-wage jobs to North Bend.

When the council expanded from five to seven seats in 2009, Kolodejchuk applied for one of the new seats, but was not selected by the council.

He lives with his wife andthree children in the Tanner annexation.

He has served on the North Bend Parks Foundation and the North Bend Parks, Recreation and Beautification Commission.

Piper Muoio

When Piper Muoio’s neighborhood, Wood River, was annexed by North Bend two years ago, she joined the city’s Planning Commission to get involved in the city’s decision-making process.

Muoio wants to bring that experience and in the marketplace as a business consultant to the City Council.

Piper Muoio Occupation: Business consultant Contact: piperforcitycouncil@yahoo.com

North Bend has the opportunity to thrive, but it needs encouragement and someone asking tough questions, Muoio said.

She wants the city to expand its business base downtown and in the city’s eastern end.

But, Muoio said, North Bend shouldn’t try to become Issaquah.

It should retain its more rural character.

Muoio said she would focus on improving traffic around the truck stop at Interstate 90’s Exit 34, commonly called Truck Town.

The stop, operated by TravelCenters of America, is the only facility for tractor-trailers in King County.

“There’s a lot of citizen concern about what’s going to happen with the Truck Town area,” Muoio said.

She isn’t sure how best to resolve the safety and environmental concerns while preserving the area’s commercial viability, but it will be a priority for her, she said.

Another priority will be encouraging outdoor recreation users to stop in North Bend and spend money.

As part of that effort, she wants the city to facilitate workshops for business owners and potential investors.

As a child in a military family, Muoio moved every three years. After finishing school, she lived in Virginia before moving to the Puget Sound region.

She and her husband have lived in their neighborhood for five years.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.

Five of the six candidates will appear. Valley parent Stephen Kangas will appear on behalf of candidate Peggy Johnson and will read her answers to the questions.

Cathy Renner, the PTSA Council’s legislative chair, said the event will be a forum, not a debate, with the candidates receiving and answering the questions in advance.

The candidates’ answers to the questions will be posted online at www.svptsacouncil.org.

Moderators will draw from a pool of 21 questions, with each candidate answering a maximum of seven. Only candidates opposing each other will answer the same question, Renner said.

After the first Q-and-A, candidates will answer five “rapid fire” questions. Candidates won’t know the questions, and each one will answer the same questions.

Each candidate will have up to 10 seconds to answer. The candidate who answers the first question first will answer the next question second, the subsequent question third and so on.

The Mount Si High School auditorium will host the forum, with candidates arriving at 6 p.m., the forum starting at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 8:30 p.m.

Candidates will stay an extra 30 minutes to talk to constituents.

No questions from the floor will be allowed. Each candidate will give a 90-second opening statement and no closing statement, Renner added.

Kingston Wall Occupation: Small business owner Website: www.friendsof-kingstonwall.com.

Both candidates for Snoqualmie City Council Position No. 4 — incumbent Kingston Wall and former Councilman Terry Sorenson — want to ensure the city’s continued fiscal health.

But they differ greatly when asked about the leadership of Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson and his administration.

Terry Sorenson Occupation: Federal employee Website: www.terry- sorenson.com

Wall is a strong supporter of Larson, who cruised to re-election in 2009 but has drawn criticism from some residents since then.

Sorenson’s voice has been among those questioning Larson’s push for a community center on Snoqualmie Ridge and annexation of a former Weyerhaeuser mill site. That makes him the only City Council candidate to have publicly criticized any major policy decisions made by the city.

However, Sorenson’s campaign stumbled before it got going, waylaid by a family issue that has taken up all his attention, he said.

He declined to be interviewed by the Star.

Tough decisions still lie ahead

Snoqualmie city government has weathered the Great Recession well thanks to the cautious fiscal management of the mayor and City Council, but the city still faces hard decisions ahead, Wall said.

“Snoqualmie faces challenges similar to most small cities. Trying to stabilize and balance our sources of revenue is probably our greatest concern,” he said.

In 2005 — the year Wall was appointed to an open seat on City Council — the council and mayor mapped out a plan to improve the city’s fiscal situation.

“As can be seen in our current fiscal standing, the plan is working. We need to continue to execute on that plan and that is what I intend to do,” he said.

As a councilman, Wall said, his job is to take input from experts and residents, and find the best course possible.

Luring jobs to Snoqualmie won’t be easy, especially with a glut of office space available in more-developed neighboring cities, like Issaquah and Bellevue, Wall said.

“We have done a great deal to lay a foundation for the right opportunities to come our way, and, I am committed to continuing to prepare the way,” he said.

Like other city leaders, Wall wants to attract office and retail jobs to Snoqualmie.

The small business owner — he owns Northwest Premium Services, a residential and janitorial services company — pointed to the city’s downtown revitalization project as evidence of its efforts to encourage tourist-supported retail. City leaders have for years been trying to get more of the 1.5 million visitors to Snoqualmie Falls to stop in downtown Snoqualmie.

Sorenson has also said he wants to attract businesses to the city. The focus in his public comments has been on cutting the cost of opening a business in Snoqualmie.

Having a say

Snoqualmie’s proposed annexation of a former Weyerhaeuser mill site has been one of the most contentious issues to be considered by the City Council in years. Sorenson has questioned the city’s approach, while Wall approves of how Snoqualmie has handled the matter.

Since beginning negotiations on the annexation in late March, the city has considered the issue in a transparent, public forum, Wall said.

While questions remain, he added, the city has handled the matter so far with the thoroughness and care that it approaches all problems.

Wall said his primary concern is that Snoqualmie residents currently have only limited say about what goes on at the mill site, which is in unincorporated King County.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

The deadline for people to register online or by mail to vote is Oct. 10.

Qualified residents can register in person at King County Elections in Renton or a registration annex at the King County Administration in Seattle.

In order to register as a Washington voter, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a Washington resident, at least 18 by Election Day and not under the authority of the state Department of Corrections.

In Washington, voters do not register by political party or declare political party membership to vote in primary or general elections.

If a voter misses the Oct. 10 deadline, he or she can still register in person at the elections office or the Seattle annex by Oct. 31.

King County Elections opened the Seattle annex to offer people another opportunity for in-person registration assistance, Elections Director Sherril Huff said.

The annex handles address and name changes, voter notification cards and voter registration drive materials. Citizens can also cancel voter registration at the annex.

However, the annex does not offer services other than voter registration issues. Voters should contact the elections office about replacement ballots, signature problems and other issues.

“People register to vote or update their registration information every day,” Huff said in a statement. “We often see long lines form when deadlines for in-person voter registration occur. Providing this additional location offers added convenience to voters throughout the year and helps manage those days when we see our highest levels of demand.”

Election Day is Nov. 8. The elections office plans to mail ballots to voters next month.

Voters can return completed ballots at a drop box or through the mail. Mailed ballots require a first-class stamp.

Ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 8 or returned to a drop box by 8 p.m. the same day. The drop box closest to the upper Snoqualmie Valley is at Issaquah City Hall during elections.

Register to vote

Residents can register to vote, or learn more about the process, at the King County Elections registration website, www.kingcounty.gov/elections/registration.

People can also register in person at King County Elections from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at 919 S.W. Grady Way, Renton. Or, register in person at the Voter Registration Annex in the King County Administration Building, 500 Fourth Ave., Room 311, Seattle.

The annex is open from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2-4:30 p.m.

The proposed map keeps the upper Snoqualmie Valley together in District 3 while rebalancing the county’s population between its nine districts.

Click to enlarge

Public hearing King County Courthouse 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 1 Council Chambers, 10th Floor 516 Third Ave., Seattle

District 3 is currently the most populous of the districts. Several earlier proposals had shifted some neighborhoods near North Bend into District 9 to the south.

That would have been a mistake, North Bend city officials said at the time.

“They identify with us,” Mayor Ken Hearing said.

North Bend officials feared that if the areas were moved to District 9, their residents would become an afterthought for its representative, Reagan Dunn, because the vast majority of his constituents live to the southeast.

King County Districting Committee members unanimously agreed Sept. 19 to release a final proposal for public comment and review. A plan must be adopted by Jan. 15 for the 2012 election.

The King County Charter says districts should be “with compact and contiguous territory, composed of economic and geographic units, and approximately equal in population.” Population data cannot be used to favor or disadvantage any racial group or political party.

The result is fair and balanced across the county, said Council-woman Kathy Lambert, who represents District 3.

The final proposal does change District 3. If the plan is approved, Lambert will no longer represent any part of Kirkland, Woodinville or Bellevue. At least some portion of each city is currently in her district.

“I knew it had to happen. I’m sorry to see those cities go,” Lambert said. “It’s like losing a child to college: You know it’s coming, but you’re sorry when it does.”

Under the final plan, she will continue to represent Snoqualmie, North Bend, Carnation, Duvall, part of Redmond, Sammamish, Issaquah and Skykomish.

When drawing district borders, committee members don’t want to create any orphan areas, said Simon Farretta, the committee’s lead staff member.

Residents can share their thoughts on the proposal at a Nov. 1 public hearing in Seattle.

The five-person redistricting committee gathered input at a series of public meetings before releasing its latest proposal. The next hearing is the last step before the committee acts on the proposed map.

“Public testimony raised new ideas and helped us better understand communities of interest,” committee Chairman Terrence Carroll, a retired King County Superior Court judge, said in a statement. “Public input helped members come together around common principles and reach unanimous agreement on a proposed plan three months ahead of schedule.”

The County Council appointed the committee in January.

On the Web
See a map of the King County Districting Committee redistricting proposal at www.snovalleystar.com/tag/redistricting.

• Initiative 1163 requires training and background checks for employees in adult family homes. Washington voters passed a similar measure, Initiative 1029, in 2008, but it withered in the Legislature due to budget shortfalls.
• Senate Joint Resolution 8205 calls for amending the state Constitution to remove a long-unused provision about the length of time a voter must reside in the state to vote for president and vice president.
• Senate Joint Resolution 8206 is a proposed constitutional amendment on the budget stabilization account maintained in the state treasury. The measure calls for legislators to transfer money to a budget stabilization account if the state receives revenue related to “extraordinary revenue growth.”

Initiative 1183 aims to remove the state from the business of distributing and selling hard liquor. The measure is less comprehensive than Initiative 1100, a Costco-backed privatization measure rejected last November.

If passed, I-1183 calls for state-run liquor stores to close by June 2012. The measure also aims to require the state to license private enterprises to sell and distribute hard liquor, set license fees based on sales and regulate licensees.

Unlike the unsuccessful initiative from last year, I-1183 limits hard liquor sales to stores of at least 10,000 square feet. (The average Costco encompasses about 140,000 square feet.) I-1100 aimed to allow smaller retailers, such as gas stations and convenience stores, to sell hard liquor.

Still, opponents said safety concerns remain about efforts to privatize the system and sell booze at more locations.

“One thing that became clear is that voters of the state of Washington really didn’t want to have a huge increase in the amount of outlets selling liquor — and that’s exactly what this would do,” said Alex Fryer, a spokesman for Protect Our Communities, the campaign opposed to I-1183.

Costco — alongside other large retailers, including Safeway and Trader Joe’s — serves as a major backer for the initiative. Protect Our Communities receives important support from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America.

The forces for and against I-1183 raised about $9 million combined so far, and more money is guaranteed to pour in before Election Day, Nov. 8.

Kathryn Stenger, Yes on 1183 spokeswoman, said support from familiar retailers bolsters support for the measure among the electorate.

“On the one hand, people love the idea because they already have a good relationship with Costco and being able to go in there and find their favorite brands, but it’s also given them some peace of mind,” she said. “They know that Costco is selling beer and wine now, they know that Costco sells liquor in other states and has done so safely.”

Measure differs from past initiatives

The state estimates liquor privatization resulting from I-1183 could generate $216 million to $253 million for state coffers in the next six years. The state could also pocket about $28 million from the liquor distribution center sale.

The measure also includes fees to generate revenue for local governments. Many local government officials across Washington raised concerns last year about possible financial losses related to liquor privatization.

“It’s recurring revenue that’s been very dependable, very reliable,” unlike the more volatile sales tax, Snoqualmie Financial Officer Robert Orton said at the time.

Snoqualmie receives about $80,000 a year from the state for liquor profits. North Bend receives about $40,000 from liquor profits.

The state estimates local governments could receive $186 million to $227 million in the next six years if I-1183 passes.

I-1183 is the latest effort in a long series of proposals to change Prohibition-era liquor laws. The state maintains a government-only monopoly on retail and wholesale liquor sales. Washington and 17 other states control liquor sales and distribution.

“What we’ve heard anecdotally from people across the state is, it’s not that they’re uncomfortable with taking the state out of that monopoly, it’s that they wanted a little more peace of mind about where liquor would be sold,” Stenger said.

I-1183 opponents said the defeat of dueling liquor-privatization measures last November offered a clear message.

“The message that we received was clear from voters that they just didn’t want it,” Fryer said. “Whatever problems or complaints people may have with state liquor stores, they were outweighed by concerns.”

Stenger said the presence of initiatives 1100 and 1105 left voters uncertain about possible outcomes.

“As a voter, having two initiatives on there that dealt with it, but in different ways, made for a lot of confusion,” she said.

In the latest round, however, Fryer said voters tired of liquor privatization initiatives could sink I-1183.

“One of the biggest things we’re hearing from voters is, ‘This again?’ It’s the third time in 12 months,” he said. “Of all the things that are going on in people’s lives, with the economy and the housing market the way it is, privatizing liquor just seems off-key.”

Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Editor Dan Catchpole contributed to this report.

The monthlong election is for a supervisor seat on the board of the conservation district — the agency responsible for promoting sustainable use of natural resources, and providing information and technical assistance to landowners.

The electorate must choose among Kent farmer Bruce Elliott, Redmond real estate agent Teri Herrera, Duvall farmer Eric Nelson and Sammamish retiree Preston Prudente for the open seat.

“We are pleased to have a full slate of candidates for our inaugural online election,” board Chairman Bill Knutsen said in a statement.

Members handle a $6.5 million budget and offer guidance to staff members and for district programs. Supervisors also help to identify critical conservation needs in the district and seek feedback about conservation programs from district residents.

The all-volunteer board includes three elected members and a pair of supervisors appointed by the Washington State Conservation Commission. Both elected and appointed supervisors serve three-year terms.

One resident of the upper Snoqualmie Valley is a member of the board of supervisors. Jeanette Samek-McKague, of North Bend, was appointed to the board by the commission in December.

Landowners fund the district through a $10-per-parcel assessment fee. Though the district receives some funding from the state conservation commission — plus King County, state and federal grants — state legislators do not allocate dollars to the agency.

The board administers conservation projects and other programs throughout the 62-year-old district.

Last year, North Bend received more than $50,000 in two grants from the district to remove invasive plants and plant native species around Tollgate Farm. Crews are currently working on the project, which is scheduled to be finished in March.

In addition to Snoqualmie Valley, the district includes all of King County except for Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific and Skykomish.

Voters inside the district started to cast e-ballots in the supervisor race Feb. 15. The voting period runs through March 15.

King County Elections does not administer district elections. Rather, the district has retained Bellevue-based Election Trust to coordinate the balloting. The company has managed past district elections at traditional polling places.

The district has introduced online voting to replace the scattered polling places used in past supervisor elections. Voters can cast e-ballots from computers using a PIN authentication provided by the district.

In the ongoing election, officials also plan to offer in-person voting at the district’s Renton office March 15.

Leaders shifted from the traditional Election Day to a 30-day voting period in a bid to boost voter turnout. The district provided a mere seven polling places across King County during the 2010 supervisor election due to budget constraints.

Though the district encompasses most of the 1.1 million registered voters in the county, anemic turnout has defined recent conservation district elections. The most recent election in March 2010 attracted 4,232 voters — a sharp increase from the 2,757 voters in the 2009 contest. Only 198 voters cast ballots in the 2008 supervisor race.

Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Dan Catchpole contributed to this report. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

How to vote

King Conservation District voters must select a board member from a slate of five candidates.

The monthlong election period ends at 9 p.m. March 15. Voters can also cast ballots in person at the district office — 1107 S.W. Grady Way, Suite 130, Renton — from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 15.

The election is open to registered voters in Snoqualmie Valley and elsewhere in King County, except for Enumclaw, Federal Way, Milton, Pacific and Skykomish — cities outside the district.

Voters must confirm eligibility by submitting a signed affidavit through e-mail, fax or postal mail. The eligibility form is available at the district website, www.kingcd.org.

Then, after eligibility is confirmed, voters receive a personal identification number via e-mail. Voters receive complete voting-access information in the same e-mail delivery.

If a voter has not received a PIN by 5 p.m. March 14, he or she must cast a ballot in person at the Renton office.

Voters without e-mail addresses can instead use addresses provided by a family member or friend. Voter eligibility is not based on a personal e-mail address. Voters without e-mail addresses or computer access can cast ballots in person.

The district has retained Election Trust and a secure voting platform to conduct the election. The system, Scytl Pnyx eVoting, has been successfully deployed for United States overseas and military voters since 2008.

The veteran activist and organizer oversees 182 precinct committee officers from Snoqualmie Pass to Sammamish to Maple Valley and part of Renton.

In recent years Democrats have made gains in traditionally conservative districts, but the 5th District has remained a firm bastion for the GOP. Across the state, Republicans regained some of those losses in last fall’s election.

“We still have plenty of work to do,” Brunjes said in a news release. “We need to get Washington back on track with a sensible budget and no new taxes.”

“I ran for the Senate because I believe we need a basic course correction from where Washington, D.C., has been taking us and to make sure this country is as free, as strong and as prosperous in the future as it has been in the past to preserve the best of America for future generations,” Rossi said in a concession statement released Nov. 4. “That was a message that found a very receptive audience all across this state, though not quite receptive enough.”

Rossi campaigned as a fiscal conservative, and used the years he spent as a budget architect in Olympia as a touchstone in the U.S. Senate campaign.

Murray, bolstered by strong turnout in true-blue King County, built a slim lead on Election Day until more than 60,000 votes separated the candidates.

Rossi stumbled in the 2004 and 2008 races for the Governor’s Mansion to Democrat Chris Gregoire. He offered no hints about future political plans.

“The lesson I leave you with is one we learned as kids: We’re all in this together,” he said in the statement. “If Washington, D.C., doesn’t act to help the economy grow and solve this massive spending and debt, it’s going to hurt us all. It won’t distinguish by political party.”

Republicans had hoped to pick up two congressional seats, giving them control of the state’s nine-seat delegation for the first time since 1998.

The GOP gained one seat in the 3rd Congressional District. In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Rick Larsen declared victory, but his Republican challenger had yet to concede the tight race that could go into a recount.

Rep. Dave Reichert cruised to re-election in the 8th Congressional District, which includes North Bend and Snoqualmie.

A state-sponsored spread in the Sept. 6 issue of Fortune magazine touted Washington as a land of natural beauty, educated residents and, oh yeah, no state income tax.

No state income tax for now, at least.

Initiative 1098, a measure on the November ballot, calls for instituting a state income tax on the richest 1.2 percent of earners. The measure could be a $2 billion boon for education and health care.

Initiative backers said the measure aims to correct a structural imbalance and lessen the reliance on sales tax — a revenue source subject to the roller-coaster fluctuations of the economy.

“This doesn’t solve everything that’s wrong with a tax system that’s ranked the worst in the nation, but it’s a step toward making it more fair,” Yes on Initiative 1098 spokesman Sandeep Kaushik said, referring to analysis by the nonpartisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

Opponents said levying a state income tax on high earners could erase a competitive edge and eliminate a draw for prospective business investment — and jobs — in a sour economy. Only nine states do not collect a broad-based personal income tax, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

Brett Davis, economic policy analyst at the Olympia-based Evergreen Freedom Foundation — a group opposed to I-1098 — has concerns about income taxes creeping into other income brackets.

“I’m not too confident in government’s ability to rein in its desire for more taxes,” he said. “It seems like they always want more, and when they get it, they spend even more and they want even more.”

Bill Gates Sr. — a retired Seattle attorney and father of the Microsoft founder — joined education and public health advocates to put the initiative on the Nov. 2 ballot.

I-1098 aims to create a 5 percent tax on annual income of more than $200,000 for individuals and $400,000 for couples, plus a 9 percent tax on income of more than $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for couples.

Potential and pitfalls

The initiative directs the expected $2 billion per year to cash-strapped education and public health systems in order to reduce K-12 class sizes, ease access to higher education, shore up state-subsidized health insurance for the poor, and buttress long-term care for the elderly and disabled.

Marilyn Watkins, policy director at the Seattle-based Economic Opportunity Institute — a group backing I-1098 — said the state has the policy framework in place to improve education, but lacks the dollars to implement the changes.

“We’ve made all of these great commitments that we should be making,” she said. “They’re the kinds of things we know we need to do, but there is no way to fund any of them.”

Under the existing arrangement, the U.S. Census Bureau ranked Washington as the most sales tax dependent in the county — 61.2 percent of state revenue flows from sales taxes.

I-1098 proponents said the structure is unfair to low earners, because they pay a higher portion of their income in taxes.

Defeat 1098 spokesman Mark Funk said targeting a group of high-earning taxpayers — estimated to be 34,000 to 38,000 residents — to fund programs for everyone is unfair.

“You’re filling out the lower portion of Qwest Field and asking those 34,000 people to pick up $3 billion in tax burden,” he said.

The measure also calls for the state property tax level to be dropped by 20 percent. That translates into about a 4 percent cut for the average homeowner, because counties, cities and fire and school districts collect most property taxes.

I-1098 also outlines the expansion of the business-and-occupation tax credit to exempt about 118,000 businesses from the tax; 39,000 more could be in line for B&O tax reductions.

Dueling strategies

Complicating the effect of the initiative on businesses is how “S corporations” — small- to medium-sized businesses with less than 100 shareholders — might be impacted. The name comes from a section of the tax code.

S corporation owners pay federal income taxes on company profit as part of their personal tax filings.

Funk said I-1098 could penalize S corporations and be a drag on businesses. Kaushik said the effect is overstated and more than made up for by savings from the B&O tax credit.

Opponents said I-1098 could repel businesses interested in relocating to Washington or starting operations here. Initiative supporter Watkins, however, said the measure is not a deterrent.

“Washington has all sorts of things going for it,” she said. “South Dakota, Alaska, Wyoming — these aren’t really our key competitor states.”

Those states do not collect state income taxes, along with Florida, Nevada and Texas. New Hampshire and Tennessee only tax earnings from dividends and interest.

Washington received high marks for having a business-friendly tax climate from some tax and business policy think tanks. The Tax Foundation ranked Washington ninth in the country in 2010, an improvement from its average rank of 12.5 during the previous four years. The Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council ranked the Evergreen state fifth in the nation in 2010.

However, all of the states without a personal income tax were ranked in the top 10 most business-friendly tax climates by both groups.

Backers used a lighthearted TV spot — featuring the elder Gates in a dunk tank — to proclaim the measure is not intended to soak the rich. Instead, proponents emphasize the potential tax rollbacks.

“This puts that saved money into the pockets of homeowners so that they can go out and spend that,” Kaushik said.

Debate has also raged about possible changes to I-1098 if the measure passes and goes into effect. The initiative contains language to require a public vote in order to raise taxes.

Regardless, opponents said legislators could reset the income tax threshold to include less wealthy earners.

Defeat 1098 has asked voters if state lawmakers can be trusted not to change the measure. Instead, Funk said, the focus should be on reform and holding legislators accountable.

“There’s a lot of lobbyists with a lot of sharp elbows,” he said. “You don’t pass a tax increase and then go back and start making changes. We’ve got to figure out what kind of reforms we want before we start putting money in.”

Caleb Heeringa: 392-6434, ext. 247, or cheeringa@isspress.com. Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Editor Dan Catchpole contributed to this story. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

On the Web

• Yes on Initiative 1098: www.yeson1098.com
• Defeat 1098: www.defeat1098.com

Who could be affected in Snoqualmie Valley?

If Initiative 1098 passes in November, hundreds of Snoqualmie Valley residents could be subject to state income tax, though exact figures are not available.

Using a variety of data sources, Chandler Felt, a demographer at the King County Office of Strategic Planning and Performance Management, estimated that about 400 Snoqualmie households and 200 North Bend households took in more than $200,000 per year on average in 2007.

The numbers are rough estimates and do not separate single filers and couples. Under I-1098, single filers qualify for the tax if they earn more than $200,000 per year and couples meet the threshold at more than $400,000.

Where does the money come from?

Both the pro- and anti-initiative backers had raised about the same amount of money — $4 million — by Sept. 30, state Public Disclosure Commission filings show.

I-1098 organizer Bill Gates Sr. donated $500,000 to Washingtonians for Education, Health and Tax Relief — the political action committee running ads in support of the measure. Unions representing state employees and teachers also contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the initiative campaign.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos and department store exec John Nordstrom donated to defeat the measure.

The electorate in Issaquah and broad stretch of northeastern King County faces a choice next month to pick a pair of King County District judges.

The race for the Position 6 seat features appointed Judge Michael Finkle and Issaquah attorney John L. O’Brien. Redmond City Prosecutor Larry Mitchell is running against Newcastle attorney Donna Tucker for the Position 7 seat.

The contests mark the first elections for both nonpartisan positions.

King County Council members — backed by the state — increased the number of District Court judges last year to address a burgeoning caseload.

District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, drunken driving offenses and traffic infractions, requests for domestic violence protection orders, small claims and some civil cases.

The court is on track for a record year of more than 253,000 filings by the end of December.

The caseload has ballooned in recent years due to increased DUI enforcement by the Washington State Patrol — as part of a push to reduce accident deaths — the expansion of the Mental Health Court and a shift of some felony drug possession charges and property crimes from Superior Court to District Court.

In addition to Issaquah, the Northeast Division includes Sammamish, Bellevue, Redmond, Woodinville and parts of unincorporated King County.

Judges earn $141,710 per year, and rotate through numerous assignments at the 10 county courthouses and justice facilities during a four-year term.

“You might have a judge who’s doing exclusively infractions for a one-year assignment, and then they might rotate and do criminal or civil,” District Court Presiding Judge Barbara Linde said. “Any new judge will eventually do everything in our system, but they may start doing more than just one area.”

Because a state code of judicial conduct prohibits candidates from committing to a specific position in order to remain impartial, the District Court contenders instead offer broad statements about their experiences and values as clues to how they might rule from the bench.

Michael Finkle, Position 6

In February, the County Council tapped Finkle — then part of the Seattle City Attorney’s Office — to fill the just-added District Court post.

So, the Sammamish resident and longtime attorney departed downtown Seattle to serve as a judge at the Redmond Courthouse.

“I try to be welcoming. In other words, whether somebody’s charged with a crime, they’re there on an infraction, they’re an attorney, they’re a victim, anybody,” he said. “I try to make sure they feel comfortable in court.”

The outlook has earned Finkle plaudits from court spectators, and even a thank-you from a defendant the judge sentenced to jail.

Finkle has a broad background in municipal law and the Mental Health Court — a pioneering program to steer mentally ill misdemeanor offenders into court-ordered treatment instead of jail.

“While I’m on the bench, I am just thinking, ‘Do the right thing.’ When I’m off the bench, I can think about the consequences,” he said. “My folks taught me from an early age that you do the right things for the right reason, and damn the consequences.”

Finkle said judges should be flexible and able to adapt, especially as budget cuts strain the court system.

“The court system should be fluid. It’s an organism, and organisms grow and change and they adapt,” he said. “The ones that can do that, function best. If you don’t have judges that know how to do that, then I think your court system is going to stagnate.”

John L. O’Brien, Position 6

Throughout the campaign, O’Brien has highlighted the community connections he forged as a longtime Sammamish resident and a partner in the O’Brien, Barton, Joe & Hopkins law firm on Northeast Gilman Boulevard.

The founder of the Tastin’ N Racin’ hydroplane festival and Issaquah Rotary Club member sees a District Court position as another chance to serve the community.

“Serving as a judge is an extension of community service,” he said. “It’s not a job. It is one of the highest forms of community service that you can do.”

O’Brien has represented a handful of Eastside cities as a prosecutor in the District Court system, and has served as a pro tempore, or substitute, judge for 15 years.

“My experiences are on both sides of representing the government entities and individuals in the system,” he said. “I know what it means to a police officer and to a victim of a crime to bring a perpetrator to justice, and I know what it means to represent somebody on the criminal side of the issue.”

The duty of a District Court judge, O’Brien said, is to apply state law — and foster a respectful courtroom environment in the process.

“Everybody should be treated with respect, regardless of the severity of the case or how commonplace it might be to you,” he said. “You’ve got to treat everybody the same, because to them, it’s the most important thing in their life at that time.”

Larry Mitchell, Position 7

Before Mitchell became the Redmond city prosecutor 16 years ago, he worked his way through college for a now-defunct airline and, after law school, as a lawyer for the company.

The airline folded in 1989, and Mitchell faced a tough choice. He relocated from Georgia to Washington, and took a job as a Redmond code enforcement officer.

The experience has helped Mitchell relate to the problems of the people he meets in the courtroom.

“I understand what it is to be thrown out on the street in tough economic times,” he said.

By 1993, Mitchell had become deputy city prosecutor and, a year later, ascended to the top job.

Service to the court, he said, has been his highest calling in life — second only to his family.

The courtroom also functions as a classroom for Mitchell. The experience of handling domestic violence cases taught him to be more understanding of people in court.

“I’ve seen some domestic violence cases that are just appalling,” he said.

Judges, he said, should project a thoughtful demeanor in order to set the tone for the court.

“I think it’s important to be calm and patient,” he continued. “That is the approach I’ve taken as a prosecutor all through my career.”

Mitchell said King County residents deserve such a person as a District Court judge — someone honorable, honest and able to maintain his or her objectivity on the bench.

“That is the highest quality you can ask for in a judge: fairness,” he said.

Donna Tucker, Position 7

Tucker has sat on the bench in courtrooms across King County as a pro tempore, or substitute, judge for the past decade.

“In each case, I need to ask each side, ‘Is there anything you want to tell me in response?’” she said. “Things may appear to be totally obvious and they may not want to say anything, but I always ask. That’s the way you keep yourself from pre-judging.”

The courtroom setting could not be more different from her hardscrabble childhood in rural Texas and New Mexico.

Tucker developed a sense of fairness early on, after she witnessed widespread racism — and her grandmother’s efforts to fight segregation.

Tucker said her grandmother — a café owner in Tulia, Texas — emphasized equality and hard work.

The qualities provide a touchstone for Tucker — the first person in her family to attend college — in the courtroom.

“I see in most people good human beings who sometimes make bad choices and decisions,” she said.

Judges, she said, should be respectful of all of the parties in a case.

“I think that judges need to project a confidence and a calmness and respect for the parties and the issues that are in front of the court,” she said. “You also have to have a demeanor of openness.”

Tucker — the co-manager of a law firm from 1987-2004 — started as a substitute judge in 2000, and soon learned judges must make tough decisions.

“The judge is prepared to accept the responsibility,” she said.

Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Tim Pfarr: 392-6434, ext. 239, or newcas@isspress.com. Comment at www.issaquahpress.com.

Why don’t judicial contenders campaign like other candidates?

Electing a judge can be a difficult task.

The electorate often has little more than a bland candidate statement in the voters’ guide and a series of difficult-to-interpret endorsements to make a decision.

Judicial candidates spend campaign season dodging pointed questions, because a state code of judicial conduct bars them from staking out a position on a specific issue, like, say, drunken driving offenses.

The code requires aspiring judges to emphasize the duty to uphold the law regardless of his or her personal views.

The guidelines also prohibit judicial candidates from making speeches for a political organization or nonjudicial candidate, offering public endorsements for a nonjudicial candidate or identifying as a member of a political party.

On the Web

Larry Mitchell

www.electlarrymitchelljudge.com

Donna Tucker

www.donnatuckerforjudge.com

Michael Finkle

www.retainjudgefinkle.com

John L. O’Brien

www.johnobrienforjudge.com

The all-mail election attracted 39 percent of King County voters. King County Elections had forecast 45 percent turnout before the election. The office tallied 421,157 ballots.

The county Canvassing Board met Sept. 1 to certify the results of the Aug. 17 contest.

“We saw a respectable rate of participation considering this was not a presidential election year,” county Elections Director Sherril Huff said in a news release. “We were able to process ballots very efficiently and got some great support from many voters who returned their ballots early.”

Some ballots could not be counted due to issues with the voter signature. Ballots returned after Election Day — 8,800 in all — could not be counted.

Ballots for the Nov. 2 general election go into the mail Oct. 13. The deadline to update voter registration information for the election is Oct. 4. People can register in person through Oct. 25.

The final results of the primary differed little from earlier tallies.

State Rep. Glenn Anderson retained a large lead against David Spring — 58 percent of the vote for the Fall City Republican legislator, compared to 25 percent for Spring, a North Bend Democrat. The candidates faced off to represent the 5th Legislative District in 2008.

State Rep. Judy Clibborn preserved a commanding lead against Bellevue Republican Stephen Strader — 56 percent for the Mercer Island Democrat and 38 percent for Strader.

Newcastle attorney Donna Tucker and Redmond City Prosecutor Larry Mitchell headed into the race for a post on the King County District Court bench — 45 percent for Tucker to 34 percent for Mitchell.

The court handles traffic infractions, misdemeanor criminal offenses and some civil cases. The district includes most of eastern and northeastern King County.

The elections office plans to release the results of precinct committee officer races Sept. 13. The officers serve as local party representative in their neighborhoods.

Warren Kagarise: 392-6434, ext. 234, or wkagarise@isspress.com. Comment at www.snovalleystar.com.

[Ed. note: The spelling of a name has been corrected.]

Eight men and women are running in the Aug. 17 primary election for Washington’s 8th Congressional District. But already, only two have any real chance of winning the general election — the incumbent, Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, and his main Democratic challenger, Suzan DelBene.

Both Reichert, a former King County sheriff, and DelBene, a tech-savvy businesswoman, have developed strong — and well-financed — campaign organizations. Each candidate has raised more than $1.6 million.

Only one other candidate, Democrat Tom Cramer, has reported any campaign contributions with the Federal Elections Commission. Cramer has raised just under $60,000.

Jobs and the economy

DelBene’s and Reichert’s campaigns say they are focused on the general election in November, and both campaigns are talking the most about two issues — jobs and the economy.

DelBene said she would support financial system reform, infrastructure improvement (in part, to boost imports and exports through Puget Sound ports) and investment to support small and new business growth, such as increasing access to credit.

Suzan DelBene

In promoting her policy positions, DelBene, 48, is touting her business experience as an executive for several technology companies, including Microsoft and Drugstore.com.

Reichert supports free trade agreements, controlled federal spending, and targeted investment for research and development, according to Darren Littell, his campaign spokesman.

Vulnerable or not?

While the district has never elected a Democrat, DelBene’s supporters are confident she can overcome Reichert, a third-term incumbent.

There is an anti-incumbent mood in the electorate, said Sandeep Kaushik, the communications director in 2008 for Reichert-opponent Darcy Burner.

DelBene’s campaign has been trying to tap into that mood across the district, which spans the eastern parts of King and Pierce counties.

Typically, Pierce County and south King County have been more conservative, but DelBene is campaigning there. While Burner’s campaign headquarters was in Bellevue, DelBene set up shop in Renton. Already, she has been endorsed by the mayor of Eatonville.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted the district as part of its Red to Blue campaign to pick up Republican seats.

Even the National Republican Congressional Committee has reportedly identified Reichert as one of nine vulnerable Republican House members.

Dave Reichert

But political experts see Reichert as likely safe.

“If the Democrats were going to take Reichert out, they had to do it two years ago or in ’06,” said Ron Dotzauer, a Seattle-based political consultant.

While the district has become more centrist — voting for the last three Democratic presidential candidates — Reichert is a moderate conservative with an environmental streak, Dotzauer said.

A challenger has to give voters a compelling reason to vote an incumbent out.

The predominant national issues are the economy, and voters’ perception of politics being driven by partisanship and lobbyists, according to Matt Barreto, a political scientist at the University of Washington.

To beat Reichert, DelBene will have to connect him to those sentiments via local issues, Barreto said.

Other candidates

Both DelBene and Reichert have challengers in the 8th District primary.

The other Democrats are Cramer, of Redmond; Keith Arnold, of Auburn; and Boleslaw (John) Orlinski, of Bellevue. Orlinski came to the U.S. from Poland as a young man in the 1980s after working for several years in the anti-communist movement there, according to his website.

The other Republican candidates are Ernest Huber, of Issaquah, and Tim Dillon, of Bellevue. Running for the Independent Party is Robin Adair, of Bellevue. Caleb Love Mardini has no party affiliation listed.

Dan Catchpole: 392-6434, ext. 246, or editor@snovalleystar.com.

“So far, filing has been fairly consistent with past volumes and we are seeing more and more candidates take advantage of the convenience of online filing,” King County Elections Director Sherril Huff said in a news release before the deadline.

State Rep. Glenn Anderson announced his campaign late June 11, a week after Democrat Dean Willard officially kicked off his bid for the seat. Democrat David Spring also filed for election.

Anderson, a Fall City Republican, has held the 5th Legislative District post for a decade.

Jay Rodne*, Republican: jrodne@comcast.net, www.jayrodne.com, 425-890-3336

Greg Hoover, Democrat: hoover@votehoover.com, www.votehoover.com, 425-392-8768

“In spite of the drastic downturn in the economy, the Legislature and governor ignored the effects on regular people outside of Olympia,” Anderson said in a campaign news release. “We need to get Washington back on track with a ‘live-within-our-means’ budget and no new taxes. We should not be following California down the road to bankruptcy.”

Willard, a Sammamish information technology consultant and a former T-Mobile executive, launched his campaign at Vino Bella in downtown Issaquah on June 3.

“We need a new approach to state government,” Willard said in a statement on his website. “Too often, elected officials have attacked government to score cheap political points. Our elected officials need to work harder to build trust in government by engaging in civil discussions, reducing partisan bickering and making government work for the people of Washington state.”

Willard has raised more than $46,000 compared to Anderson’s $25,000, according to early filings with the Public Disclosure Commission.

Spring, a University of Washington researcher living in North Bend, also ran against Anderson in 2008. He has not filed any campaign contributions with the commission.

Incumbent GOP Rep. Jay Rodne will face Sammamish Democrat Greg Hoover for the other 5th Legislative District seat.

King County Council members appointed Rodne, a North Bend attorney, to the seat in 2004 when then-5th District representative Cheryl Pflug became a state senator. Rodne has been elected and re-elected since.

5th Legislative District — Position 2

Glenn Anderson*, Republican: glenn.05@glennanderson.org, www.glennanderson.org, 425-222-7092

Dean Willard, Democrat: action@deanwillard.com, www.deanwillard.com, 425-434-8008

Hoover, an attorney and real estate broker, has cast himself as a tough businessman and moderate Democrat.

According to the Public Disclosure Commission, he has raised more than $18,000 compared to Rodne’s $14,000.

The 5th Legislative District includes North Bend, Snoqualmie and Issaquah, as well as parts of Sammamish, Renton and unincorporated King County.

Snoqualmie Valley residents have received their Voters’ Pamphlets and ballots for the Feb. 9 election.

But there is no information in the guide about Snoqualmie Valley School District’s Propositions 1 and 2. The pamphlet is correct, though.

The guides—titled “Edition 8”—do contain information about the Vashon Island School District’s Proposition 1, which does not apply to Valley voters.

The school district does not publish information on levies in the guide as a cost-saving measure.

Correct information on the local propositions can be found on King County Elections’ Web site at www.kingcounty.gov/elections. Click ‘Special Election,’ click ‘Measures on the Ballot’ and scroll to the Snoqualmie section.

Details are also posted on the Snoqualmie Valley School District Web site at www.svsd410.org.

Snoqualmie Valley voters will see three levy measures on their ballots for the election.

The first levy, for the King County Library System, asks voters to decide on a property tax amounting to 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed property starting in 2011. The levy would pay for the libraries’ maintenance and operation.

The other two levies, by the Snoqualmie Valley School District, allow voters to vote on two, four-year levies: a $9.9 million technology levy and a $57.5 million maintenance and operations levy.

Both are replacement levies. If passed, the technology levy would pay to refresh outdated technology systems, enhance classroom technologies and improve emergency communication and safety systems. About 43 percent of the levy would pay for teacher professional development.

The $57.5 million maintenance and operations levy would pay for a number of school district services, including extra teachers to reduce class sizes; student programs, such as music, art and drama; school nurses and counselors; physical education teachers; textbooks; custodial services; professional development; utilities; and more.

To save money, school district administrators decided not to publish information about the school levies in the King County voters’ pamphlet.

School spokeswoman Carolyn Malcolm encouraged voters to consult the district’s Web site to learn more about the levies at www.svsd410.org.

Some Snoqualmie Valley voters are questioning the school district’s decision to run a $9.9 million technology levy, calling it a pay raise for teachers.

The money in question — about 43 percent of the levy — would pay for training teachers to use technology and implement it into their lessons.

For instance, teachers could learn how to make flipcharts on interactive white boards and post them to their Web sites, so students and parents could access them from home.

The idea for using the technology levy to pay for teacher training took shape in 2008, when the Snoqualmie Education Association entered into collective bargaining with district administrators for its three-year contract.

“What we negotiated for was more work and time, so that we could actually improve our skills and improve our instruction using that technology,” SEA President Art Galloway said.

If the levy passes, teachers belonging to the association could receive up to $1,650 each. Of that money, $400 would be given after the teacher completed 14 hours of technology training and $1,250 would be given in June, after the teacher has proven he or she has incorporated the technology into the classroom.

District Technology Director Jeff Hogan said administrators were waiting to see if the levy passed the Feb. 9 election before they would hammer out the details regarding how that evaluation would take place.

Part of the levy would also pay three teachers on special assignment who would lead the training sessions.

Fall City parent and former school board candidate Kevin Bardsley said the district should not use levy money to pay teachers.

“There are a lot things in that technology levy that they are not being honest and forthright about,” Bardsley said. “It’s basically a pay raise that was negotiated in 2008.”

Superintendent Joel Aune said “pay raise” was not the right term. Teachers are not getting more money for the same amount of work, he said. They’re getting more money after agreeing to work more.

“We feel that this investment in staff development is going to be very valuable to the school district and the kids,” Aune said.

Hogan said it was a good time for training teachers, especially since most teachers now have interactive white boards in their classrooms.

“It’s taken us years to get it all installed,” Hogan said. “When we invest a half-million in new curriculum, a big component of that is professional development. We just don’t dump new curriculum on them and don’t train them.”

The Bellevue and Lake Washington school districts also use levy money to pay for teacher training.

But Bardsley said learning new technology is part of a teachers’ job and they should not be paid for it.

“Teachers are not underpaid,” Bardsley said. “You go out into the private sector, that employee learns or understands technology — they’ll learn quickly.”

Galloway disagreed, saying training teachers and asking them to digitize their lesson plans was complicated and time consuming.

“Teaching has become more complex than even 10 years ago in my career,” Galloway said. “Planning and developing strategies was never easy, but you have added a whole other level of skills and time and preparation that we didn’t have before.”

He gave examples of increased communication through e-mail and teacher Web sites.

Teachers are excited for potentially being compensated for technology training, Galloway said.

“People, they’re excited,” he said. “It’s going to be at least two additional days of training. They’re jumping and saying, ‘You know, I’ll get better at using the great technology we’ve already purchased.’”

Laura Geggel: 392-6434 ext. 221, or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.

Another Democrat has entered the race to unseat incumbent Glenn Anderson in the November election.

North Bend resident David Spring will challenge Anderson and fellow Democrat Dean Willard. Spring lost to Anderson, a Fall City Republican, in the 2008 general election by about 3 percent.

Spring staked his campaign platform on education reform.

“Our public schools … are among the lowest funded, most over-crowded school districts in America,” he wrote in an e-mail. “This is not fair to our homeowners or school children.”

Spring said the Legislature had given too many tax breaks to major corporations while cutting public education funding.

“The Legislature has put the future of our children at risk just so mega-millionaires can buy bigger boats,” he said.

Spring’s entrance into the race makes for a sticky decision for Democrats in the 5th Legislative District.

The party’s rules say that the party can vote to endorse both candidates, but they can only officially nominate one. The nomination vote is scheduled for Feb. 16.

For Willard, the nomination could be a deal-breaker.

“I’ve made the promise to the 5th District Democrats that if I’m not the Democratic nominee, I’ll withdraw from the race,” Willard said. “I think it is important … I think it’s an indicator of whether the rank in file in the party support the candidate.”

But Spring’s candidacy does not hinge on the 5th District Democratic nomination.

“While I am hopeful that the 5th District Democrats will nominate me, I intend to run regardless,” he wrote.

Willard said he thought competition between him and Spring might give the race more visibility and underline dissatisfaction with Anderson as the incumbent. Still, he said he was wary of the negative impacts of two Democrats splitting supporters and resources.

He added that he supported Spring’s 2008 campaign both financially and through volunteer hours.

Since the top-two primary system allows Spring and Willard to run with or without an official party nomination, it doesn’t have to affect whose name appears on the August primary ballot. The impact would be in how nominations and endorsements influence canvassers and voters.

Spring has a master’s degree in education and more than 20 years of experience as a community college instructor.

Willard, a Sammamish resident, is a former T-Mobile executive who works as a technology management and information security consultant.

Anderson, a Fall City resident, has a bachelor’s degree in economics and 25 years of experience in banking and management consulting. Anderson has been in the state House of Representatives since 2000, winning the last five elections.

The district includes Issaquah, Snoqualmie, North Bend, Maple Valley and parts of unincorporated King County.

J.B. Wogan: 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.

Greg Hoover, a Sammamish resident, announced Dec. 22 that he would seek a position in the state House of Representatives.

Hoover, a Realtor and real estate attorney, will run in 2010 against Snoqualmie Republican Jay Rodne for one of the two 5th Legislative District seats.

Hoover is casting himself as a tough business professional with an optimistic streak.

The state’s is facing an estimated $2.6 billion budget deficit that will surely dominate the 2010 legislative session.

Hoover’s early positions on issues are based around things he won’t do, like raising taxes. He also has come out against introducing an income tax.

“It’s going to cost a lot of money just to get it started,” Hoover said, adding that it was a less convenient revenue source than the sales tax. “It’s a tax that’s hard to collect on.”

Hoover has a master’s in tax law, in addition to his general law degree.

Hoover also said he wouldn’t vote for deeper cuts to money for public education and is against teacher-to-student ratios ballooning beyond where they currently are.

Hoover also said he wouldn’t be in favor of tolling Interstate 90.

“I think that would ask way too much of people on the Eastside, specifically in the 5th District,” he explained.

He said he was less sure of whether the state should toll State Route 520.

Hoover described himself as a moderate Democrat, with emphasis on moderate. While he was glad Referendum 71 passed in November, he would not vote in favor of a gay marriage bill, he said.

He said he was pro-choice, but felt conflicted about the position, given that he is also Catholic.

Hoover’s opponent, Rep. Jay Rodne, declared his candidacy in early December and has raised $9,400 so far, according to the Public Disclosure Commission.

Rodne was appointed to a seat in the legislature in 2004 when then-5th District Rep. Cheryl Pflug became a state senator. Rodne won an uncontested election campaign in 2006 and defeated Democrat Jon Viebrock in 2008 by more than 19 points.

Besides Snoqualmie, North Bend and Fall City, the 5th District includes Issaquah, Sammamish, Maple Valley and parts of unincorporated King County.

J.B. Wogan: 392-6434, ext. 247, or jbwogan@isspress.com.