Last week, the Federal Way Mirror and the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce co-sponsored a debate for the candidates for the state Legislature that was both informative and lively.
While the tone had already been set a few weeks ago, those who wanted some sizzle added to the race for Federal Way mayor got it last week at the first public debate between candidates State Rep. Skip Priest and City Councilman Jim Ferrell.
"Money makes the world go around, the world go around.” So sings Joel Grey in the movie "Cabaret," set in 1930s Berlin. Eight decades later, it is still true, but in today's governmental parlance, it's the "budget" that makes the world go around.
Last November, the voters selected Dow Constantine as the new non-partisan King County Executive and Mike McGinn as the new mayor of Seattle.
The preliminaries are over, and either State Rep. Skip Priest or City Councilman Jim Ferrell will be the first full-time separately elected mayor of Federal Way.
But with economic woes and an unhappy electorate, many pundits are predicting a red tide that will sweep Republicans back into office.
The magic numbers in Olympia are 25-50-1.No, they are not the combination to someone's high school locker. Those are the numbers you need in order… Continue reading
The biggest surprise of the primary election this past week is that there weren't a lot of big surprises.
Last night, the voters made their feelings known through the primary election. Most of you are going to be looking at those returns to see… Continue reading
Who will be Federal Way’s first elected mayor? State Rep. Skip Priest? Federal Way City Councilmembers Mike Park or Jim Ferrell? Or Mayor Linda Kochmar?Next… Continue reading
The primary is just around the corner on Aug. 17. Most of you probably already have your ballots.This week, we'll take a look at some… Continue reading
Mike Park believes he is living the American Dream. America has given him the chance to be a successful business owner, be active in the… Continue reading
Skip Priest was the last of the four candidates to announce his run for mayor of Federal Way.According to most observers, he is the front-runner… Continue reading
Federal Way City Council member Jim Ferrell was the first candidate to declare a run for mayor.He boldly announced his intentions more than a year… Continue reading
Over the next four weeks, we will take a closer look at the candidates for Federal Way mayor. Each candidate has something to offer and they all care about making government work.
Tax rate suppression is a complicated issue and can affect most governments. The county is struggling with how to fund courts, prosecutors and the sheriff. But they also are worried about the potential for flood control, which lays on the horizon as potentially the biggest issue of all.
Levy suppression occurs when local taxing districts’ “rates” in any given area in the county exceed the limit of $5.90 per $1,000 of assessed property value. There are over 400 separate levy codes county-wide which overlap each other and are added together to establish your individual tax bill. Some, such as EMS, are excluded.
"And the days dwindle down to a precious few..." is the plaintive refrain that signals the passage of time to its inevitable conclusion.And such marks… Continue reading
To those of us who love politics, filing week is one of the most exciting weeks of the year.
The biggest political news in the state recently was Dino Rossi's confirmation that he will run for the United States Senate against Democratic incumbent Patty Murray.
Rossi has been under significant pressure for several months by insiders, both here and in the nation's capital. Republican leaders in both Washingtons desperately need Rossi at the top of the ballot. In order for Republicans to have a chance at regaining the state Legislature in two years, they must capture several Democratic seats this year.
Every candidate for public office wants to know the same thing: What do voters think?Knowing what voters think helps candidates and their supporters determine what… Continue reading
