Federal funding fiasco | Q&A with Mr. Federal Way

Published 6:13 am Tuesday, August 18, 2015

<strong>Q: Mr. Federal Way, I noticed you didn’t have an opinion on the primary election results last week. How could you miss such an opportunity to tell it like it is?</strong>

A: Believe it or not, Mr. Federal Way was enjoying a nice trip to the San Juan Islands with Mrs. Federal Way last week and didn’t hear about the straight mockery of votes garnered for one particular candidate until it was published in the Mirror on Friday.

Mr. Federal Way had a nice opinion about this candidate, who will not be named, until the Mirror’s famous candidate’s forum in which this person managed to ruin all positive perceptions anyone had about him. If you weren’t there, you don’t know.

For anyone who attended that forum, about 50 people, to vote for him would have indicated their viewpoints are just as ridiculous as some of his.

Whether or not what he said was true (refer to July 10 candidate forum story) it was absolutely unprofessional for this candidate to act how he did. What happened to leaders who are poised, level-headed and know how to act like normal people in public settings? This candidate may have some ideas worth discussing but he threw all credibility as a viable candidate out the door at that forum. Mr. Federal Way feels sorry for all of the ignorant people who voted for him. Looking forward to more drama, grey areas and, oh, politics.

<strong>Q: Mr. Federal Way, city staff updated the City Council on all the financial particulars of the Performing Arts and Events Center during the council meeting on Tuesday. Is it just me, or was the city selling their plan as more positive than what is really going on?</strong>

A: Mr. Federal Way has never drank the city’s Kool-Aid, which is full of more preservatives and positive spins than Mr. Federal Way can stomach. Mr. Federal Way won’t drink it and Mr. Federal Way doesn’t buy it.

Readers should be well aware of how Mr. Federal Way has always stood on the city relying on federal New Markets Tax Credits to fund the Performing Arts and Events Center. Mr. Federal Way has said city officials enjoy roulette, as they placed $7.2 million worth of hope on the black and held their breath to see where the ball falls when the wheel stops.

Well, the wheel stopped and the ball fell on the red, which means the city doesn’t get the money. Mayor Jim Ferrell and his staff are selling this as, “Oh don’t worry, we missed the first round but there’s another wave coming.” Are we surfing, Mr. Mayor? Surfing for a positive spin, perhaps.

There was already little likelihood of Federal Way obtaining $7.2 million and Mr. Federal Way doubts there is anything earth-shattering that the city can do to get the money in the next month. What’s even more unsettling is the city was unaware of a stipulation that 80 percent of the allocations had to go to 10 underserved states. Why was the city unaware of this stipulation? How long has the federal government stipulated that 80 percent goes to underserved states?

And now, for this second wave, the city may only get $3-4 million.

Mr. Federal Way wonders how much money the city has already spent on plane tickets for city staff and the mayor to travel to other states to try and keep on top of the New Markets Tax Credit funding. And hotel rooms, and consultants and the list goes on. Enough is enough.

The financial model upon which the events center was based was already shaky at best. And now the city’s financial need may just get needier for this project.

Perhaps Mr. Federal Way will throw the city a bone and purchase a chair for $1,000.

<strong>Q: Mr. Federal Way, are you done shopping for your kids’ school supplies?</strong>

A: None of your business.

<em>Got a question for Mr. Federal Way? Email mrfederalway@federalwaymirror.com</em>