King County Local Voters Pamphlet

The Port of Seattle is the gateway to Puget Sound's economic success. In a region that depends on trade for one in three jobs, we need hands at the helm of the Port with experience in creating jobs and the transportation infrastructure to support our economy.

I bring the right combination of regional solutions and international trade experience to ensure that the Port of Seattle leads the way to a brighter economic future for all of us.

The Port is responsible for 83,000 direct jobs, a half million indirect jobs and wages exceeding $5 billion.

As a Port Commissioner, I crafted policies to bring family wage jobs to our region for years to come including: . Doubling the amount of cargo that the Port can handle . Rebuilding Fishermen's Terminal to keep a viable commercial fishing industry . Keeping the Port's environmental commitment to a clean and healthy Puget Sound.

I voted against this year's Port property tax increase because I believe our fragile economy can't withstand higher property taxes at this time.

We responded to the terrorist events of 9/11 even before the federal government had a plan or funding. This ensured goods and passengers continued to flow through our airport and seaport and prevented further damage to our economy.

I've worked positively for regional transportation solutions. The completion of the Atlantic Street overpass is an example of how freight mobility projects will reduce congestion on city streets and freeways.

Succeeding on these issues has meant building coalitions and working across party lines. That's why my campaign has broad bi-partisan support including County Executive Ron Sims; the mayors of Bellevue, Kent, and Renton; County Councilmembers Rob McKenna and Larry Gossett; Seattle City Councilmembers Jan Drago, Richard McIver and Richard Conlin.

The port is in need of new leadership due to its wasteful and environmentally unsound policies.

The port is in a position to be self-sufficient with its numerous revenue sources. However, in November 2002, at the same time that the state's economy was poor, the port commissioners voted for an astonishing 37% increase in the port's property tax rate. (Mr. Edwards voted "no" for tax increase but was willing to increase taxes by 22%.)

The voters must elect port commissioners who pledge to stop wasteful projects and excessive tax levies. The third runway project is perhaps the most wasteful public project ever undertaken in this state. As stated by Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA): "From the beginning, this runway has been an ill-conceived idea that will do little to solve the region's long-term transportation problems."

The third runway is currently estimated to cost up to $1.2 billion. (When the project was approved by the port commissioners in 1996, the estimate was $0.5 billion.) The project includes the use of 23 million cubic yards of fill material standing as tall as an 18-story building.

In addition to working to stop the third runway, I will work to: (1) prevent port executives from further attempts to "privatize" the port's container cranes like they tried to do during August 2001 in a deal which would have transferred public control of the cranes to a multinational corporation, (2) restore Fishermen's Terminal as a working port for commercial fishermen (allowing private yachts in Fishermen's Terminal is like allowing Safeway to take over Pike Place Market), and (3) require that companies that do business with the port have employment policies of nondiscrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, national origin and sexual orientation.

PERSONAL DATA -- Age 51; partner in Seattle law firm representing injured persons; volunteer lawyer for the King County Bar Association Pro Bono program; pro bono lawyer for disabled veterans; accepting no political contributions.