by Mark Van Streefkerk
Incumbent Sharon Tomiko Santos and Kirsten Harris-Talley were the lead vote-getters in their quest to win Washington State’s 37th Legislative District Positions 1 and 2, respectively, according to early returns Tuesday night. Continue reading 2020 Primary Election Night Round Up: Santos and Harris-Talley top Vote-Getters in 37th District, Advance to November’s General Election With Stafford and Salisbury
by Mark Van Streefkerk
2020 is more than halfway over, and in a short amount of time Seattle has seen significant movement on issues such as Black Lives Matter, defunding the police, and progressive tax initiatives — much more so than in recent years. It only took a pandemic and an unemployment rate that rocketed to 15.4% in Washington state in April to raise greater awareness about these issues and other systemic inequities, many of which disproportionately affect the 37th legislative district. Encompassing Beacon Hill, the Central District, Rainier Valley, Columbia City, Rainier Beach, and Renton, the 37th district includes the most diverse parts of Seattle. As demands for racial justice and equity are amplified through almost daily protests, marches, and demonstrations, selecting our district’s two representatives to Olympia requires careful consideration. Continue reading Got Your Ballot? 37th Legislative District Positions 1 and 2 Candidates Speak at Community Forum
by Cliff Cawthon
(Updated 12/5/16 at 11:45am)
Despite what most in the left- leaning 37th District saw as a devastating and traumatic Presidential result, the 2016 election did bring some key wins down the ballot. Progressives such as State Senator Pramila Jayapal, representing the 37th Legislative District (LD), came away with a victory in the race for the 7th Congressional District position—leaving open her seat in the most diverse and progressive district in the state of Washington. Or, as we at the Emerald call it, the “most eclectic place on earth.” Continue reading Who Will Be The 37th District’s Next State Senator?
by John Stafford
INTRODUCTION
November 8, 2016 was an inconceivable, shameful and dangerous day for America.
How does a candidate who: questions the birth certificate of its first black president; refers to Mexicans as “rapists”, demonizes Muslims; demeans women; wants to increase tax cuts for the rich in an age of unprecedented income inequalities; calls global warming a concept, “…created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive”1; is copacetic about the prospects of nuclear weapon proliferation; knows virtually nothing about public policy; does not acknowledge scientific fact; says that, he could, “…shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose any voters”2 ; and so on; become president of the United States? Continue reading America Devastates Itself
by John Stafford
INTRODUCTION
The 2017 Washington State Legislative Session will likely be one of the most momentous in recent history. The reason for this is the imperative to finally, fully address McCleary. And addressing McCleary will entail tax reform. Thus, the session holds promise for much-needed change in two critical areas — educational finance and tax policy. In the next two months, several critical events will define the political landscape for the upcoming session. This article previews the 2017 Legislative Session. There are four sections: political context, central issues, legislative topics and themes. Continue reading A Preview of the 2017 Washington State Legislative Session
by John Stafford
INTRODUCTION
In 2012, the Washington State Supreme Court, in its McCleary decision, upheld a lower court ruling that found the State to be in violation of Article 9, Section 1 of the State Constitution. This article asserts (in part) that, “It is the paramount duty of the state to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.” The Supreme Court ordered the State to make additional investments in K-12 education. Then, in 2014, The Court found the State to be in contempt for failing to make adequate progress toward achieving these objectives. Last week, the Court held a hearing to listen to arguments from both the McCleary plaintiffs and the State regarding whether the State has made sufficient progress since 2014 to warrant purging the contempt finding. The Court will make a ruling in the near future. Continue reading Much Ado About McCleary
by John Stafford
INTRODUCTION
The arguments for the Seattle City Council’s 2015 transition to district elections (of the nine seats, seven are elected by district and two are at-large) are well-chronicled. District elections increase the prospects for the representation of people of color by enabling districts with large concentrations of them to maintain their demographic voting advantage, which would be diluted in a citywide race. Indeed, the 2015 elections produced a council with five women, four people of color and a socialist. Second, the lower spending requirements for district elections induce more candidates to run, which increases the scope of public dialogue. In 2015, there were 47 candidates (for nine seats) relative to 10 candidates (for four seats) in 2013. Third, district elections encourage policy that promotes neighborhood distinctiveness. Fourth, the district focus places an emphasis on the basics of city service – neighborhood policing, parks maintenance, trash collection, etc. – that are at the heart of city government. Fifth, they generate broader civic engagement and ground-up rather than top-down policy. Finally, district elections encourage more equal representation across socio-economic groups, rather than a more concentrated representation of affluent interests. Continue reading New City Council Dynamics Have Shaken Up Seattle
by John Stafford
(Disclosure: I am a member of the Democratic Party in South Seattle, and am a supporter of Bernie Sanders. On March 26, 2016, I ran an area caucus (comprised of six precinct caucuses) on Beacon Hill.)
INTRODUCTION
The 2016 Democratic Caucuses, held in Washington State on Saturday, March 26, from roughly 10:00 a.m. until noon, have generated considerable debate. The issues raised can be divided into several categories: attendance and demographics; the merits of a caucus versus a primary election system; timing; and the ethics of superdelegates. This article explores each of these topics. Continue reading Dissecting the Washington State Caucuses
by John Stafford
INTRODUCTION
For those interested in a State Legislature that effectively handles the peoples’ business, the 2016 Legislative Session will be a severe disappointment. For those who have followed the past several Legislative Sessions, this disappointment will be nothing new. The Washington State Legislature has become highly adept at taking a long time (six of the last seven years have gone into special session) to accomplish very little. There are, of course, powerful reasons for this ineffectuality, and these will be explored below. Continue reading 2016 State Legislature: Short Session Blues
by John Stafford
INTRODUCTION
Once again, it appears that the State Legislature will fail to comply with the demands of the McCleary decision, which requires a significant increase in K-12 funding. I believe it is likely that this is about to lead to the biggest political crisis in the state in decades. I acknowledge that predicting policy outcomes is perilous, but I also believe that it is important to attempt to infer where this critical policy road is leading. Continue reading The McCleary Debacle and The Upcoming Institutional Crisis
