by Greg Wright
PACs need no permission from candidates to campaign on their behalf. The amount of money being spent on behalf of Dave Bush, Mia Gregerson, and Barry Ladenburg–and against incumbent Gene Fisher–is more than just significant, however; it’s enough to overwhelm the balance of the election. In this year’s campaign as much money is being spent by PACs as by the combined totals of all candidates’ campaigns.
Further, City Council races are non-partisan; yet the attention drawn from PACs this year is clearly partisan, and just as clearly unilateral. One might wonder what the Democrats see at stake in SeaTac that Republicans have completely missed.
The following are cut-and-paste screen shots directly from the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission website. (Click on images for full-resolution display.)
The first screenshot shows the totals of funds raised and spent by individual campaigns. The columns at the right show independent expenditures for and against a candidate. In 2009′s election, there was no independent money whatsoever spent for or against local candidates.
Below is the breakdown of the PAC money by candidate and source.
Click here for the Unite Here Local 8 website. (Unite Here is also funding the campaign against Fisher; click here for their filing with the PDC, an expenditure of $41,000 for mailers and lawn signs–and another here, an expenditure of $13,000 on wages and benefits for organizers and canvassers.) Click here for the Washington Conservation website. Click here for the website of Jay Petterson (an out-of-state political consultant with offices in Fremont) who runs the Working Washington PAC.
The amount of money being spent is obscene for a City the size of SeaTac (~25,000) and one of the lowest household incomes in King County. With only 10,000 registered voters (down from 13,000 circa 2002) this amounts to $12 per vote (if we have a 100 perecnt turnout). This election will go down in SeaTac history and the story probably isn’t over because the WHY hasn’t been answered but most likely will be in the months following the election.
Council races of local Cities (including the ELECTED mayor position for Tukwila)
City of Des Moines total spending, $19,853.74
City of Burien total spending, $21,392.99
City of Tukwila (including mayoral race) total spending, $30,026.70
City of Federal Way (3 and ½ times the size of SeaTac) total spending, $54,167.35
CITY OF SEATAC TOTAL SPENDING, $123,412.28
Lets break SeaTac spending down a bit further.
Ladenburg, $40,871.41 ($32,361.69 plus $8,509.72 by independent opposition)
Fisher, $4,468
Anderson, $0 (or under $5,000, detailed reporting not required)
Cook-Bensley, $4,207.04
Bush, $30,361.69
Kovacs, $5,437.06
Gregerson, $24,683.97
Sitterley, $4,871.92
And anti-prop #1 forces are allegedly worried about outside influences on a SeaTac ELECTED Mayor?! What a joke. This data can all be verified on the PDC websites as Mr. Wright pointed out.
Since the revealing emails it was stated I have the personality of a “Cactus”. I think I will keep that nickname. It beats the other things I have been called lately for simply asking for direct elections of a SeaTac Mayor, Prop #1.
The Cactus
We all have witnessed the continuous lies being told about Deputy Mayor Fisher by Barry Ladenburg’s doorbellers and on the flyers that are being mailed daily. The latest flyer today is unconscionable. This flyer was paid for by Washington Conservation Voters Action Fund whose top 5 contributors, Nancy Burnett, Gretchen Garth, WA St. Democratic Campaign Committee, and Helen Donohue formed UpthePac. When did the SeaTac election become partisan?
The most toxic and inflammatory lie is on today’s flyer for Mr. Ladenburg. Gene Fisher served 34 years in the military, serving his country. He takes great pride in attending the Memorial Day Veterans celebrations and the Auburn Veterans’ Day Parade each year. If UpthePac had watched the council meeting when the King County Veteran’s Levy was voted on instead of listening to the Julia Patterson gang, they would know that he did not vote against this levy. He voted against using veterans like himself and his daughter to extract more tax money out of taxpayers to fund King County “special Interest” welfare programs.
The lie that Gene Fisher’s campaign is run by the Tea Party is laughable. If you look at the PDC filing for October 18th, their is nothing there! Gene Fisher ran his own campaign. The Tea Party was not involved! Remember, UpthePAC, this is a non-partisan election.
Mr. Ladenburg, running a dirty, lying campaign with the support of groups with no conscience or integrity would leave a bad taste in most people’s mouths … but I guess not for you.
In response to Mrs. Fisher:
I do not doubt MR. Fisher’s honorable service to our nation. However, with respect to the flyer…as far as I can tell, they are telling the “truth” although you and Mr. Fisher would probably disagree with what the “truth” means in this case. I might as well. It looks like they are referencing the July 26th, 2011 council meeting; the minutes for that meeting reference the discussion on agenda bill #3355, which was about the King County Veterans and Human Services levy.
In the minutes, which I found on the City of SeaTac website, reads the following:
“DM Fisher stated that he will vote for the levy, but the Council is not elected to tell voters how to vote or why. A no vote from Council on this agenda is not a no vote on the levy.”
Two lines below, the text regarding the vote on this agenda bill reads: “*Upon a roll call vote, motion passed with Forschler, Fisher, and Fernald voting no and A. Anderson, Shape, T. Anderson, and Gregerson voting yes.
In my estimation, it does not seem that your husband was voting against veterans. However, I am curious why he said he would vote against the council expressing their support for the proposition for veterans. Surely voters can make up their own minds regardless of whether the city council endorses the proposition or not?
Also, you say “He voted against using veterans like himself and his daughter to extract more tax money out of taxpayers to fund King County “special Interest” welfare programs.” Given that negative take on the ballot proposition, does that mean he voted against the veterans levy after all? Or did he vote for it despite it being a plan to, as you said it, “extract more tax money out of taxpayers to fund King County’s ‘special interest’ welfare programs”?
Observer,
I commend you for your keen interest in SeaTac politics. If you ever want to move from Kent, we can always use another aware citizen in Seatac.
With AB 3355, the council was being asked to endorse a county initiative on which the electorate would vote.
As you can see below, there are 2 different RCWs we dealt with in the case of this Agenda Bill.
“RCW 42.17.130 prohibits the use of city facilities to assist in promotion of or opposition to any ballot proposition. (My note: Obviously council chambers are a city facility.)
However, RCW 42.17.130(1) allows the Council to adopt a Resolution in support of or opposition to a ballot proposition if certain mandatory procedural steps are taken, including providing notice that the Council will discuss taking a collective position regarding the ballot measure, and providing an opportunity for public comment prior to Council action. Therefore, public comments have been solicited for the Council Meeting of July 26, 2011 by notice published on the July 26, 2011 City Council Agenda. In addition, notice was posted at various locations around the City and at City Hall, indicating that the City Council would be seeking comment on this issue.”
RCW 42.17 “allows” the council to support or oppose…It doesn’t say we ‘must’ support or oppose. I personally don’t endorse a city council voting in a manner that could clearly influence levy voters. It might cause the electorate not to study the proposition themselves, but rather vote the same as the council did, and the council’s role is to legislate, not advise on levies or propositions. I think as a council body, we should remain neutral, but that wasn’t one of the choices on this Agenda Bill.
During this council meeting we listened to pros and cons on the levy.
TWO separate issues were rolled into one levy in 2005. There is a school of thought which is that there should be a separate Veteran’s Levy and a separate Human Services levy.
By co mingling these levies, and then calling them the ‘Veteran’s Levy” for short, it is sure to tug at the heartstrings—probably more than it would if it were dubbed the “Human Services Levy.” So, this is where some felt that Veteran’s are being used as a ‘poster child’ to ensure the levy would pass.
***How any individual council member cast their own vote on that actual levy is not an item for our city council minutes, as I’m sure you realize. ***
You may view that AB proceeding here: http://www.seatvonline.com/
Choose the July 26, 2011 council meeting. You can navigate to a particular issue using the menu to the right of the screen.
This is the best place to find out what was actually said at a council meeting as the meeting minutes are very condensed and, not all reporters properly quote council members, or check their facts. (Thank you Greg for being one of the accurate reporters.)
I hope this information is helpful.
Yes, Outside Observer, “as far as you can tell.” I, on the other hand, attended that meeting and heard all of the comments from all of the council members and the people speaking on behalf of and opposing this issue. Since you are so interested in SeaTac politics, too bad you haven’t attended any meetings before commenting on our issues. Or even better, actually watching the video of the ENTIRE meeting before voicing your opinion. And one final note: I don’t thing anyone can disagree on what the truth is except for perhaps UpthePac and the rest of Mr. Ladenburg’s endorsers and supporters. Have a good day, Mr. Outside Observer.
Mrs. Fisher,
I did not mean to cause any offense. I have indeed watched full council meetings online before, however I did not watch that particular one and was unaware that there was such a significant difference between what was said at the council meeting and what is reported in the minutes. Obviously I am aware, as Councilmember Fernald said, that how an individual council member votes on the actual levy is not an item for the council’s minutes to report, and I tried to communicate as much in my response. Thank you, Mrs. Fernald, for giving me the benefit of the doubt in that respect. I will watch the discussion from that council meeting this evening. Thank you again, to Mrs. Fernald, for providing the link, although I do know how to access the videos through the City of SeaTac website.
Have a good day, Mrs. Fisher.
Curiously, none of this flood of PAC money has flowed into the race for position #3, between 22-year incumbent Terry Anderson and political newcomer Sandra Cook-Bensley. Terry Anderson obtained a huge margin of victory in the primary election and has apparently spent nothing to-date on her re-election campaign.
In general, there has been surprisingly little dialogue about Terry Anderson’s effectiveness as a councilmember. One would expect that after 22 years on the Council, she would be a maestro of parliamentary procedure and decisive leadership as the Mayor, yet she frequently needs assistance from staff and other Councilmembers to keep council meetings moving forward. Terry does possess a wonderfully engaging and gracious personality – something distinctly lacking from Ladenburg, Bush and the particularly controversial Gregerson – but is personality enough for her to hold up her end of the bargain with the citizens of SeaTac?
In response to Out Observer….
How would you know what is in that flyer is the truth? Do you believe everything you read? If so, you are very naive or maybe something else altogether – I don’t know.
What I do know :
a. Mr. Fisher did not vote against the Human Services and Veterans Levy…I was at that council meeting…you were not.
b. Barry Ladenburg is spreading lies…I had the pleasure (not) of meeting one of Barry’s peeps two Sundays ago. He came waltzing into my yard as I was working and addressed me by name..he said he was campaigning for GENE LADGENBURD..as I looked at him with a puzzled smile….asked who?…he looked down at his clipboard and said, Oh I mean Barry Ladenburg…I laughed outloud as I commented that he need go no further as I know who I am voting for. The volunteer looked taken aback and asked if I was voting for Gene Fisher? I said, yes, I am voting for Gene. The volunteer asked if I knew his voting record? Of course I do, I said…he said that Gene voted against the Veterans levy! – I told him, no he did not vote that way…I was then told that Gene voted against the YMCA…Again I said, no, Gene did not vote against the Y, I attend the council meetings so I know how Gene votes. The volunteer just kind of sputtered and said that I don’t have the same vision for SeaTac as Barry does so I will be on my way. The problem with that statement is that no one knows what Barry’s vision for SeaTac is, not even Barry himself. This volunteer clearly did not know either, in fact, I am not sure that he even knows Barry – after all – he couldn’t remember Barry’s name without referring to his clipboard.
What I find truly sad is that Barry Ladenburg has no ideas, vision or platform to run on ..he only knows how to bad mouth others.
OutObserver – please stop following in the footsteps of Barry and his peeps – quit with the lies and half-truths…
*************************DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES!! ********************************
Thank you Jomas and Pam Fernald for knowing the facts! Ms. Fernald your articulate explanation to OO, who wasn’t in attendance or didn’t bother to watch the meeting online clear and concise.
Mr. Fisher has served our country for 33 years honorably, only to defend the rights of the Barry Ladenburgs, Julia Patterson and OO, to casually throw out lies about a decent man who cares about all of the citizen’s of Seatac. Ladenberg and Patterson are counting on Seatac voters to believe their smear tactics as truth. Flood the voters with misleading material and hopefully some of it will stick. Good God you certainly can’t compete with the democratic party funding.
The tactic of posting lies and making apology’s later is typical. The truth always seems to be secondary with this group, wouldn’t you say…
Joe Mamas and southend surfer,
Please explain to me where I said that Gene Fisher voted against the veteran’s levy. All I was trying to do was get a clearer picture of what actually happened at the meeting. I even said in my comment :
“In my estimation, it does not seem that your husband was voting against veterans.”
After that, I simply expressed my curiosity as to why he voted against the council taking a position, a question that Mrs. Fisher answered. I thanked Ms. Fernald when she respectfully pointed out where I could get more information on the council meeting in questions. I intended no disrespect toward Mr. Fisher or his wife, and if I have told an outright lie that I have not already apologized for, please point it out to me and I will correct it. Otherwise, please have the respect not to misrepresent the meaning of my words.
All I have tried to do here is ask questions, and asking questions is not akin to lying. How can you honestly lecture me about lying first and apologizing later when people here are making plenty of unsupportable claims about candidates in this election? Plenty of people here have claimed that there’s collusion between Mr. Ladenburg and the independent groups supporting him. Where’s your evidence? JM, if the canvasser who visited you didn’t even have Mr. Ladenburg’s name correct, then he’s obviously not speaking for Mr. Ladenburg.
ON HLT, sounthendsurfer speculated that Mr. Ladenburg and his wife live in his parents’ basement because he can’t manage finances. That kind of blatant and obviously false character assassination is equivalent to a lie. Then southendsurfer called him a draft dodger without the conscience or respect to back up that claim with even a hint of evidence either. If we’re all so enraptured with the truth here, where’s the outrage at all those claims?
I have not intentionally told any lies here or elsewhere, and you, southendsufer, are certainly not the one to lecture me on lies, half-truths, and insinuation. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a council meeting to watch.
I’ve learn from you, OO. Sling the mud, express your opinion and make apology’s later. And the more sincere the apology doesn’t make the mud any better. After the what the HLT did intentional or unintentionaly to Gort or Kovaks, that was no coincidence on the papers part. But your behavior was so childish that any ground on agreement we may have been possibly building went out with your behavior. You were so concerned about Gort or Kovacks, submarines, that you failed to see the information about Julia Patterson meeting at the QFC. HIGH JACKED BY COUNCIL WOMAN PATTERSON, FUNDING ORGANIZED BY PATTERSON. I am just taking a page out of your play book, OO. Actually, I don’t plan on apologizing for my opinion on Barry Ladenburg. He probably couldn’t cut his way out of a wet paper bag without the help of Julia. His last postal was just out right lies about Mr. Fisher and his position. Sure you can watch the meeting now but you shoud have watched it before you made your posts insinuating something or another.
Let’s see, Mr. Fisher a 33 military veteran, his daughter a veteran, my father a veteran, I am a veteran. Are you a veteran OO, have you actively serviced your country and the citizen’s of this great nation? I don’t know for a fact, it is my opinion off mere observation that Barry just doesn’t have it in him, not a veteran. Veteran’s seem to share a bond of sacrifice that the Barry Ladenburg’s of the world never know and can never imagine. Kind of like the water boy for the varsity football team never really a part of the team. In this case the water boy for the Julia Patterson, what should I do next Julia? Are you going to send out another postal for me? Do I get to see it this time? Of course OO, just my opinion and I will not be apologizing for it.
I am hoping to join the cactus club.
Enjoy the meeting and listen carefully ole Barry’s lies will be exposed.
Have a good one!
Southend surfer,
What I “did” to Gort the Robot was simply to ask him if he was Michael Kovacs, I did not do this randomly in your fashion of throwing out a name and hoping it sticks. I had good reason for asking Gort if he was in fact Michael Kovacs: the Highline Times shows Gort the Robot’s name on a comment authored by Mr. Kovacs, and a comment you copied and pasted here on the Seatac blog from Gort the Robot also carries Michael Kovac’s name. Unlike you, I asked my question based on evidence that was in plain sight for everyone to see.
Yes, I saw the part in Gort the Robot’s comment about Julia Patterson being in a QFC parking lot. I wasn’t sure if I should even consider taking it seriously. Dave Upthegrove needing an armored truck to move around Julia Patterson’s money? Unspecified “insiders” secretly communicating to unspecified “outsiders” about an undocumented meeting that may or may not have been made up on the spot by a person who’s screen name is “Gort the Robot 1956″ who then proceeds to talk about yellow submarines on Angle Lake? Is that really the kind of evidence I am supposed to take as documented and certifiable proof of conspiracy?
Consider how that would look to someone who’s an outsider to SeaTac.