Reminder: Rep. Adam Smith to Address MI Chamber Luncheon at Noon

Tacoma Democrat Adam Smith is running for re-election in the newly drawn 9th Congressional District, which now includes Mercer Island and Bellevue after redistricting.

The public is invited to hear U.S. 9th District Congressman Adam Smith (D-Tacoma) address the Mercer Island Chamber of Commerce at their monthly noon luncheon on May 3 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. Rep. Smith is seeking a ninth-term in office by representing essentially a new congressional district, redrawn earlier this year by the State Redistricting Commission. The new 9th U.S. District now stretches from Tacoma to Kirkland and includes Mercer Island and Bellevue. He is the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee where he is a strong advocate for our military personnel and their families. He has also served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.   …

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County Certifies Mercer Island School Bond Defeat

King County Elections reported nearly 58 percent local turnout for Mercer Island's school bond vote and a 34 percent turnout overall.

King County Elections certified the April 17 Special Election today, with final election results available on the County’s web site. More than 80,000 voters (34 percent) cast ballots, meeting the projected turnout of 34 percent. The County mailed ballots to nearly 240,000 voters. The vote on the Mercer Island School District Bond issue was essentially decided when election officials released their election night April 17 tally indicating defeat of the bond by a 21-point margin. Just under 10 percent of the vote trickled in after election night, with late votes split roughtly 50-50. The school bond vote also drove a relatively high level of turnout, compared with other races. The 58-percent turnout nearly matched last year's general …

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McKenna and State Democrats Trade Barbs Over "Get A Job" Video

Video shows McKenna's reaction after being approached in the street by a woman asking about his stance on the Reproductive Parity Act.

State Attorney General Rob McKenna, a Republican gubernatorial candidate in this November's general election, and the Washington State Democrats traded barbs this week, after a video surfaced showing McKenna telling a woman to "get a job" after she approached him on a Seattle street and asked about his stance on the Reproductive Parity Act. The woman in the video, Kendra Obom, approached McKenna as he exited the Red Lion Conference Center in Seattle, and asked him what he thought of the state legislation, which would have required that insurance plans in the state that cover maternity care include coverage abortions. It did not pass.  In the video — which is partially inaudible and has poor sound quality — McKenna declines to take a …

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'Emotional' School Board Regroups After Bond Election Failure

The Mercer Island School Board delayed approval of drawing up plans for future schools as the public weighed in on school bond plans overwhelmingly rejected by the public in the April 17 Special Election.

Based on outward appearances, the Mercer Island School District Board of Director’s April 19 agenda for its first post-Special Election meeting still seemed poised for approval of a $196,250,000 school construction bond, as architects spent two hours presenting ideas on designing new local schools. Then the meeting began — and reality of the failed bond set in — as the public and school board officials cordially but aggressively debated why nearly 5,800 voters (59 percent of ballots cast) — amidst a turnout of nearly 58 percent — had rejected plans to enlarge and modernize local school buildings and facilities. MISD Superintendent Gary Plano said opposition to the bond appeared from a number of groups, rather than a well-defined political …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: 'No' Vote Solved Nothing

Resident Marina Moscovici writes in a letter to the editor that residents should work anew and together to formulate a new bond to replace aging school buildings in the school district.

To the Editor: Kris Kelsay sums up very eloquently my dismay and sadness that our community failed to pass the Bond last night. Although it failed by a large margin, I do believe that the majority of the community is in agreement that our aging schools and other other public facilities have multiple problems which cannot be ignored. Having attended the planning meetings, I thought that the committee researched and articulated a sound and fiscally responsible plan.   Yesterday's message however, indicated that they failed in communicating their research, promoting their proposals, and ultimately  convincing the electorate that these costs are justified.     In going forward, I would propose that we continue working with architects to …

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George Stanton

7:52 pm on Friday, April 20, 2012

We absolutely NEED pollsters. We want to make sure everyone's voice and opinion is heard don't we? We need to know why this bond failed and what sort of plan will pass next time. Don't assume that because this bond got voted down that it's because they all agree with you.   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter: School Bond an Opportunity Missed

Local resident and 21CFPC facilitator Kris Kelsay writes in a letter to the editor that the rejection of the $196 million school bond measure could lead to several negative unintended consequences.

What if it fails? Well I guess our community is going to find out the hard way. We had before us a remarkable opportunity—an elegant plan that was carefully crafted by a smart, dedicated group of citizen volunteers that gave a year of their life to our community. Their recommendation was strategic, cost-effective and community-minded. And it failed. There’s a million reasons why which I’m sure will be discussed at length over the coming months, but mostly today I feel sad. I’m sad for our kids and school staff who will now need to continue to make do for years. I’m sad that teachers won’t have the spaces they need to teach the way they really want and students won’t have the spaces to learn the way they really should. I’m sad for Youth …

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Kendall Watson

10:15 pm on Monday, April 23, 2012

The latter portion of this comment was removed because it violated our Terms of Use policy: http://mercerisland.patch.com/terms   more ›

Yes, Say Issaquah School District Voters

So far, more than 69 percent of participating Issaquah School District voters have voted to approve a $219 million school bond for capital improvements in the district.

So far, about 60 percent of voters in the special election for the proposed Issaquah School Bond have voted yes, meaning the bond will likely pass, ensuring $219 million in school improvements for the district. Nearby districts in Mercer Island and Renton have not been so lucky, with the measures in Mercer Island headed for defeat and Renton's too close to call as of Tuesday night. As of Tuesday night, 32.85 percent of registered voters had cast ballots, with 69 percent in favor of the bond, though the results won't be certified until April 27. According to the district, in previous years participation has hovered around 40 percent. The bond must pass with a 60 percent plus one majority. You can read the full text of the bond measure here…

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Officials Report MI Special Election Turnout Already at 43%

King County Elections reports over 7,000 ballots from Mercer Island have already been verified and are ready to be counted tomorrow, April 17.

Early vote tallies indicate Mercer Island's $196 million school bond issue is drawing general election-sized interest from local residents. King County Elections reports over 63,000 voters have already returned their ballots for the April 17 Special Election in King County, more than average at this time for special elections. King County Elections mailed 236,000 ballots to voters in the six districts participating in this election and expects a return rate of 34 percent (about 80,000). “So far, voter turnout has been a little higher than we anticipated, which is very positive,” said Sherril Huff, King County Elections Director. “There are still a lot of voters who haven’t yet voted and I’d like to encourage them to sign the return …

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