2:05 PM: Click “play” and you’ll see live video from City Hall, where Mayor McGinn is presenting his 2013 budget to the Seattle City Council. We’ll be reading the fine print as fast as we can and adding links and text highlights as we go.

2:15 PM: He is still presenting an overview, including touting the renewal in development: “When we took office, there were no cranes, and we see cranes again, dotting the skyline … (for) thousands of apartments,” the mayor said. That will mean new jobs at the Department of Planning and Development, according to a preview by our partners at The Seattle Times. We’re checking to be sure that this 763-page document linked from the city budget page is THE official proposal from the mayor.

2:24 PM: From that document, a note about park maintenance:

s. In response to 2011 budget reductions, Parks reduced the parks resources crews responsible for basic grounds maintenance activities such as litter control, mowing, trimming, and leaf removal in parks throughout the city. The reductions have made it challenging to maintain service levels, primarily during peak season. This additional funding will allow for a partial restoration of the grounds maintenance activities that were previously cut. The appearance, safety, and cleanliness of parks will improve with increased attention to litter control, mowing and trimming, and leaf removal.

Also of note from the Parks proposal, since West Seattle is home to two city pools:

The Department will increase swimming pool fees to generate additional revenues. Most of the fee increases are very modest. There are four categories of fees that will be increased, including: recreational swimming fees (family swim, lap swim, public swim, and adult swim); swim lesson fees (pre-registration group, Summer Swim League and personal instruction for all ages); fitness class fees (various water exercise classes and masters swimming); and pool rentals – swim team rental fees (ongoing rentals to teams serving youth and adults). The last swimming pool fee increase in these categories was in 2011.

(Later in the document, the fee increases are described: “Most of the fee increases are very modest, ranging from $.50 for recreational swimming, lessons, and fitness classes to $2 for private lessons. The biggest changes include a $10 increase on swimming lessons for summer swim leagues and a 20% increase on rentals.” The mayor had previously announced a plan to add 10 hours a week to community centers that serve at-risk youth, including Delridge and South Park.

2:35 PM: The mayor is talking about transportation improvements in certain corridors. Didn’t hear West Seattle mentioned. We’re still reading the full budget document linked above and will be checking the transportation section closely (excerpts so far, above, are from the Parks section). If you’d like to see PowerPoints and the speech draft, it’s all linked here.

2:47 PM: The mayor’s speech is over but the meeting continues – with public comment, focused on the upcoming sports-arena vote.

3:23 PM: The council is still discussing the arena proposal. Councilmember Richard Conlin says he’ll vote against it. (At 3:30 pm) Councilmember Nick Licata said he will too.

4:15 PM: The council meeting is over; the arena plan passed, as did the Morgan Junction parkland-related proposal we’ve been following. We’ll add the archived video in place of the previous “live” video box above, when it’s available.

(Theft victim’s car in tow-company lot, marked “NIDDLES (needles) … BIOHAZARD”)
Just in from the City Council – a news release announcing that the proposal to limit fees in cases of “involuntary towing” has passed a committee vote and is headed for the full council next week. We reported on the proposal earlier this month. We incluided the proposal with the story of a West Seattle woman who first lost her car (above) to theft and then had to sign it over to a towing company because she couldn’t afford the fees that had amassed since it was found and towed without prompt notification. Read on for the council announcement:Read More

Even before marijuana legalization goes to voters in our state via Initiative 502 on the November 6th ballot, the City of Seattle is pursuing new rules regarding where marijuana could be grown, processed, and dispensed in the city. They’ve published the proposal and are taking comments through October 1st. Read on for a news release explaining the proposal:Read More

We’re now less than two months away from the November election – less than a month and a half from the arrival of ballots and the start of voting. One of the marquee local races is for King County Sheriff. Steve Strachan, appointed to the job after Sue Rahr left earlier this year, is on the ballot along with John Urquhart, who as a KCSO sergeant was the department’s longtime media spokesperson till leaving a year ago. Both candidates will be featured during an event in White Center next Thursday – the quarterly public-safety forum presented by the North Highline Unincorporated Area Council. Everyone’s invited, wherever you live, and we haven’t heard yet about any West Seattle forum planned with this nonpartisan race, so we’re mentioning this one here – 7 pm Thursday (September 13th), North Highline Fire District headquarters, 1243 SW 112th.

We’ve mentioned previously that the 34th District, including West Seattle, has a sizable contingent in Charlotte for the ongoing Democratic National Convention. If you are following convention news, we just heard from Karen Chilcutt of the West Seattle Democratic Women, who shares the news that two of them are publishing updates to the WSDW site, Dr. Lisa Plymate and Ann Martin. You can read their updates and behind-the-scenes observations here.

Just after updating the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar with word that Skylark Café had tech troubles canceling Thursday night’s Democratic National Convention watch party, we got word of a new location – Howie Martin says the party’s been moved. New location: Heartland Café (4210 SW Admiral Way), 5-8:30 pm Thursday (September 6), with President Obama‘s acceptance speech expected between 6:30-7:30 pm. (As reported here over the weekend, our area has a sizable delegation at the convention.)

On September 24th, Mayor McGinn will announce his budget proposal for next year. Today, he announced that the revenue picture isn’t quite as bleak as it had looked – of interest given the development boom here in West Seattle, apartment construction is mentioned as one factor. Here’s the city news release with the full announcement:Read More

The photo of the Washington spot on the Democratic National Convention venue’s floor in Charlotte, NC, was shared by 34th District Democrats vice chair Marcee Stone. She notes that she is one of 10 members of the 34th Dems who are at the convention – along with Zack Barker, Karl de Jong, Robert Fuentes, Ann Martin, Dr. Lisa Plymate, and Chris Porter, plus two who Stone says are on committees, State Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and Lorin Walker. (Added: Rep. Fitzgibbon says another local Democrat is there, Lorena Gonzalez.) Dr. Plymate preceded this with a visit to the Republican National Convention as part of a bus tour with Doctors For America, which is going to both conventions to advocate for health-care affordability, as Jerry Large of The Seattle Times (WSB partner) wrote last week. (DfA is also going to the DNC.) The convention is scheduled to be livestreamed here. (RNC highlights are online here.)

After a community resource fair and youth performance, the mayor has just taken the microphone. We’ll be updating live.

6:41 PM: “We’re starting to see things turn around in the city, economically,” he begins, adding that he believes the city has recovered “more than half” the 35,000 jobs believed to have been lost in recent years. Current Seattle unemployment is estimated at 6.5 percent, he says, while noting that’s “still historically high.” He recalls a time when the “biggest challenge” was to manage growth – and then things went downhill. He says he’s “worked hard to have a city government responsive to people and their needs.” (If that sounds a little like campaigning … we should note, his first term ends next year, though we don’t believe he’s announced whether he plans to run for a second one.) He runs through some of the budget-cutting measures he says have been taken by the city in the past few years, including a quick allusion to community-center cuts – which have affected the facility in which this event is being held; it was a full-fledged community center, and now it is a teen center, also co-housing a Neighborhood Service Center. “We have to focus on good, sustainable economic growth that everybody can share,” he summarizes – “… and focus on our strengths.”

REST OF THE AS-IT-HAPPENED COVERAGE, PLUS VIDEO OF THE ENTIRE EVENT, AFTER THE JUMP:Read More

Something you think Mayor McGinn needs to know about West Seattle? Something you want to ask or say about the way his administration’s been doing things the past almost-three years? Something you want him to hear, even if you don’t think anything will be done about it? Tuesday night is your next chance, with his Town Hall at Southwest Teen Life Center, and getting a message to the mayor is only part of what it’s about. City department heads are usually on hand, and he might refer your problem/idea on the spot. Plus, you can come early and meet cool West Seattle neighbors who are with organizations such as West Seattle Be Prepared, Sustainable West Seattle, Nature Consortium, West Seattle Blockwatch Captains’ Network, West Seattle Food Bank, several neighborhood councils … Talk with them at the Community Information Fair 5:30-6:30 pm, watch a special performance of the Samoan Siva dance La’u Hani by The West Side Polynesian Club till 6:40, and then it’s Q/A time with the mayor. SW TLC is next to SW Pool, 2801 SW Thistle. See you there.

SEPTEMBER 4TH UPDATE: Skylark’s projector isn’t working – so this has been moved to the Heartland Café in the Admiral District.

ORIGINAL AUGUST 31ST REPORT: The night of the 2008 general election, the biggest public Election Night watch party in town was at Skylark Café and Club in North Delridge. For this year’s election season, Skylark also will be the site of a watch party the night President Obama accepts his party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Skylark proprietor Jessie SK tells WSB the event, organized by local campaign reps, is set for 5-8:30 pm Thursday, September 6th. (According to the event’s outline, the president’s speech is expected between 6:30 and 7:30 pm.)

P.S. If any local venue is planning a similar party for this week’s Republican convention, please let us know.

FIRST REPORT, 1:34 PM: That’s Husky Deli owner Jack Miller with visiting U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, there right now – as previewed here on Wednesday – to talk about the tax-cut-extension bill that’s cleared the Senate but not the U.S. House. We’ll add video later of what Sen. Murray, Miller, and others at the news conference had to say. (In case you are wondering, no, this is not a campaign visit – Sen. Murray won a new six-year term two years ago.)

ADDED 2:25 PM: Video of the event in its entirety (only 16 minutes):

Miller introduced Sen. Murray by talking about his 80-year-old family business and its 40 or so employees, and the challenges of competing against “big stores,” as well as the importance of tax breaks. Sen. Murray said that taxes will go up unless Senate Bill 3412 is passed to extend current tax cuts. In addition to those who you will see speaking in the video – Merryweather Books owner Mary Clark follows Sen. Murray – other local business reps were on hand:

From left with Miller, Junction-based attorney Jerome O. Cohen, West Seattle Junction Association‘s Liz Schroeder, and West 5 owner Dave Montoure (who also chairs the WS Chamber of Commerce board).

There were lighthearted moments too: The senator drew laughter by noting she was happy to be at Husky Deli even though she’s a Cougar. And before she left, she of course had some of the famous Husky ice cream:

In the background of that photo, by the way, you might recognize another Junction business proprietor – Jody Hall, owner of the Cupcake Royale stores here and around the city.

Just in – U.S. Senator Patty Murray will be at Husky Deli in The Junction tomorrow afternoon to “join with local business owners to support extending tax cuts for middle class families,” according to a media advisory we just received. The advisory adds, “Senator Murray will be joined by local small business owners and middle-class families who will urge the House of Representatives to pass this bill so middle-class families and small-business owners can get the tax certainty they deserve.” The business owners listed in the news advisory include Husky owner Jack Miller and Merryweather (formerly Leisure) Books owner Mary Clark; the event is scheduled for 1:15 pm. You can read the text of the bill in question, S. 3412, here. This will be Sen. Murray’s third West Seattle visit in less than a year; she was here three months ago to speak during Civics Week at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor), also the site of her October 2011 visit with fellow Sen. Maria Cantwell to discuss job training.

(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
Today, you’ll find volunteers from the 34th District Democrats in a booth at the Delridge Day festival – just hours after the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the Garden Party. Last night, partygoers basked in evening sunshine at West Seattle Nursery, with the theme “All-American Barbecue,” and with this area’s highest-ranking politician serving as auctioneer/emcee:

With King County Executive Dow Constantine, that’s the 34th DDs’ chair Tim Nuse at left, and the ubiquitous reminders that this is a presidential election year. The event’s theme even inspired some costuming – Chris Porter was in the red-white-and-blue spirit:

More of WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams‘ scenes from the Garden Party, ahead:

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We’re spotlighting outdoor events even more than usual these next few days, since it’s usually cooler outside in the evening than in a non-air-conditioned house/apartment, so here’s another one: Friday night is the annual Garden Party/Auction for our area’s largest political organization, the 34th District Democrats. This year’s auctioneer is King County Executive Dow Constantine; the auction will include donated items from a Napa getaway to condos in Spain to airline tickets. He’s not the only local political leader you’ll see – prime-time for ear bending while you mingle. The Haggis Brothers – featured at The Mount last Friday – are the musical guests. The food theme this year is “All-American BBQ” – from The Swinery. It all happens at West Seattle Nursery, 6 pm Friday; more info here.

Got a question, complaint, compliment, concern, to share with Mayor Mike McGinn and/or city staff? You have another chance coming up on August 28th, two weeks from tomorrow, at Southwest Teen Life Center (2801 SW Thistle). It’s following the usual format – a “community information fair” with local organizations and institutions tabling 5:30-6:30 pm, then a youth performance TBA at 6:30 pm, and Q/A with the mayor and staff from 6:40 till about 8 pm. His last one here was in May at the Senior Center of West Seattle (WSB coverage here). And in March, he had one at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (WSB coverage here).

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

The 34th District Democrats are now officially on the record as against the proposed SODO arena.

That’s the result of a resolution approved following an hour and a half-long forum in which three supporters and three opponents participated.

Many stressed this wasn’t an anti-bring-back-the-Sonics vote, but rather a vote reflecting serious concerns about the location, as have been voiced by organizations including the Port of Seattle and the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce (here’s their July 25th letter).

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As is customary on Election Night these days, there’s one round of results – the major races are on this page of The Seattle Times (WSB partner)’s website. For the two ballot measures voted on in this area, both are ahead so far – Seattle Prop 1, for library funding, 62 percent yes, and King County Prop. 1, youth/family justice center funding, 53 percent yes. (Both need only a simple majority to pass.)

The most prominent West Seattle candidate in the primary, former Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, may not make it to the general-election runoff for secretary of state – he’s in third, with Kim Wyman leading at 39 percent, Kathleen Drew at 22 percent, and Nickels at 16 percent. In the Seattle-area Congressional District 7 race, incumbent Rep. Jim McDermott has 70 percent of the vote, with Ron Bemis next at 16 percent, and Andrew Hughes at 6 percent (the top two advance to November). In the statewide governor race, Democrat Jay Inslee is at 47 percent, Republican Rob McKenna at 43 percent. To get results directly from the county website, go here.