What the News Left Out

Why the Newcastle News used a larger than usual typeset size in their print edition for the Question and Answer segment by the candidates for Position 6, and thus did not display all 14 questions presented to the candidates, is curious, but we can only speculate.  Here are the 4 questions and answers that they did not print, and the endorsements they left out as well.  

[The following Q & A was derived from the Newcastle News' on-line edition (October 4, 2013) and posted here under the Fair Use Doctrine regarding copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).]

What should be the city's role in economic development? 

Mark Greene: 

Encouraging it through proactive policies, such as inviting developers and entrepreneurs to City Hall, and running the city well will help to achieve that goal.
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John Drescher:
 
Newcastle should make clear through word and policy that it welcomes and encourages entrepreneurs who choose to invest in and bring services to our city.


What recent council decision would you have changed if you could?  Why?

Mark Greene:  

No one decision, but approving various zoning ordinances without requirement that large real estate gentrification cannot displace renters without limitations on increased rent or compensation.
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John Drescher:

It was unfortunate to lose a full-time parks director. Parks are our strength. We should invest in their proper care and fullest use.


How will the city continue to improve public safety?

Mark Greene:

Support Police Chief Melinda Irvine and her proposals, including a few extra patrol officers.
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John Drescher:

My goal is for two Newcastle officers to be on duty 24/7 for added prevention and quicker response to combat the sharp rise in crime.

Should the city expand its recreation programs? Explain.

Mark Greene:

Maybe, but under a tight budget, recreation won’t be high on the totem pole. With all the wide-open fields, here, people are quite innovative.
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John Drescher:

Parks/trails are our strength. I am in favor of funding a full-time community activities/parks manager when the city finances better allow for such.

Mark Greene's Endorsement:

Darcy Burner (former two-time Congress nominee)
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John Drescher's Endorsements:

Adam Smith, 9th District; Dave Reichert, 8th District; Rob McKenna, former Attorney General; Rodney Tom, state Senate Majority Leader; Steve Litzow, Senator 41st District; Burien mayor Brian Bennett; Newcastle Mayor Rich Crispo; Newcastle Deputy Mayor Lisa Jensen; Gordon Bisset, Newcastle City Council; Steve Buri, Newcastle City Council; John Dulcich, Newcastle City Council; Bill Erxleben, Newcastle City Council; Allen Dauterman, Newcastle Planning Commission, vice chairman; Rob Lemmon, Newcastle Planning Commission; Tom Magers, Newcastle Planning Commission; Jon Simpson, Newcastle Planning Commission; and Elizabeth Thompson, Newcastle Planning Commission

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified. If GM food is the greatest thing since sliced bread (according to them), then why don't they want it labeled?

Public Officials and Criticism

Goes With the Territory

I've been hearing that I'm being criticized for, myself, criticizing several of Mr. Drescher's endorsers.  However, I've gone down the list of Drescher's endorsers as publicized on his site or in the Newcastle News, and every one of them are public officials or former public officials.  So, in effect, they are using their positions, some of which are very well paid and others are volunteer (it's makes no difference either way), to effect the outcome of an election.  Generally, I would not criticize a non-public official who endorsed Drescher, because they are just exercising their rights in a democracy, and I respect that immensely.  However, there is a different and higher standard for someone who is using their government position to effect an election, so they are subject to criticism.  By the way, a lot of my criticism of Drescher's endorsers is trying to be light and sometimes humorous.  I will take the criticism of my criticizing public officials with a grain of salt, but there's no apologies, here.

-- Mark Greene, Candidate for Newcastle City Council, Position 6

[revised on 10/14/13]

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified. If GM food is the greatest thing since sliced bread (according to them), then why don't they want it labeled?

Mediocrity Speaks

At Least He Doesn't Think He's Spock (probably)

Jon Simpson, one of the Planning Commissioners and one of John Drescher's (R) endorsers, wrote a letter to the editor praising Mr. Drescher in the Newcastle News.  N.P.R. has barely noticed Simpson at some of the Planning Commission meetings, as this flabby mediocrity, who puts on airs like he's some kind of intellectual, seems as delusional as the Seattle-area billionaire who thinks he's the second coming of Lieutenant Spock (Star Trek).  Simpson probably hopes that he'll rise up a notch from the bottom of the totem pole at Planning if Drescher ascends to Council.

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified. If GM food is the greatest thing since sliced bread (according to them), then why don't they want it labeled?

The Establishment Tries to Run Up the Score

The Newcastle News published a Question and Answer segment for the Position 6 council candidates in their latest (October) edition.  At least that was neutral.  Additionally, however, the News endorsed John Drescher (R): "Surprise, surprise, surprise," as TVs Gomer Pyle would have said.  In the past the News has endorsed several, if not many, of Drescher's many endorsers, and they published a letter to the editor in favor of their endorsee in the October edition as well.  Almost the entirety of the mostly Republican Newcastle City Council and Planning Commission, and especially an anti-apartments commissioner who wrote a testimonial, endorsed Drescher. Regarding outsiders (not from Newcastle), Drescher received endorsements from everyone from turncoat political charlatan Rodney Tom (D) [it should be (T)] to unsuccessful though renowned gubernatorial candidate, Rob McKenna (R). 

In football, they call this running up the score, but I remember a game where the Seahawks fell way behind and then managed to come back and win the game.  Mark Greene (Commons) has met hundreds of voters, maybe even thousands, coming into downtown ever since he first ran for council in 2007, and is continuing to work hard to win this election.  As you can remember in "Aesop's Fables," the hare pulled away in front of the tortoise quite dramatically, but the tortoise ended up getting the victory.

[revised on 10/11/13]

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.  If GM food is the greatest thing since sliced bread (according to them), then why don't they want it labeled?

Tortoise at the Table

Mark Greene

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your attention to this close council election in Newcastle between me and my "2" opponents, Mr. Drescher and the Washington Establishment.  I cannot even identify the latter as just the town Establishment, because big shots from outside of Newcastle have meddled in our politics to make sure that the "little people" do not get a foothold in governance.  After all, they realize that the game (of special interest politics) is up once the little people start governing.  Which is why, my friends, that I need your vote and for many of you to join my relatively new 3rd party, the Party of Commons.


I started this campaign back in early December, and like the Tortoise in Aesop's Fables, "The Hare and the Tortoise," I have been inching along towards victory, receiving support from commoners from all parts of Newcastle as we try to get a seat at the table.  Naturally, I'm not going to put up signs in every square mile of Newcastle (I put up just a handful of signs), because for one, all these political signs everywhere aren't that aesthetic-looking, and secondly, I don't get the money from wheelers and dealers who try to influence politics for their own narrow or special interests as opposed to that of Newcastle, generally.

As someone who has promised that I'll never vote for the annexation of Newcastle, voters will have at least 3 solid votes against annexation on the Newcastle City Council in the next 2 - 4 years (Councilmember Carol Simpson being among those).  This loyal bloc will keep Newcastle independent and sovereign until we pass the baton to a new generation.

-- Mark Greene, Candidate for Newcastle City Council, Position 6

[Revised on 10/3/13 and updated with a photograph on 10/5/13.]

Note #1:  Please, pass the word around about Northern Pacific Report, URL: http://commonsnorth.blogspot.com.  The larger the circulation, the better chance that commoners will get a seat at the table. Thank you!  

Note #2:  Yesterday's Council Meeting: the Newcastle City Council was in session yesterday with an agenda filled with budget matters.  N.P.R. did not attend that session. 

Yesterday's agenda format is from the City of Newcastle:

GENERAL BUSINESS
 

a.  AB 13‐068  Operating Budget Needs and Council Priorities for 2014      Christine Olson, Finance Director 

 

Councilmembers will begin the 2014 budgeting process by discussing needs and  priorities for next year.   

b.  AB 13‐069  Revenue Forecast for 2014 ‐ 2019  Christine Olson, Finance Director 

A review of financial forecasts as part of the budgeting process.   

c.  AB 13‐070  Ordinance Amending the 2013 Budget  Christine Olson, Finance Director

The Council will review proposed amendments to the current fiscal year budget.

A public comment period is provided.

From N.P.R.: Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.  If genetically modified food is so great, why don't the producers of it want it labeled?

 

Voters' Guides Are Now On-Line

The Director of the King County Elections Department (Sherril Huff), a position for which Mark Greene was Runner-up for in 2011, has published the General Election Voters' Guide recently, and you can now view it on-line, including the Drescher (R) vrs. Greene (Commons) Position 6 race for Newcastle City Council.  Please, let your family and friends know about the new voters' guide.  Also, the Newcastle News will be publishing a Question & Answer segment from Newcastle City Council candidates (at least those running in the contested Position 6 race) in their October edition.

Post-script: The council race is non-partisan, but N.P.R. is going to be including the known "party information" about the candidates inside the usual parentheses from now until the election.  John Drescher helped the McCain (R) '08 presidential campaign and Mark Greene is the founder of the Party of Commons: Tradition, Progress, Ecology, and hasn't voted for a major party candidate for president in a general election since McGovern in '72, though Greene has voted in most elections since the age of 18.

[revised on 9/25/13]

Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.

Drescher (R) Vrs. Greene (Commons)

THEY ARE VERY CERTAIN

 

The Town Establishment in Newcastle, overwhelmingly Republican, is very certain that they have pulled out all the stops to ensure that their candidate, John Drescher, will win the election.  However, indications and unofficial polls, don't seem to be going along with their candidate, therefore Mark Greene is still in the running and pretty much even with Drescher. In fact, it is Drescher that is struggling to pull above even despite help from turncoat Democrats like Rodney Tom and "Blue Dog" Adam Smith.  Democrats helping Republicans is nothing new, however, as we learned from the 2009 Council Race in County District 9.  This could stem from the fact that Mark Greene is with the Party of Commons or Commons Party, a fledgling third party, and thus with neither of the major parties.  The party's motto is Tradition, Progress, Ecology.  Your vote will turn the tables on those who think they already have it in their pocket.



Please vote for I-522 this November, YOUR RIGHT TO KNOW about whether of not the food you buy is genetically modified.