Southeast Seattle simply isn’t important enough. We don’t vote in numbers that threaten city leaders. Southeast Seattle is not on the city’s list of priorities because there is no down side to ignoring us. Conlin is even suggesting that the city might have to ‘slow down’ police hiring. Can you imagine the arrogance of that statement? Yet eight of nine members of the city council recently voted to proceed with the “Mercer Mess” project, committing multi-millions of dollars to a project that mostly benefits Paul allen. (Only Nick Licata opposed this boondoggle).

Our Mayor and City Council serve other masters. Trolley’s and new streets and underground utilities for Paul Allen’s South Lake Union project are the focus of your tax dollars. It’s YOUR money but our Mayor and City Council work hard every day to give the money to Paul Allen and other influential citizens. They can’t wrap their minds around how to create jobs, fill vacant storefronts, combat gangs & guns, and put enough police on the streets to prevent people from being beaten at bus stops. City leaders would rather spend money on a pretty new improvements. City leaders just voted to temporarily delay the first $150,000,000 for the South Lake Union redevelopment project, but only until they can figure out how to pay for it. Ultimately, city leaders will figure out a way to pay for the “Mercer Mess”. But just imagine what the city could do if they decided to invest 150 million dollars in southeast Seattle?

What are the priorities of our Mayor & City Council? Mayor Nickels top priority is South Lake Union. He has been doing everything in his power to influence Olympia so he can get his hands on Obama stimulus money so that the city can proceed with the 240 million dollar project to fix the “Mercer Mess”. (Never mind the fact that the “fix” will more than double travel times to and from Seattle Center, opposite of the stated goal of reducing congestion). Richard Conlin is focused on plastic garbage bags. When Sally Clark was given a report by the Police Oversight Committee, documenting wrong-doing, she had the choice to release the report or withhold the report. She made a decision to bury the report. Her actions assured that city leaders would be protected from embarassment and the public would never see the report. This is what your elected leaders are doing.

Everyone should visit South Lake Union. I’m sure you’ll be very proud when you how city leaders have spent your tax dollars to promote a new jobs and development there.

Marky Mark, you know I’ll eat anything well-cooked on two or four legs, endangered or not. If they’re endangered, they’re worth more.
I’ll baste.

—Kneel

Mark, you may have seen K in front of Lottie’s the other day. She says “Hi”.

—-Neale

and tell John I say hello.