Redmond Reporter, October 14, 2011

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CRIME WATCH | String of car prowls plague city [5] NEWS | PSE to build new transmission line between Redmond and Kirkland [12]

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SPORTS | Redmond High’s Rudnicki twins make the cut for Class 4A state golf tournament next May [10]

ARTS | City arts adminstrator looks to FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2011 diversify, expand arts scene in city [9]

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City plans to end contract with vendor

Celebrating enterprising women

Inconclusive data shows pilot program did not have significant impact on safety BILL CHRISTIANSON bchristianson@redmond-reporter.com

Aynsley Mayer, a Ra Salon stylist in Redmond, models business attire during a fashion show as part of last Thursday’s “Women in SLIDESHOW ONLINE Business” networking event at iPic Theaters. The event provided a chance for Redmond businesswomen to meet each other, check out the www.redmond-reporter.com latest business fashions and donate to Redmond YWCA Family Village’s Working Wardrobe program. The program helps women and men who’ve been unemployed and/or displaced from their homes get appropriate clothing for jobs and job interviews. See story, PAGE 2. BILL CHRISTIANSON, Redmond Reporter

Program focuses on county budget sustainability Transportation cuts the main topic of discussion at forum SAMANTHA PAK spak@redmond-reporter.com

Transportation was the main topic of discussion at Tuesday’s Redmond Rousers Rotary meeting as the group hosted a community forum at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center to gather citizen input for the King County Council. Countywide Community Forums (CCF) is an independent public-engagement program that has partnered with King County

2011 Summer Festival n Enter to wi our fabulous prizes!

to give the public the opportunity to provide input and feedback to the council on county issues. CCF is overseen by the county auditor to ensure the information collected — through in-person and online surveys — is accurate. For more information about CCF, visit www.communityforums.org. CCF’s current round of forums focuses on county budget sustainability. King County’s total budget for 2011 is $5 billion, with $628 million in the general fund. In the past two years, 2009 and 2010, King County has cut about $150 million from its general fund. These cuts were made for various reasons including a decline in tax revenue.

“Sweepstakes”

Declines in property and gas taxes in particular have prompted cuts to the county’s road fund. This means road maintenance in rural and unincorporated areas of the county, including around Redmond, could take a major hit, according to a proposal King County Executive Dow Constantine unveiled last month to maintain the county’s 1,600 miles of roads. Declining sales tax revenue has meant a decline in the county’s public transportation fund, which funds King County Metro Transit. The drop in funds has caused an annual shortfall of $60 million for Metro and decreased bus service on

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8/1/2011~10/31/2011

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City leaders plan to pull the plug on redlight cameras. The Redmond City Council directed Mayor John Marchione to sever the contract with city's traffic-enforcement camera vendor and develop a school-zone camera program with a new vendor at Tuesday's study session at City Hall. Council members deliberated for almost two hours about the controversial program in front of a handful of concerned citizens, including anti-camera activist Scott Harlan, ONLINE who led a petition King County Superior effort to try to get the Court judge tosses issue on an upcoming out state initiative ballot. advocate Tim Eyman’s lawsuit against the All seven council city. To read story, go members agreed that to www.redmondthe data from the first reporter.com eight months of the pilot program did not show a significant impact on intersection safety. The pilot program, which started with a one-month warning period in February, features red-light cameras at three busy intersections and one school-zone speed camera on Northeast 116th Street near Einstein Elementary School. "There's still a safety issue out there," Council President Richard Cole said on Wednesday. "People are still getting Tboned. But is this the best vehicle for it?" While council members agreed red-light cameras are not the answer for Redmond, they spoke in favor of the school-zone speed camera and want to see that program continue and expand. "Everyone agrees the safety camera at the schools is a good idea," Cole said. "There, [ more CAMERAS page 6 ]


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