.com
YOU’LL LIKE WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR
| 50¢
CRIME BLOTTER | Intoxicated driver goes the wrong way on Pacific Highway S. [3] PUBLISHER’S NOTE | Another basketball season starts anew for this Hoosier [6]
SPORTS | Federal Way karate champ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2011 gets his kicks on the piano [10]
CALENDAR | Upcoming events include holiday concerts by local performers [7-8]
Budget news: 1% increase in property taxes
City will pay more for trash collection Rates apply to both commericial and residential service
BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
BY GREG ALLMAIN gallmain@fedwaymirror.com
Federal Way will see increased rates for garbage collection beginning in January. Rob Van Orsow, Federal Way’s solid waste and recycling program coordinator, said the biggest impact will be on commercial customers, but residents will also feel a bit of an extra tug on their wallets because of the increases. “Looking at commercial, we used a 1-cubic-yard dumpster, and they would be looking at about $7.50 more a month,” he told the Federal Way City Council during its Nov. 15 meeting. “For residential we chose a 35-gallon cart because that’s the service level most customers are at…(these increases) would impact this (example) by about $1.30 a month.” Von Orsow said there are three components to garbage services from the King County Solid Waste division and how they’re charged. The three components are service, disposal and taxes and surcharges. For 2012, the service increase will be 3.2 percent. The largest increase will come from the disposal component, with the King County Council having decided to increase the fee per ton from $95 per ton to $114 per ton. “(That fee) has not increased for 40 years,” Von Orsow said. The surcharge and tax [ more GARBAGE, page 7 ]
HOLIDAY TREE LIGHTING | Federal Way will host ceremony Nov. 25 at the mall [2]
VOL. 13, NO. 395
MIRROR
F E D E R A L WAY
DIVISION OF SOUND PUBLISHING
OPINION | Hobbs: Welcome to Occupy Federal Way [4] Guest column: Governor’s proposed budget hurts elderly residents [4]
Patti Mullen was named the new CEO of the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce. She has been president and CEO of the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce since 2003. ANDY HOBBS, The Mirror
Three adjustments Federal Way will make to its budget include factoring in a property tax increase of one percent, an increase in the gambling tax, and factoring in liquor revenues. With the passage of I-1183 (privatized liquor initiative), the city could see more state tax revenues from liquor ranging in the millions of dollars — an important addition in today’s cash-strapped economy.
Federal Way finance director Tho Kraus gave a presentation to the Federal Way City Council on Nov. 15, updating the council on mid-biennium adjustments being made to the city’s 2011-12 budget. The city is required by state law to make these adjustments before the end of the year, Kraus said. Kraus covered a number of items that needed to be adjusted midstream for the city’s budget. Revenues were covered first, with a [ more BUDGET, page 6 ]
Federal Way Chamber hires Mullen as next CEO Mullen has led the 275-member West Seattle Chamber for the past eight years, and has no problem taking stances The Federal Way Chamber of Comon political issues that affect the local merce has hired Patti Mullen as its next business community. A recent example CEO. was last summer, when Mullen and the Since 2003, Mullen has been presichamber supported a Seattle referendum dent and CEO of the West Seattle that sought a tunnel at the Alaskan Chamber of Commerce. She will Way Viaduct. replace Tom Pierson, who left Among her proudest accomBUSINESS the Federal Way Chamber in plishments in West Seattle was June to head the Tacoma-Pierce keeping that chamber open and County Chamber of Commerce. accessible to all businesses — Mullen will start her new job in with an unofficial motto of “secret January 2012. She believes the chamhandshake not required,” she said. ber of commerce plays a vital role as an The chamber has been recognized by economic catalyst in the community, for the Western Association of Chamber businesses big and small. Mullen also Executives for advocacy and networking looks forward to learning more about opportunities in West Seattle, which has the dynamics between Federal Way’s a population of about 103,000 (Federal residents and businesses as well as the Way’s population is about 89,300). agendas of elected officials. Born and raised in Tulsa, Okla., Mul“A chamber is an incubator for leader- len earned a bachelor’s degree in sociolship,” she said, noting the importance ogy and studied graduate-level psycholof the chamber as a networking hub ogy at the University of Oklahoma. The during the recession. “People need a lot Sooners fan moved to Seattle in 1983, of support as they reshape how to do and was soon introduced to Federal business.” [ more CHAMBER, page 7 ] BY ANDY HOBBS
editor@federalwaymirror.com
NEWS
Lunchtime at the senior center
Donna San Jose and Jenny Yamasaki cooked a lunchtime batch of Filipino chicken and pork adobo Nov. 17 at the Federal Way Senior Center. Thomas Jefferson High School students worked on a documentary that day, while the Federal Way Diversity Commission surveyed seniors’ needs. Read more on page 16. ANDY HOBBS, The Mirror
DEAR READERS Due to advertising restrictions for the Black Friday sales, the Nov. 23, 2011, edition of the Federal Way Mirror will be delivered in the afternoon rather than the morning. Deliveries will start at 3 p.m. and finish by 5 p.m. Please call our circulation number at (253) 872-6610 if you do not receive your paper by 5 p.m.
6 89076 19979 7