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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015
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Ballot measures and candidate roundup BY REBECCA GOURLEY Reporter
Completed ballots for the November general election are due Nov. 3. Local dropoff locations are listed on page 17. Here are the candidates and measures on this election’s ballot.
STATE MEASURES Initiative Measure No. 1366 If approved, this measure would cut the state retail sales tax from 6.5 percent to 5.5 percent on April 15, 2016, unless the Legislature first proposes a specific amendment to the state constitution. That amendment, initiated by Tim Eyman, would require either a simple majority vote by the people or a two-thirds vote in the Legislature to approve any state tax increase.
The 1 percent decrease in the state sales tax rate would result in an $8 billion general fund decrease over the next six years after implementation, according to the Office of Financial Management. Initiative Measure No. 1401 If adopted, this measure would prohibit any person in Washington from selling, buying, trading or distributing parts of certain endangered animal species or products containing or made from those animals. The measure also includes exceptions. Those include the sale or trade of antique items if the endangered animals makes up less than 15 percent of the time; animal parts or products distributed for educational, scientific, or museum purposes; when items are distributed under a will, estate or trust after death of the owner; musical instruments if the endangered animal part
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makes up less than 15 percent of the instrument; and where trade in the item is allowed by federal permit or law.
KING COUNTY Charter Amendment No. 1 From the explanatory statement, “Charter Amendment No. 1 would establish charterbased requirements for a civilian office of law enforcement oversight (OLEO) and a citizen’s advisory committee on law enforcement oversight (Citizen’s Advisory Committee). Both OLEO and the Citizen’s Advisory Committee currently exist pursuant to a council-adopted ordinance. If this charter amendment is approved, they would become charter-based requirements and would require voter approval for amendment or repeal.”
Proposition No. 1 Proposition No. 1, or King County Executive Dow Constantine’s “Best Starts for Kids” initiative, would add a 14 cents per $1,000 of assessed value property tax levy. The levy would last six years and raise an estimated $58.3 million in 2016. King County Councilman Reagan Dunn, who represents District 9, voted against putting the initiative on the ballot because of his concern for junior taxing districts. He said there’s a chance in the next six years that local junior taxing districts, like fire and hospital districts, could be adversely affected by the county increase. Assessor • Lloyd Hara • John Wilson Director of Elections • Julie Wise • Zack Hudgins [ more BALLOT page 17 ]
Kentlake Drama gearing up Elk Run Farm breaks ground with garlic for production full of firsts BY REBECCA GOURLEY Reporter
Kentlake High School is gearing up for their upcoming musical production of Mary Poppins. The play, directed by Pamela Cressey, brings a first to the Kent School District – the ability to fly.
COURTESY PHOTO: PAXTON MEANS PHOTOGRAPHY
Cressey brought in a company from Las Vegas, Hall Associates Flying Effects, to teach the tech crew how to set up the rigs and safely get characters off the ground. Also a first, there will be a special sensory-friendly production at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 17. According to the Kentlake Drama’s website, the sensoryfriendly show is “for kids and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities causing sensory sensitivities. There will be raised house lighting, lower sound levels and patrons are welcome to talk, get up and walk around and/or take breaks in our lobby as needed.” Yasemin Tedeschi, a parent volunteer with the production, said the cast and crew has been working hard to pull the show together. “This musical is a huge undertaking for a fall production, because the director and students essentially had two months to pull the show together,” she said. “A number of the students have had private vocal and dance training for years, so it allowed them to hit the ground running and get this show ready in [ more DRAMA page 3 ]
Volunteers gathered at Elk Run Farm Saturday to do the first planting at the farm as part of Make a Difference Day. Right, Alicia Bouma and her son Ian, 6, get their hands dirty with some garlic planting. DENNIS BOX, The Reporter BY REBECCA GOURLEY Reporter
Volunteers at the Elk Run Farm planted the farm’s first crop, garlic, on Saturday, Oct. 24 as part of the nationwide Make a Difference Day initiative. The farm is located on the grounds of the former Elk Run Golf Course, which closed about a year ago. Half the course’s holes were on leased land owned by King County.
After the county sold that land to the Tahoma School District for the new high school project, the golf course owners Daryl Connell and Roy Humphreys had little choice but to close up shop. Now, the South King County Food Coalition, a group of 12 food banks in the region, is leasing 4.5 acres of the land from Humphreys and Connell at a cost of $1 per month to grow produce for local families in need. The farm itself will be about 1 acre, with support
buildings and production using the rest of the acreage. Most of the farm is located under the power lines that run through the property. If the farm wasn’t there, that portion of land wouldn’t be available for development because of building restrictions below the lines. Jessica Vu, the farm’s coordinator, said some of the food banks in the coalition have their own gardens, but Elk Run is the first and only farm run by the coalition itself. [ more FARM page 3 ]