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posted Oct. 16, 2009
Port Reformers Shine in the Primaries
opinion from King County Citizens
for Port Reform
The August primary election returns indicate voters are ready to reform the Port of Seattle, the agency that is in charge of SeaTac airport, Seattle’s cargo shipping facilities, as well as other significant waterfront property.
Despite spending almost $100,000 each in the primary, business-as-usual candidates Albro and Doud failed to pull in even 40% of the primary votes.
The next few months will pit the people who want to stop the Port’s fraud, waste and pollution against the Port of Seattle’s established big money insiders.
Port Reform candidate Rob Holland wowed supporters by earning almost 55% of the vote so far in the Port Position 3 race. Rob will be facing Republican real estate developer David Doud in November’s general election.
Port Reform candidate Max Vekich received 28% of the vote so far, a strong return for a late entry into a four-person race for Position 4. It looks like Max will be facing businessman Tom Albro in November.
Max and another candidate with a reform message, Robert Walker, split 50% of the vote in that race. It’s clear voters are rejecting the port’s business as usual candidates and want to see real change at the Port of Seattle.
The platform of Port
Reform includes:
• End inflated Port staff salaries and financial mismanagement
• Prevent corporate giveaways and back room deals for Port contracts
• Ensure Healthier Port Neighborhoods
• Clean up high cancer risk areas near the Port
• Stop Port pollution in the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay
• Address declining property values in Port communities
• Improve the Port’s efficiency, profitability and competitiveness
• Generate more local, family wage jobs at the Port
• Use our tax dollars wisely,
not to cover the Port’s losses
King County Citizens for Port Reform is an independent expenditure committee largely funded by local labor unions.