Money

It's almost a heretical question to ask in this town. Most people I know in Seattle (myself included) love the neighborhoods where we live. More often than not, we feel protective of other neighborhoods around town, too. I don't live near the California/Alaska Junction, but I love coming over for the Farmer's Market on a Sunday.

Seattle is said to be a city of strong neighborhoods, more so than many other cities around the country that don't have pockets of unique character the way we do, nor as many ardent community activists as we have.

I am immensely grateful for the endorsement of the 36th District Democratic Party, with 74.4 percent of the vote. It is rare to achieve such a strong endorsement in such a heavily contested race with such a large turnout. If I'm fortunate enough to be elected to this position, I will represent the entire district (supporters and non-supporters, alike).

Speaking of which, every day while I am out doorbelling people tell me their fears about our economy.

No rose colored glasses

By Jean Godden

The economic news is downright gloomy: King County is looking at a large budget shortfall. So is the state. And we all know the federal government has been borrowing to meet its obligations at home and abroad.

Energy prices are up; housing prices are down. As energy prices cycle through the economy, food and commodity prices are on the rise, and real wages are eroding.

For those of us living in Seattle, the situation is not quite as dismal as elsewhere.

The economic news is downright gloomy: King County is looking at a large budget shortfall. So is the state. And we all know the federal government has been borrowing to meet its obligations at home and abroad.

Energy prices are up; housing prices are down. As energy prices cycle through the economy, food and commodity prices are on the rise, and real wages are eroding.

For those of us living in Seattle, the situation is not quite as dismal as elsewhere.

Based on some media coverage of the Democratic National Convention two weeks ago, some people might have had the impression the most important story was the "angry" Clinton supporters who were not planning to back Obama. But we know from first-hand experience that these reports were blown way out of proportion.

We both attended the convention, one of us as an Obama delegate, and one of us as a Clinton delegate. We both experienced the convention and a party committed to winning this election and being united in changing our country.

Sen.

The City of Seattle is proposing a 20-cent charge to customers using paper or plastic bags supplied by the merchant. Since the city is not providing the bags for sale to the customer by the merchant what is the purpose of the 20-cent charge? I feel that it is a tax on the use of the bag.

Some argue that it is not a tax since you have the choice of providing a bag to carry your purchase. With this type of reasoning if you prefer not to drive there is no gas tax.

The article in April started this way: "... (Aberdeen) was hemorrhaging jobs. Mother Jones tells it like this: 'Families were breaking up and moving out. There were suicides. It was really a hard time.'"

The author goes on to note that "Grays Harbor and four other Washington counties are exemplifying another new trend in small-town America: life expectancy is declining among the rural poor."

But, good news is on the horizon says the environmental activist who wrote the piece: the "green" economy is coming.

We face an important and rapidly approaching primary on August 19. Fortunately there is a clear choice for governor. As a 20-year resident of West Seattle, I encourage all my neighbors to cast their ballot for Gov. Gregoire. The governor works tirelessly for Washington families, focusing on the issues we care about. Environmental protection in particular was a cornerstone of her first term.

Puget Sound waters surround the residents of West Seattle. Commuters travel over or across these waters daily.

Union workers at Swedish Medical Center ratified new contracts for registered nurses, service employees and technical staff. The agreement was reached after 14 bargaining sessions with SEIU 1199NW and includes across-the-board pay raises as well as an increase in health-insurance premiums for dependent coverage.

"We entered negotiations believing we needed to bring our service and technical wages - which are much higher than other hospitals - closer to the market average.

More transit options may be coming your way. T

The Sound Transit board of directors decided to move a measure to this November's ballot that will ask the region if they want to fund a significant expansion of bus and rail service.

Since last year's defeat of Proposition 1, the roads and transit proposal, we have heard that residents want more transit options; they want service delivered faster and cheaper. Whereas Proposition 1 proposed funding for roads expansion and improvements, Sound Transit 2 is focused solely on transit, i.e.