Some guidance for Seattle City Council in 2009
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THE Seattle City Council is preparing for its annual high-level, navel-gazing session — as in, the setting of legislative priorities for the coming year. Priorities for 2009 will be aired at a meeting Monday.
Always ready to help, some suggestions:
• Get the deep message of the snowstorm. A weather crisis occurred. Mistakes were made. A no-salt policy adopted during a previous administration served citizens poorly. The public likes to feel the steady hand of leadership amid such turmoil. It was lacking. No grandstanding, just a decisive about-face, which Mayor Greg Nickels made when he announced a change in the salt policy and Sunday night whencity crews threw salt on key hills and arterials. Communication between Metro Transit and the city must be improved.
• Voters were generous again last election with tax dollars, saying yes to Sound Transit expansion and to a continuing Seattle Parks levy. Just because they keep saying yes doesn't mean it is smart to keep asking. Celebrate the recession and learn to live within your means. Spend the new park-levy money judiciously. Seek other revenue sources for the next big "ask": Seattle Center.
• Fix a lot of potholes. Recent storms left caverns on many city streets. Basics, first. How hard is that?