Lewis CarrollBy Ralph Nichols

The Walrus and The Carpenter

With many things to write about, the time has come to consider a few issues in "bits and pieces."

First Avenue South project

Burien chiropractor Diane Visco expresses support in a letter to the editor for the rebuilding of First Avenue South despite the fact that many businesses along this thoroughfare-hers included-are sustaining considerable financial losses.

But, Dr. Visco maintains, "The inconveniences are far outweighed by the ongoing benefits that will be accrued."

In the long run, she is right. When the work is finally done, a vastly improved First Avenue South-Burien's busiest north-south route with major points of entry into the city-will benefit both businesses along this street and the entire community.

The short term, however, is another matter. A number of small businesses that have been impacted by construction for the past year are struggling to remain open. Yet there appears to be no help for them to offset those losses, which are beyond their control.

Neither the city nor the contractor's insurance carrier may be liable under state law for damages incurred by these businesses. So it's time for the city to do the right thing and declare that Burien is committed to a business-friendly environment.

Local lawmakers should create from city financial reserves a fund to reimburse these businesses, which pay taxes and create jobs, for a significant portion of the verifiable losses they continue to sustain, especially since the project has experienced unanticipated delays.

While there is no requirement for the city to do this, these businesses need an innovative, temporary program to reimburse them during the extended construction project.

It's the right thing to do.

Proposition 1/Roads and Transit

King County Councilwoman Julia Patterson, D-SeaTac, complains that opponents of Proposition 1-the Roads and Transit ballot measure-have no alternative.

Her disingenuous claim stretches reality. While there is no ballot-ready Plan B, for more than a decade many opponents of this measure have advocated a roads-and-bus alternative to meet the region's transportation needs.

Rail transit-a nineteenth century technology-lacks the flexibility and mobility to keep pace with changing population and employment demographics.

The region's future will be jeopardized," she continues, "by not addressing the traffic problem today.... It's time to stop talking and start building."

This argument is lame, a variation of the theme used by proponents of the 9.5 cents-a-gallon gasoline tax increase two years ago.

Both the Alaskan Way Viaduct along Seattle's downtown waterfront and the State Route 520 floating bridge were critical priorities, we were told. It was too risky to delay these projects any longer.

Yet thanks to an abysmal lack of leadership by Gov. Chris Gregoire and an arrogant power play by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, neither project is closer to construction now than it was in 2005.

The inconvenient truth about Proposition 1 remains unchanged despite rhetoric to the contrary. It costs too much, it takes too long, it does too little.

Voters need to say no, and elected leaders need to get that message once and for all. The Puget Sound region and the state need transportation solutions that actually reduce congestion and move people and traffic-now, not later, and without breaking the bank in the process.

Initiative 960

If there were only one reason to vote for Initiative 960, it would be state Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Des Moines.

Sen. Keiser, whose appetite for spending taxpayers' money knows no bounds, championed last session one of the most irresponsible pieces of nanny state legislation in memory.

Her bill granting employees even of small businesses an entitlement to paid family leave was approved by Washington's tax-and-spend Legislature and signed by Gov. Gregoire-despite the fact that lawmakers didn't include a fiscal impact statement and couldn't agree on a plan to fund it.

I-960 would require two-thirds legislative approval or voter approval for tax and fee increases.

It would, in effect, rein in runaway spending of the Democratic-controlled Legislature before the majority party mortgages the state's future beyond redemption.

All the arguments by opponents of I-960 can't offset that reality.

The views of Ralph Nichols are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of Robinson Newspapers. He can be reached at ralphn@robinsonnews.com or 206-388-1857.