Many area voters will have mailed in their ballots well before Halloween. So what might be considered a last-minute political event was held Oct. 21, called the White Center Candidate Forum, at the Greenbridge YWCA Learning Center. The 13-member North Highline Unincorporated Area Council, or NHUAC, sponsored the forum, and Jerry Robeson hosted. He is a NHUAC member, an attorney, and has been president of White Center Jubilee Days.

On the hot seat were two sets of two candidates. Seated from the audience’s left to right were Joe Fitzgibbon facing off with Michael Heavey for State Representative from the 34th Legislative District, Position 2, the seat held by State Representative Sharon Nelson, who will run for Joe McDermott’s State Senate seat in the 34th.

Next to them Robison, and then State Senator Joe McDermott and Diana Toledo vying for the King County Council District 8.

Fitzgibbon has been Nelson’s assistant and serves as Chair on the Burien Planning Commission. Heavey volunteered for Constantine during his election, and now works with Drago. In the private sector, he worked for a firm fighting consumer fraud.

Toledo has 15 years experience working in King County with direct communication to City & County Council Members, County executives, unions, animal advocacy groups, concerned citizens, and youth advocates. She has written and enforced King County code relating to Animal Control and Licensing.

McDermott joined the Washington State Senate in 2007 after serving for seven years in the House of Representatives. He holds seats on the Senate Ways & Means, Early Learning & K-12 Education, Government Operations & Elections, and Financial Institutions, Housing, & Insurance Committees and serves as the Majority Assistant Floor Leader.

Regarding health care and cuts in social services, Fitzgibbon said, “Over the last two years we have had the greatest budget challenges ever. I think cuts in social services are too deep, and unconscionable. The state is saving in the short term by cutting money to balance budgets now, but if we cut programs aiding chemical dependants now this will cost all taxpaters more in five years. It’s short sided…”

Heavey agreed and added, “Human services is 43- percent of our (state) budget. If we cut services now, we will be looking at long term unintended consequences. We must take care of those most vulnerable in our society, children, low income, the mentally ill. We need to look at replacing revenue.”

Regarding annexation of unincorporated North Highline, Heavey responded, “The State has provided some (financial) incentives for either Burien or Seattle to incorporate North Highline. Personally, I feel Seattle would be better fit for the White Center neighborhood, but at the end of the day we want people to be happy where they live and that is why they will vote. I hear a lot of people who say they want to stay unincorporated.”

Heavey added that because small pockets of unincorporated areas siphon money from the King County general services fund they will not be able to sustain adequate law enforcement and infrastructure costs over time.

Said Fitzgibbon, "Both Seattle and Burien will be offered $5 million in incentives to incorporate North Highline. This may sound like a lot of money, but it is not enough for either city to afford to annex and provide better roads, law enforcement, and other services. The state has to step up."

Robison asked Toledo and McDermott about their concerns and solutions regarding sheriff deputy cutbacks in King County in light of the poor economy. The candidates went into debate mode.

Toledo responded, “The problem is we have a false debate about whether to raise taxes or cut deputies. The question should be, ‘Where do we eliminate waste?’ Where do we find pots of gold hidden around King County? (…) I receive calls from the Sheriff’s office and community members about hidden waste that can be cut. For 15 years I’ve seen areas of waste and that’s where you’ll find money for community services.”

McDermott responded strongly, “King County has already cut $140 million from its general budget over the last two years, so let’s not pretend there’s a bloated county government.”

McDermott said that when he worked in the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s office he was very encouraged by their drug court program where troubled youth graduate after one year and turn their lives around, and that this should be replicated here in King County.

Regarding public intoxication in White Center, McDermott said
He would fight to staff the sheriff storefront there, and to have deputies walking the sidewalks.

“This isn’t going to be solved just by putting more sheriffs and deputies out there,” countered Toledo. “We have active citizens in this community who really care and try to form groups to patrol the streets but can’t get the response they need from the County. If elected I will find ways we can train the County departments that are responsible to repond in a way that’s more responsible.”

She criticized the incumbent politicians for being slow to fund the new South Park Bridge before the old one was torn down, until the community got involved. She said politicians took all the credit, and this was typical of how problems get solved in King County.

At least two dozen audience members lined up to ask questions, including a young lady, Dana Robb, who asked McDermott and Toledo their position on the right to choose.

McDermott responded, “I support the woman’s right to choose her own reproductive health decisions (…) I am proud of being endorsed by NARAL and Planned Parenthood….”

Toledo responded, “This is one of those topics that is so divisive, and I’m trying to bring people together from different communities. (…) This is a very important question, a critical question, and a personal question. As the mother of three wonderful children I respect decisions people in the community make and try not to judge individuals...”

Robb, visibly frustrated, said later she felt Toledo did not answer her question and did not understand her response.

Late Correction: We previously reported that NARAL stood for "National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws." In fact it was originally named that until Roe v. Wade, then changed its name to "National Abortion Rights Action League," and then to "National Abortion & Reproductive Rights Action League," and in 2003 dropped the long form in favor of "NARAL Pro-Choice America."

Here is more information on its name changes and important dates: http://legacy-pcha.pub30.convio.net/about-us/learn-about-us/history.html