King County Executive Dow Constantine held a fundraiser (he explained that he needs to hold one about once a month to cover the cost of campaigning even though it's not until 2013) and an Earth Day Celebration at the new Harbor Properties building, the LINK Apartments at 4550 38th Avenue s.w.

Constantine said, "Every week I make a few phone calls and I have some little event and bit by bit over the course of months and years you raise enough money to be able to get the word out when election season comes around." He acknowledged that at the moment there are no obvious contenders for his job but "You always have to run as if you're going to have a formidable opponent. That's the only way you can be successful at this and I've always done that.(...) It forces you to think about the public perception of your actions and make sure that you're touching base with the people who elected you and that you're still doing what they wanted you to do."

His political aspirations at this time are being met by his current job he said. "I enjoy the opportunity to serve the public and I have a huge job right now. Once I've accomplished the agenda I set out to accomplish I might think about running for higher office. There's really only Governor or U.S. Senator that are higher officers than being the Executive of the nation's 14th largest county. So I'll take up that issue when it's time."

Even if he doesn't choose to run for higher office he prefers to be in public service somehow. "Teaching, or going back to my old profession of lawyering and helping folks who are really deserving of help. I just feel really fortunate to be, even though we have these budget shortfalls, the executive of such a big dynamic, progressive place."

"I had a law professor named Neil Peck, he was one the last old time law professors (...) and one of his catch phrases was 'Lawyers are problem solvers, you are getting the skills here to solve problems.' So in this job I think of myself as a problem solver. The problems are big but it's fun to be able to take them on and use what I've learned so far to find a solution that the folks who elected me would want. I find that the most satisfying. Not the receptions, and certainly not the fundraising, not the day to day but the ability to take on a big problem like the South Park Bridge, the Maury Island gravel pit, the budget defecit, reforming the county to make it more efficient and to think about 'How do I want this to come out...what do my parents, my neighbors, and the folks who elected me, how would they want this to go, and then working with really competent people to come up with a solution to make it happen, that's tremendously satisfying. We've been very successful so far because I think we've been doing what people want. Whatever the future holds we'll see."

Catering provided by Chaco Canyon, Washington's first certified organic, vegetarian café, with a new location in the building .