Washblog

King County Executive Ron Sims has endorsed incumbent Port of Seattle Commissioner Bob Edwards -- who will now face Gael Tarleton in November.  Edwards has been at the Port through some really bad decisions.  I've heard he's a recipient of funds from -- and otherwise a friend of -- SSA (Stevedoring Services of America) -- one of the main businesses and powers that be at the Port. I don't know that to be the case; I've simply read it.  SSA is anti-labor and is in the Rogues Gallery of War Profiteers.  I've written about commissioner Pat Davis and SSA here:

Pat Davis, Port of Seattle, and Stevedoring Services of America.

This recent PI article on Edwards, Will record help or hurt Edwards' bid for new term on port commission?, characterizes Edwards as Pat Davis' "closest voting partner".  That makes him suspect to me.  Pat Davis, a Democrat, ran for Port as a reformer and has been anything but a reformer.  

I haven't looked into any of the specifics of Edwards' record.  He's been on the Port for 8 years, compared with Davis' 22.  He can't be blamed for the long sad history of the port placing private interests over public.   But it certainly would be worthwhile to look at his 8-year record.   Gael Tarleton is widely ballyhooed by herself and others as a progressive -- solely on the basis of her own say-so and charisma, as far as I can see.  But she accepted large amounts of campaign donations from a major war profiteering company with millions of business at the port.  I wrote about that here.  Before I vote for either Edwards or write in a vote (I probably won't be voting for Tarleton) I'll want to look at Edwards' record more closely.

The PI article linked to above gives some legitimate reasons for why Ron Sims might endorse Edwards:

Edwards has helped push through regionally important transportation projects along state Route 509 and Interstate 405 -- while holding a full-time job as a financial adviser.

Many of the local political leaders with whom he's worked, from King County Executive Ron Sims to SeaTac Mayor Gene Fisher, have endorsed Edwards, commending him for his easygoing nature and openness to the views of others.

"He was open to new ideas and able to work on a bipartisan basis on some important issues," said King County Council Chairman Larry Gossett, speaking of Edwards' time on the Puget Sound Regional Council and Regional Policy Committee.

Edwards recently was responsible for making it possible to save the affordable-housing Lora Lakes units in Burien:

Sims praises Commissioner Edwards for action to save Lora Lake apartments.  He got in a lot of trouble with fellow Port commissioner John Creighton for this move: Super Fucking Angry Email.