Campaign fundraising kicks off
City Council campaign season is underway, with many candidates hosting fundraising kick-offs and brightly colored signs going up around Island neighborhoods.
Some candidates haven’t started raising money yet, though all have filed with the Public Disclosure Commission (PDC). Check the PDC website for updated fundraising numbers.
As of press time, Tom Acker was leading all candidates with $10,295 in donations.
Bruce Bassett, incumbent mayor and Acker’s opponent for Position No. 5, has brought in $7,869.91 so far, with donations from Reps. Judy Clibborn and Tana Senn and Deputy King County Executive Fred Jarrett, among others.
Senn and Jarrett also gave to the campaign of Debbie Bertlin for Position No. 7. She has raised about $4,600, with opponents Traci Granbois following with $1,900 and Darren Gold with $0.
Jane Brahm has yet to raise money in her race to maintain Position No. 1 against challenger Dave Wisenteiner, who has brought in $100.
Jeff Sanderson, running for Position No. 4, logged $5,000 with the PDC, though it appears to be a personal donation.
Salim Nice and Wendy Weiker are in a tight race for Position No. 3, raising $1,320 and $687.42 respectively.
In the race for a seat on the King County Council, incumbent Jane Hague has raised $228,184.86 so far — the second highest amount raised so far for political races statewide. David Condon, running for Mayor of the City of Spokane has raised the most. Claudia Balducci, current Mayor of Bellevue, has raised $84,936.72 in her run against Hague for King County Council.
When may single-occupant vehicles use I-90 HOV lanes?
The city recently received a number of questions about when Islanders driving alone can legally use the HOV lanes on I-90.
The protocol used by the Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) is to enforce lane restrictions based on the following information from WSDOT, which considers the I-90 express lanes to extend from 5th Avenue in downtown Seattle to I-405 in Bellevue.
Single-occupant-vehicles (SOV) may use the express lanes between Island Crest Way on Mercer Island and Rainier Avenue in Seattle.
East of Island Crest Way (and west of Rainier Avenue in Seattle), the express lanes are open to high-occupant-vehicle (HOV) traffic ONLY.
The I-90 express lanes have ramps and exits specifically designated for HOV traffic.
Signage on the I-90 express lanes and the I-90 mainline displays this information and informs the motoring public of the restrictions. The information and an I-90 map are available on the WSDOT website.
City needs five investors for solar
Based on the significant interest generated by the city’s 2014 residential rooftop solar installation program, the city has developed another clean energy project that would lower the Island’s carbon footprint and offer a way for even more residents to support clean, renewable energy.
A 75-kilowatt solar array proposed for the roof of City Hall needs five more investors to become viable.
“Community Solar” projects provide a way for residents to support solar, even if they don’t have a suitable location on their own property.
By contributing funds to install the project, each participant becomes an owner-investor, and receives generous solar production payments from Washington State, while the City would buy the power at market rates. After five years, investors are expected to sell or donate the array to the City, which would operate it for the remaining 20-25 years of its useful lifespan. The array could provide up to 20 percent of City Hall’s annual power needs.
Investors don’t need to live on Mercer Island, but must be a Washington State customer of PSE. Visit www.mercergov.org/solarpower for more information.
