New redistricting map draws ire

Paper: King County Journal (Bellevue, WA)

Date: May 2, 2006

Journal Reporter

The final touches have been put on a new map of nine King County Council districts, leaving two council members out in the cold and others angry.

A five-member Districting Committee made up of two Republicans, two Democrats and an independent chairman must by law adopt the new map today. Its decision is final.

Left without a district are Republican David Irons of Sammamish and Democrat Bob Ferguson of Seattle, both of whom supported the charter amendment voters approved in November to reduce the council's size from 13 to nine members.

Voters also decided to make the change in about six weeks, rather than the more usual six months. Committee members worked through the holidays and the public had precious little time to study the final options.

The bloodletting could have been worse if Democrat Dwight Pelz hadn't decided to run for the Seattle City Council and Bellevue Republican Rob McKenna hadn't been elected the state's new attorney general.

But there's also a potentially formidable challenger on the Eastside, one with great name recognition -- both first and last. Republican Reagan Dunn, the son of former U.S. Rep. Jennifer Dunn, wants to replace McKenna on the council until the new council elections this fall.

Beyond that, Dunn will decide later what's in store for his political future, said his friend and spokesman, Bellevue attorney Charlie Klinge. Dunn has resigned as a federal terrorism prosecutor, but until it's effective, he can't speak out politically.

In the new map, he's in the council's 9th District, now represented by Steve Hammond of Enumclaw.

The charter amendment was approved overwhelmingly, on the promise of saving money by eliminating the salaries of four council members and their staffs. But the flip side is that the remaining council members, especially those in rural areas, have more territory and thousands more constituents to tend to.

The results have left some rural Republicans aghast. Kathy Lambert of Redmond would like some extra help to better serve her much larger district. But she said her requests have fallen on deaf ears.

She opposed reducing the council's size, but she kept a low profile on the matter.

Hammond called the final map "ridiculous.'' Earlier maps did a better job giving rural areas -- the ones that turn to the county as their sole government -- one more representative.

He said the needs of constituents have played "second fiddle'' to ongoing power struggles over which political party will control the council.

As long as Democrats -- most of whom represent Seattle -- hold the council majority, "we get the crumbs,'' he said.

All along, the council's chair, Larry Phillips of Seattle, spoke out against the charter amendment, warning that the millions of dollars in savings would reduce rural representation.

He thinks the real reason for the charter amendment has been unmasked. What the late Kent Pullen, a staunch and early supporter of a smaller council, really had in mind was returning council control to the Republicans, he said.

"It's purely politics,'' he said.

The current map currently gives Democrats four solid districts and Republicans four solid districts. The remaining district -- District 5 -- roughly corresponds to Democrat Julia Patterson's current district, but potentially could go either Republican or Democratic.

But Phillips is not ready to cast constituents adrift.

"That doesn't mean we won't address legitimate delivery of services and constituent services,'' he said. His primary focus, he said, "is how to get services out the door.''

Irons blasts both Democrats and fellow Republicans for the final lines on the district map. He's keeping open his options, which could include a move, perhaps into Jane Hague's new 6th District. His family will have a lot to say in any move, he said.

Irons believes he was targeted for supporting the amendment.

"I proposed this at a severe risk to myself,'' he said. "This was supposed to be a fair and open process.''

Still, he said he's in control of his future. "I am in a very unique position,'' he said. "I get to decide where I land.''

All nine council districts are up for election this fall. Those members in even-numbered districts will serve two-year terms initially and those in odd-numbered districts will serve four-year terms.

The committee has made technical changes to the draft map it adopted Jan. 8 that reflected public testimony, according to the committee's chairman, Steve Ohlenkamp.

The minority makeup of District 2, a Seattle district, was increased from 40 percent to 43 percent. A portion of Redmond was moved into District 3 and the northern boundary of District 9 was moved closer to Interstate 90. The Fairwood area was moved from District 5 into District 9.

The new lineup

A map of new King County Council districts created by a Districting Committee sets up two races this fall potentially pitting sitting council members against each other. Two Democrats -- Carolyn Edmonds and Bob Ferguson -- could square off for District 1, and two Republicans -- Kathy Lambert and David Irons -- could square off in District 3. Ferguson and Irons basically lost their districts when the number of districts was reduced from 13 to nine.

The new districts, the council member and their current district:

* District 1: (North Seattle, north King County), Democrat Carolyn Edmonds (District 1)

* District 2: (Seattle), Democrat Larry Gossett (District 10)

* District 3: (Mostly rural, with Eastside cities) Republican Kathy Lambert (District 3)

* District 4: (Seattle) Democrat Larry Phillips (District 4)

* District 5: (Mostly south county suburban cities) Democrat Julia Patterson (District 13)

* District 6: (Mostly Eastside cities) Republican Jane Hague (District 11)

* District 7: (Mostly south county cities and some rural) Republican Pete von Reichbauer (District 7)

* District 8: (Seattle, rural Vashon Island, some suburban) Democrat Dow Constantine (District 8)

* District 9: (Mostly rural, with rural and suburban cities) Republican Steve Hammond (District 9)

Committee meeting

The Districting Committee will adopt a final King County Council district map at 10 a.m. today in the County Council chambers, 10th floor, county courthouse, 516 Third Ave., Seattle.

Dean Radford covers King County. He can be reached at dean.radford@kingcountyjournal.com or 253-872-6719.

PRACTICAL POLITICS ELECTIONS

Author: Dean A. Radford