Rene Murry of Greenwood recently announced she is running for the 46th District House of Representatives. She is running for the seat currently held by David Frockt, who was selected by the 46th District Democrats to fill the State Senate seat previously held by the late Scott White. (The second 46th District House seat is currently held by Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney.)

The 46th District Democrats will hold a special caucus to fill the House position, most likely on Dec. 1.

Murry sent a letter to friends and neighbors last week announcing her decision. She is a co-organizer of GAIN (Greenwood Aurora Involved Neighbors), and a longtime precinct committee chair and political volunteer.

Here’s a portion of her letter:

My reason for running: CHILDREN

What’s happening in Olympia is not good enough – not for our public education, not for higher education, not for our social services and not for our health care. I have spent my life trying to hang on to the children most in need – and whether it be in times of strong economies or severe recession, times where the Democrats or Republicans were in charge, it has not mattered: the results have been woefully the same.

We have not kept the faith with the kids looking up to us for an education that will allow them to compete, have every chance for happiness, and become productive citizens. Our children’s education is not going to wait for the recession to end. The fourth grade or the eighth grade or the freshman year in college onlyhappen once in the life of our kids.

What’s happening to our own UW is a travesty. Have we not always believed education was the best equalizer – in fact, I believe I heard Scott White say that it was the only equalizer. The astronomical student tuition increases, the growing number of kids not being let in … what’s happening here?

Finally, dropping kids from the state’s basic health plan? No way! The choices we are making – or not making today – will cost us more in social problems and the quality of life we are building.

…

What makes me a good choice for you?

I’m a social worker, a mom to two daughters who share our values (no small effort), and a wife to a great UW medical researcher. I started my career in Children’s Welfare as a Children’s Protective Services worker in rural North Carolina. My history in Seattle began more than 20 years ago when I worked in therapeutic foster care at the YMCA Family Services and Mental Health Program. I have worked with the Children’s Alliance, the Foster Parent Association, the Washington State Association of Family Based Treatment and most recently the Children’s Welfare Advocacy Coalition.

One of the efforts of which I am most proud is being a co-organizer of GAIN – the Greenwood Aurora Involved Neighbors – a grassroots group of volunteers like me who developed a 70 square block network for crime prevention and neighborhood connections. We are making a difference through our very timely Yahoo website, quarterly meetings on issues of area concerns and by connecting with city officials and law enforcement around community needs. Crime in our network is down and connections between neighbors are up.

The Aug. 16 primary and special election is quickly approaching. Remember to have your ballots stamped and postmarked, or dropped in a ballot drop box on or before Tuesday, Aug. 16.

The closest local ballot drop box location is the Ballard Branch Library at 57th Street and 22nd Avenue NW. Ballots taken to drop boxes must be deposited by 8 p.m. on Aug. 16. If that’s not convenient for you, see this map for a complete list of King County drop box locations.

For candidate statements, see the King County Elections Local Voters’ Pamphlet. And if you can’t make your mind up from reading those, let someone else help. Here are some sources for candidate ratings and endorsements:

• Municipal League of King County
• Seattle Times
• The Stranger
• 36th District Democrats
• 46th District Democrats

Know of any other endorsement sources published online? Please share them in comments, or send us a link at tips@phinneywood.com.

The Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce is joining with several other groups to host the 2011 Picnic in the Park Candidate Forum next Wednesday at Gas Works Park in Wallingford.

Titled “Politics Not As Usual,” the event is sort of like speed dating for candidates. It is hosted by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce, and co-hosted by the Greenwood-Phinney, Green Lake and Wallingford chambers, along with the North Seattle Industrial Association and the Aurora Merchants Association.

City Council candidates will be there to talk to citizens about any issue they want. The final list of participants is not yet ready. The City Council positions that are up for election in 2011 are Positions 1 (currently held by (Jean Godden); 3 (currently Bruce A. Harrell); 5 (currently Tom Rasmussen); 7 (currently Tim Burgess); and 9 (currently Sally J.Clark).

Candidates will have less than 1 minute to introduce themselves and answer a very North-end question (as yet to be determined) then we will split into small discussion groups, where candidates have an opportunity to chat face-to-face. You are free to move around the Gasworks Park Picnic area and talk with all the candidates to better learn their positions to make an informed vote.

The event is from 12-1:30 p.m. in the park’s picnic area, 2101 N. Northlake Way. Cost to attend is $25 and includes lunch from Cameron Catering. Click here to register.

The three lawmakers in the 36^th Legislative District – which includes parts of Phinney and Greenwood – are hosting a town hall forum at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, at the Greenwood Senior Center, 525 N. 85^th St.

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson and Rep. Reuven Carlyle will talk about the recently concluded 2011 Legislative Session, which included dramatic budget cuts, and what lies ahead for the state.

When the state legislature convenes in January, lawmakers will need plenty of help. Rep. Reuven Carlyle is encouraging local teens to apply to become a House page for one week, which will give them an inside look at government.

Pages do a variety of tasks, including passing out copies of amendments, presenting ceremonial flags, and delivering notes to lawmakers on the House floor.

Carlyle himself got his start in state government by serving in the state House’s page program. He also served as a page in Congress for former Washington Senators Warren Magnuson and Henry Jackson.

“It’s a great honor to have outstanding youth from around the state come to Olympia and get involved,” said Carlyle, D-Seattle. “Walking on the floor as the House debates important issues, like education funding and graduation requirements, is an experience pages won’t forget. These youth will become our next generation of leaders and lawmakers.”

Students must be between 14 and 16, and have permission from a parent or guardian, as well as permission from their school. Pages are paid $35 per day. Housing and transportation are the page’s responsibility, but the House will provide a list of private housing options in Olympia.

Interested students should contact Rep. Reuven Carlyle’s office for more information: (206) 216-3184 or reuven.carlyle@leg.wa.gov. The 2011 legislative session runs Jan. 10 through April 24.

Bill Gates Sr., one of the primary sponsors of Initiative 1098 – the state income tax on high-income residents – will speak at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave. N.

The Protect Washington coalition says it expects more than 100 volunteers to listen to Gates Sr.’s speech, before fanning out across the neighborhood to talk about all the initiatives before next week’s election. The public is welcome to attend the speech.

By the way, Gates Sr. filmed one of the initiative’s TV ads – the one with the dunk tank – at the Phinney Neighborhood Center.

(Disclosure: PhinneyWood does not endorse any political campaign or candidate.)

Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson and Rep. Reuven Carlyle are hosting a town hall meeting on April 19 to talk about the 2010 Legislative Session and beyond.

For the past two legislative sessions, the state has faced fiscal challenges not seen since the Great Depression,” Kohl-Welles said. “We will be sharing with constituents how the Legislature addressed these challenges in passing the operating budget with a combination of budget cuts, new revenue and closing of tax loopholes, federal stimulus funds and using some of the reserves.

The town hall is at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 19th at the Q Café, 3223 15th Ave. W., in the Interbay neighborhood, just south of the Ballard Bridge and by the Quest Church. Parking is available, or use Metro routes 15, 18 and 81.

Update: The House passed the bill Thursday night. It now goes to the governor to sign. You can read the entire bill here (.pdf). Phinney Neighborhood Association Executive Director Lee Harper tells me the bill will save the PNA about $30,000 a year.

Earlier: The Washington State Senate has approved a bill, co-sponsored by 36th District senator Jeanne Kohls-Wells (D-Seattle), that would give some tax relief to centers that operate out of former school facilities, like the Phinney Neighborhood Association and Crown Hill Small Faces Child Care Center.

According to a release sent out by the Washington State Democrats, “Senate Bill 6855 provides a property tax exemption to neighborhood community centers that are housed in a building that was determined to be no longer needed by school districts and now owned by nonprofit organizations and used to deliver coordinated services for community members. The measure also applies the leasehold excise tax to the rental property within these community centers, making the measure revenue positive.”

“Our focus this session has been on plugging our budget hole in a way that least harms our communities and our families. This measure helps organizations, such as Crown Hill Small Faces Child Care Center and Phinney Neighborhood Center, providing vital services and relief to our neighbors with only positive results to the state’s coffers,” said Sen. Kohl-Welles. The bill is currently being discussed by the House Finance Committee.

Both 36th District Representatives Mary Lou Dickerson (D-Seattle) and Reuven Carlyle (D-Seattle) have seen success for bills that they’re sponsoring during this legislative session.

Rep. Dickerson has been working to ban the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles, sippy cups and other food and beverage containers used by children under the age of three and on Wednesday, that ban moved one step closer. The House voted 96-1 on Wednesday to approve SB 6248 with an amendment that adds the ban of BPA on sports water bottles, which pregnant women use. “This is a huge victory for children’s health and for parents. Dangerous chemicals like BPA have no place in baby bottles, sippy cups or any product children put in their mouths,” said State Rep. Dickerson, the prime sponsor of the house version of the legislation. “Parents can soon go to the store with confidence and buy a bottle for their baby that won’t contain BPA.”

Rep. Carlyle has been advocating for tougher laws for drivers using cell phones. On Wednesday, the House passed a bill which would make it a primary offense to text and drive. It also prohibits teenagers from using a cell phone when behind the wheel. “I’m disappointed we had to accept a Republican amendment to take out the provision making speaking without a headset a primary offense. We just did not have the votes to push it through without any of their votes. Still, I’m pleased that we moved forward,” Rep. Carlyle wrote on his blog.

Both bills must pass the Senate with the same wording the House passed before moving to Governor Gregoire’s desk.

Don’t forget that today is Election Day, so all ballots must be postmarked by today. King County has removed all but two drop-off ballot boxes that many people relied on in the past, since the drop boxes accepted ballots until 8 p.m.

So if you haven’t mailed you ballot yet, get to the post office before they close tonight.

Next Tuesday, Feb. 9, when ballots are due for the special election, don’t head down to the Ballard Neighborhood Service Center (5604 22nd Ave NW) to drop off your ballot like in the past (shown below). There will be no drop box.

Because of the tight budget, drop boxes in all but two locations have been eliminated. “King County had to make some hard choices to balance the 2010 operating budget,” King County Elections Director Sherril Huff said. “This included cuts to all departments in services that citizens want and depend on. As a cost savings measure, Elections was asked to reduce the number of ballot drop boxes as well as the operational hours of accessible voting centers.”

If you want to drop your ballot off in person, you’ll need to go to the King County Administration Office at 500 4th Ave (shown above) or the King County Elections headquarters at 9010 East Marginal Way S, Tukwila. King County also has three accessible voting locations, one at Union Station (401 S. Jackson St) which will be open Monday, Feb. 8: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 9: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.

A first class stamp will allow you to mail your ballot in, but don’t forget to have it postmarked by Feb. 9 to count. (Here’s the voters’ guide in case you’ve misplaced yours .pdf)

36th District Representative Mary Lou Dickerson (D) is the primary sponsor of a bill which calls to ban the hormone-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from bottles, cups and other containers that young children drink from. It also calls for a ban of BPA from sports bottles, which pregnant women use. (Bill text here. pdf)

The state house vote was nearly-unanimous yesterday to ban the chemical, moving the bill on to the State Senate. “I’m proud we united 95 to 1 to protect babies and young children from BPA-laced food containers,” said Dickerson (D-Seattle). “The strong support for this bill reflects the overwhelming evidence that kids need to be protected against this very toxic substance.” Representative Bruce Chandler (R-Granger) was the lone nay in the House. Two representatives were excused from the vote.

After the first reading in the State Senate today, the bill has been referred to Health & Long-Term Care. If this bill passes, Washington state will be the third state to ban BPA, following Minnesota and Connecticut.