Category Archives: Regional

Sammamish Comment continues on limited basis

Posted on by
7

By Scott Hamilton

Sammamish Comment will continue publishing past Dec. 31, but on a limited basis.

In August 2016, I announced that my wife and I moved to Bainbridge Island after 20 years in Sammamish and that I would continue publishing Sammamish Comment through 2017, at which time I intended to discontinue the effort.

Not being a resident of Sammamish any longer meant I was somewhat removed from events. Although I obviously remained in contact with established relationships, and created some new ones, being absent on a day-to-day basis made it challenging for what was already an endeavor that is pursued in my free time.

My work schedule, at a time when I should be retiring, has gone the other direction. I’m busier than ever and traveling more.

But events emerged that I just can’t give up serving the City I’ve been serving in one way or another since 1997, when I filed my first land use appeal, prior to incorporation.

Continue reading →

Lambert wins only 52% of vote in Sammamish; Dhingra wins easily

Posted on by
Reply

King County Council District 3

King County Council Member Kathy Lambert was reelected to a fourth, four-year term on Nov. 7, snaring 57.21% of the vote across District 3, which stretches from Bellevue to Snoqualmie pass and from North Bend on the south to the Snohomish County line.

King County District 3

But in Sammamish, Lambert captured only 52.49% of the vote against John Murphy, a Democrat, from North Bend. Lambert is a Republican. The race is non-partisan, but parties lined up behind both candidates.

Lambert trailed all Sammamish City Council candidates and the winner in the Sammamish portion of the 45th Legislative District.

Lambert was unopposed four years ago.

Continue reading →

Sammamish November precinct voting analysis

Posted on by
Reply

The certified vote by precinct was released by King County Elections last week. Sammamish has 61 precincts and the November election was the first including the greater Klahanie area as part of Sammamish’s City Council elections.

Beginning tomorrow through Friday, Sammamish Comment published a race-by-race analysis of the precinct vote for City Council Positions 1, 3, 5 and 7; and King County Council District 3 with the 45th Legislative District State Senate race.

A preview:

Continue reading →

King County nears adoption of “unlawful,” “secret” tax

Posted on by
9
  • Fees on utilities will be passed on to consumers
  • Affects only those in unincorporated King County
  • Adds up to $300 per year to utility bills.
  • County Council, staff action done “below the radar.”
  • Final public hearing Dec. 7, followed by vote to adopt.
  • Kathy Lambert, Council representative including Sammamish, Issaquah, co-sponsored.

Kathy Lambert, co-sponsor of a bill labeled “unlawful” that would impose a new tax on unincorporated King County households. Photo via Google images.

The King County Council is poised to adopt an ordinance intended to “coerce” utility companies and water and sewer districts into franchise fees to use street rights-of-way in order to raise millions of dollars in fees for the County’s general fund.

The problem—and there are many—is that the ordinance and use of funds is unlawful under state statutes, says a coalition of water districts that issued a press release today.

Continue reading →

Valderrama cites fake facts in Town Center moratorium flip-flop

Posted on by
8

Ramiro Valderrama

Sammamish City Council Member Ramiro Valderrama, citing what turns out to be a series of unsubstantiated claims, executed a pirouette on his previous vote supporting a moratorium including the Town Center—and went splat.

The Town Center was exempted from the moratorium at the Nov. 21 meeting by a 4-3 vote, with Valderrama, Mayor Bob Keller and Council Members Don Gerend and Kathy Huckabay voting to lift it.

Valderrama said his vote always was about storm water management for the Town Center. In voting to exempt the Town Center, Valderrama claimed the emergency moratorium was not about traffic concurrency.

This simply wasn’t true.

Continue reading →