Tag Archives: Tom Odell

Seatax fatigue may affect Sammamish tax need

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Sound Transit 3 would not have passed without an overwhelming Yes vote from Seattle. The tax hike still is reverberating. (Sammamish voted 52%-48% against this new tax.)

Dow Constantine, King County Executive headquartered in Seattle, proposes a $469m countywide tax for arts.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray proposed a $275m five-year city tax to combat homelessness. Then he dropped the idea and proposed instead a county-wide tax that would raise $335m over five years.

Seattle never met a tax it didn’t like. Despite the suburbs often rejecting new taxes, the overwhelming concentration of Yes votes in Seattle usually carriers the day.

It’s not Seattle anymore. It’s Seatax.

And Seatax fatigue may make it harder for Sammamish to raise taxes for new road projects or land preservation acquisition.

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This Gang of 4 deserves thanks

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Commentary

Four long-time civic leaders in Sammamish decided not to seek reelection the City Council. They deserve the thanks for their community service here, and in the case of one member, her service pre-dating Sammamish.

Don Gerend, Bob Keller, Kathy Huckabay and Tom Odell will go off the Council Dec. 31. Each has put in years of public service doing what they think is best and working toward a goal of a better Sammamish.

Certainly, many will disagree with many of their decisions, tactics and in some cases, demeanor. But everyone should understand that there was no nefarious agenda, only what they thought was best for the City.

To be sure, I have had my political and personal differences with each. I’ve supported, and wound up opposing, each as I disagreed with policies pursued and tactics undertaken.

But none of this diminishes the debt of gratitude owed to public servants whose only thanks, all too often, is complaint and criticism.

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Power shift now certain at Sammamish City Council

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Analysis

With Saturday’s declaration by Sammamish City Council Member Tom Odell that he will not seek reelection in November, this assures a major power shift is coming.

Three other incumbents previously said they aren’t running again. They are Mayor Don Gerend, Deputy Mayor Bob Keller and Member Kathy Huckabay.

Figure 1.

Five candidates already announced candidacies to run this fall (Figure 1). At the moment, one—John Robinson—hasn’t identified which seat he will seat, but with Odell dropping out, no candidate is identified with Odell’s Position 7. Robinson is likely to go for this open seat.

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Odell won’t seek a third term

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Tom Odell

Sammamish City Council Member Tom Odell won’t seek a third term this fall, he announced Saturday.

In an email Odell sent to The Issaquah/Sammamish Reporter and to Sammamish Comment, Odell prefaced his announcement with, “Despite the fact this is April 1st this is for real and is not an April Fools item.”

Odell, who holds Position 7, is the fourth Council Member to announce a decision to end their current term this year. Previously, May Don Gerend, Deputy Mayor Bob Keller and Member Kathy Huckabay announced decisions not to run again.

Gerend has been on the Council since 1999. Huckabay, like Gerend, was an original Council member but took a two-year hiatus. Keller is in his first term.

Except for Keller, who is in his 60s, all are in their 70s.

This means the next City Council will be decidedly younger and closer to the demographics of Sammamish.

Odell’s statement is below.

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It’s official: Indapure files for Sammamish City Council

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The fourth, unofficial candidate for Sammamish City Council, Ritjua Indapure, filed today with the state Public Disclosure Commission for Position 5.

The seat is held by retiring Mayor Don Gerend.

The line up now is:

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