Unsolicited Advice for Christian Sinderman

Christian Sinderman photographed by Benjamin Benschneider of the Seattle Times.

Christian Sinderman, because you have a cat and a Sonics lunch box (between the cat and the computer screen) I will give you free advice.

The people that need to know who you are likely already do.
The people that read this may form a bias against the things you do, now that they can put a name to your efforts.
Plenty of people hate Tim Eyemann, don't become Tim Eyemann by becoming the object of opposition that detracts from your product.

His next big break came when the Washington State Council of City and County Employees hired him to stop Eyman's 2001 tax-cutting initiative, I-747. Sinderman didn't succeed. He did uncover something big, though.

While poring over Eyman's financial disclosures he noticed large transfers of campaign money to another account run by Eyman and his wife. While he couldn't prove it, Sinderman's gut told him Eyman — who billed himself as a populist watch salesman — was profiting handsomely from campaign contributions.

Sinderman peddled the story to reporters who questioned Eyman's finances. Tearfully, Eyman admitted he had diverted more than $200,000 in campaign funds for personal use — and had lied in denying it.

Sinderman struck gold. The union put him on retainer, and he's remained under contract ever since. He ran a successful campaign last year against Eyman's Initiative 1033.

Republican consultant Alex Hays points out the irony: "No one has made more money on Tim Eyman than Christian Sinderman."

Sinderman says he's learned a lot from Eyman about campaign discipline and staying on message.

Eyman returns the compliment. "He always went for the jugular. That's an admirable quality . . . In the midst of a pitched battle you've got to grab them by the balls and squeeze as hard as you can."
Matchmaker Christian Sinderman gets voters to like what he likes

He is Washington state's hottest political consultant, a little-known figure with a big hand in molding policy — even changing the way we live and die.
By Bob Young, Seattle Times

You are welcome.

Partner with the new Public Facilities District on our enclosed space | Seattle Center Foundation

The Seattle Center is looking for good ideas. The effort is connected to the 50th anniversary of the World's Fair.

Please check out "the Buzz" and maybe subscribe (HERE) if you had any heartburn over the Space Needle glass gift shop. Don't be surprised two years from now because you were not paying attention from the word go.

This will be an interesting effort for the Seattle Center. It is a community asset in transition. What is a little strange is that the effort looks like a second run at the Seattle Center Master Plan that the city council accepted over a year ago. Soliciting more ideas now looks like it would compete with that unfunded plan.

You can also submit your ideas, below is a direct link to my suggestion (vote for mine, thanks). From there you can click around to sign up to submit your own on the "Brainstorm Wall".

Partner with the new Public Facilities District on our enclosed space
APRIL 23, 2010 | BRAINSTORM, COMMERCE & INNOVATION
This past legislative session passed into law SB 6889, the creation of a new Public Facilities District. The State of Washington, King County, and the City of Seattle will appoint a board for the new PFD. That PFD will have resources/funding, and already has shown an ability to get the most out of the Washington State Convention Center.
I think that a limited partnership with the new PFD could leverage their skills with the Seattle Center enclosed spaces to manage a limited number of dates for smaller conventions or medium sized corporate gatherings. In exchange those enclosed spaces could get minor renovations funded by part of the city’s sales tax credit on hotels that is being transferred to the new PFD.
Get the most out of all of the enclosed spaces on the site, and limit the number of enclosed spaces. Getting the most out of what we have could help keep the open spaces open.

Click the link http://seattlecenter.org/2010/04/partner-with-the-new-public-facilities-district-on-our-enclosed-space/ and vote, and share on Facebook.

Have a great day,
Mike Baker

Sent from my iPhone
Visit me here:
http://ManyWordsForRain.blogspot.com

Seattle Center: Be Part of The Next Fifty!

What will they celebrate, urban blight? The result of neglect, ignorance, coupled with elitest ideas of greed, sponging off the public for dead art forms?
And cotton candy.

Part of the email text below:

welcome to the next fifty
For six months during 2012, Seattle will explore, debate, display and define a global vision. Engaging leading innovators from around the world and within our community, our focus will be on the examination of the seven core areas where Seattle has demonstrated leadership:
2012 is the Fair's 50th Anniversary--a hallmark that calls for both celebration and contemplation. And a collective of passionate citizens are collaborating to, once again, bring together the global community as we pause to define our future.

For six months during 2012, Seattle will explore, debate, display and define a global vision. Engaging leading innovators from around the world and within our community, our focus will be on the examination of the seven core areas where Seattle has demonstrated leadership:

your ideas will be the foundation for this celebration
Your participation will help create this extraordinary celebration and the vision for our future. Go to www.thenextfifty.org and share your ideas, your observations, your dreams and your creativity. Your passionate support will enable us to use the learnings from the last fifty years and determine what will happen in THE NEXT FIFTY.

Poll Question Photo: Is Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Wearing Pants?

Vote at the top of the page!

(photo credit,Publicola.net)

[Editor's note: it has come to my attention that Mayor Mike McSandbag (see above) does appear that he looks to see "if there are other less viable options out there?" (thanks Myk). I go further to say that he is repulsed by the horseless carrage, desires bicycles and trains, he may, indeed be a dandy, what I will call a neo-dandy. I have no proof positive, though I do not know for sure that he was actually wearing breeches (fancy pants, see below). So, for this poll I will be unable to include breeches because votes have already been taken. So, select the best possible answer, or, second best after breeches.]

(photo from Wikipedia)

Just askin'
***
The poll was open for one week, closed on 4/23/2010.
Here are the results of the "Is Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Wearing Pants?" poll conducted by ManyWordsForRain Communication Consultant, me. I will not charge you $5 to see the results (you are welcome).

Is Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn Wearing Pants?

Yes, bicycling type
  1 (7%)
 
Yes, bell bottoms
  0 (0%)
No Pants or Tie
  3 (23%)
 
No, and I don't want to think about it
  9 (69%)

Analisys: There was one (1) yes. I have to assume that if the mayor was not wearing pants that a reporter would have noted that fact. So, those responding "No" may be projecting a negative a false state, reflective of their opinion of the mayor.

I intend to conduct the same poll quarterly to see if there is a trend.

State Senate Drops Sales Tax from Legislation

As reported in the Seattle Times the State Senate has dropped the 1% sales tax from their budget. The Capital Record blog has done a good job of pulling different reports together, here:

Update 1: The House Democratic Caucus blog suggests that if everyone can agree on this package, special session could be wrapped up by this weekend.

Update 2: Here’s Rachel La Corte’s updated story. It indicates there could be agreement tonight.

Those updates have links, you can click them at The Capital Record, their blogger, Niki Reading, deserves the clicks.

It is the first blog that I get a feed from on the righhand side of my blog page.

Convention Center Public Facilities District bill passed the Legislature

While we were all acting as the April Fools the Washington State Senate snuck in and passed a couple bills, one of which was SB 6889.

This moves on to the governor to sign.

A new Public Facilities District will appoint nine members for the new board.
The control of the Seattle 7% lodging tax (5+2% tax credit), and the King County 2.8% lodging tax authority shifts to the new PFD no later than June 2011.