Lloyd Hara for King County Assessor

Yes, loyal reader, Lloyd’s List recently published Issue No. 59,907. Of course they had a 300 year head start on us. Edward Lloyd first offered his popular shipping journal in 1696 at Lloyd’s Coffee House, the famed maritime hangout where the Lloyd’s of London insurance syndicate was conceived.

The first issue of Port Notes hit the wire in 2006, after you elected me to Seattle and King County’s Port Commission. Welcome to our Issue No. 12 … and counting.

You probably know people who should be on Lloyd Hara’s list, and you can help them subscribe.  Just e-mail them this convenient link, by which they can click to join if they choose.

Subscribers receive our quarterly newsletter, chock full of news and perspective on developments at the Port.   You can also expect periodic campaign updates (and appeals for your support) as we look ahead to the Primary Election in August and the General Election in November.

Time flies, and our official filing deadline for reelection is just six weeks away.
Our January issue focused on the economy. Uncertainty persists, shocks continue, but we know a little more:

• Eastside rail corridor purchase is on indefinite hold.
• So is the SeaTac rental car facility. Stringing construction along with funds diverted from the operating budget would be too risky.
• March cargo container volume was down 25.2%, year-over-year … but that looks good next to February’s 36.8%. Leading carriers Maersk and CMA CGM confirmed plans to begin joint container service here in June.
• Not dead yet: the cruise business. We’re booked for 211 sailings this season — one more than in 2008!
• Not dead yet: Iceland. Building aggressively on Reykjavik’s unique location as an air travel hub, Icelandair grabbed slots vacated by SAS and will start SeaTac service in July.

The Commission is keeping a close eye on revenue and business trends, knowing that even more painful mid-year budget adjustments may be necessary.

Your Port Dollars at work. Even in hard times, the Port keeps chipping away on the freight mobility front:

• $17 million in funding toward a $50 million grade separation project on East Marginal Way. When trucks don’t have to cross tracks, passengers, cargo and air quality all benefit.
• $1.2 million toward another grade separation project in Kent.
• $500,000 to Seattle for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) improvements — monitoring traffic in real time and relaying information to drivers on the road. This will improve container flow in the Duwamish industrial area without new highway construction.
• Near SAFECO Field you’ll see SR-519 construction getting started.
• Work on SR-518 is near completion, improving access to Seatac airport.
  

The first cruise ship docked today at Smith Cove (you may remember it as T-91), opening the 2009 cruise season. This new terminal supports two cruise ship berths, and frees T-30 for cargo vessels.

In news you never thought you’d see, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) gives the Port a “Proggy” award in the Most Progressive Airport category. SeaTac employs a score of specialists to get inside the birds’ heads, figure out where the flocks are heading next, and use non-lethal means to avoid those potentially lethal bird/plane collisions.

In other animal-friendly news, the Port donates 1,600 bags of dog food — acquired as conveyor system test material — to area animal shelters and food banks.

Clean truck plan approved. We are moving to upgrade drayage haulers (short-haul truckers who shuttle cargo containers from dock to rail and back), on a schedule of clean air targets extending out to 80% emissions reduction by 2017. Roughly 400 diesel trucks could be affected.

The first phase will give terminal operators up to $7 million in rent concessions. They in turn will bar pre-1994 diesels from the premises. We provide funding to the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency to buy and scrap non-compliant trucks, and to offer the owners favorable terms on new or retrofitted vehicles.

Hard-pressed shippers get price breaks, truckers get upgrades, and the County gets cleaner air.

These older units tend to be run by marginal independent operators. Many of these happen to be East African immigrants who face limited alternatives. At my urging, the Port will institute an Office of Social Responsibility program to help them adjust.

And now, on to the business end of the business: As mentioned above, I am running for re-election, and I need your help.  To sustain our efforts for clean air and clean government … to continue the push for transparency, accountability, and a Port Commission that truly values public participation …  please contribute generously today.

How else can you help?

• Follow Commission proceedings on streaming video or on King County TV (channel 22).
• Encourage what’s left of the working press to cover the Port.
• See our list of endorsements. Let us know if you’re feeling left out.
• Follow developments and share your comments here in the “Latest” section of our campaign website, www.LloydHara.com.
• Tell your friends! Invite them over to have coffee … and write checks!
  

Again, it’s re-election time. Voters will fill three Commission slots this year … and challengers will size up fundraising results when they pick their spots during Filing Week (June 1-5).

You and I recognize that some would prefer a less newsworthy Commission — one where probing questions about “business as usual” are rarely raised in public session.

As one of our valued “white hat” contributors — for good government over special interests — please make your  contribution by check or online today.
(See instructions for both at www.lloydhara.com/contribute.)

Thanks again, and please share your feedback with me by e-mail, or better yet, share your comments with everybody in the comment section below.