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Pierce County Charter news, Jinkins stays busy and more ...

A look at the last week in T-Town and Pierce County

Super Best of Tacoma "Best Activist" Justin Leighton

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County Charter up for Debate

Granted, I'm relatively new to Tacoma and where I grew up we didn't have counties, but before last week I didn't know what the Pierce County Charter was. I didn't know the details of why - all of a sudden - it may change.

So, I did a little research, chatted with Super Best of Tacoma "Best Activist" Justin Leighton, and now I have the facts.

Pierce County has what is referred to as "home rule," meaning our County Charter supersedes the rules of state law. Our home rule charter is essentially the County's constitution. Every 10 years citizens are elected to a committee that looks at the charter and recommends amendments. Between reviews the Pierce County Council can, by way of a two-thirds vote, directly send possible amendments to the voters of the County.

Over the past two weeks three possible amendments have been proposed: an amendment to make all County Council seats non-partisan; an amendment to make the County Executive position non-partisan; and an amendment to reduce the County Council from 7 to 5. If approved, all three would be on this November's ballot.

Debate has raged throughout the week about all three issues, with the final voting on all of them postponed until the second week of August.

Jinkins Stays Busy

Living up to her Super Best of Tacoma hype, Laurie Jinkins has kept her game face on post-session, this week filing a lawsuit with a group of fellow lawmakers seeking to challenge Tim Eyman's Initiative 1053 during next year's legislative session.

Eyman's initiative, passed by Washington Voters in 2010, requires a two-thirds majority vote in each house in order to raise taxes. Jinkins and her allies (which include the WEA, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Utter, and many "big names") contend that requiring the two-thirds requirement is in violation of the state constitution.

TV Tacoma Educates on Candidates

Pierce County primary ballots were mailed Friday and should be arriving at your dwelling by Monday or Tuesday. August still seems early to be voting, yet for the next two weeks voters will be narrowing many crowded fields down to two.

You should have received your voter guide last week, but how much can you truly know from a 250 word statement? If your answer to this question is "not enough," TV Tacoma has your fix.

TV Tacoma has recorded in-studio panel discussions with all of the candidates contending for races in Tacoma. City Council, School Board, Port of Tacoma, and Metro Parks candidates were all given equal time to present their stances on the issues. Check out all of the videos at here.

Don't forget to Party

This is not the week to be a homebody in Tacoma, as Ethnic Fest, which expects 60,000 attendees, will be rocking Saturday and Sunday at Wright Park. And this Tuesday is National Night Out, with neighborhood parties raging throughout the city. 

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