That tree, which some refer to as a “holiday tree,” was the center of a controversy several years ago by some critics who wanted it removed along with other holiday displays.
Officials from the former Department of General Administration went through an agonizing process to make the rules the same for everyone who wanted to throw up a display. Thank goodness the Christmas tree tradition survived that brouhaha.
The Association of Washington Business has used the tree-lighting ceremony, which took place a week ago, as a means of raising money for Christmas gifts for poor children in rural areas of the state.
At the time of the lighting ceremony – and donations are still coming in – more than $21,000 had been raised through the generosity of more than 125 business employers and their family members.
Called the Holiday Kids’ Tree Project, the AWB donated 5,000 new LED lights for this year’s 24-foot noble fir, which was donated by Port Blakely Tree Farms. Over the years, the AWB event has raised $320,000 which was passed on to rural fire departments to purchase gifts for needy children. “AWB has sponsored the Capitol’s Christmas tree since 1989 and it is one of the best things we do each year,” said AWB President Don Brunell. We agree and are very pleased to see this worthwhile holiday tradition continue.
Thumbs down: It seems as though Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, has already given up any hope of balancing the state budget by Christmas.
That’s too bad. It was Gov. Chris Gregoire’s hope when she summoned legislators to Olympia for a 30-day special session on Nov. 28, that lawmakers would get to work and fill the $2 billion budget gap by year’s end. With the budget decisions behind them, that would allow lawmakers to concentrate on important policy issues when they return to Olympia for the regular session in January.
But Murray, chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, says the special session budget work – with daily meetings – will simply allow legislators to adopt a spending plan earlier in the regular session. Gregoire is critical of the delay. “Every day they fail to act, it becomes a bigger problem,” Gregoire said.
The governor is right. Every day of delay means the budget cuts will be deeper because there will be fewer days to achieve the dollar savings.
The public is growing weary of special legislative sessions without concrete results.
Thumbs up: There is no greater iconic image in South Sound than the magnificent dome of the Legislative Building. It says, “capital city” to all those motorists moving up and down Interstate 5.
But South Sound residents have noticed that the dome isn’t looking so wonderful lately. The accumulation of dirt and moss, especially on the north side of the dome, is very noticeable.
The dome always looks so terrific after a good cleaning, but those cleanings have come less often as lawmakers have struggled to find dollars for the capital budget – the money set aside for new construction and repairs.
The last time the sandstone structure and the other historic buildings on the Capitol Campus were cleaned, in 2004, it cost the state $5 million, including $2 million for the Capitol.
Typically, the state Capitol is scrubbed clean every five years. But the 2009 maintenance was put on hold to save the state money.
Now, with leaks detected in the building, it’s possible that postponing cleaning of the domed building due to state budget cuts has made the building more prone to leaks of rainwater, said Jim Erskine, a spokesman for the state Department of Enterprise Services. The Legislature set aside nearly $1 million in the 2011-13 state capital budget to inspect the Capitol Building and commence repairs. That work is under way. Preventative maintenance must be a top priority to preserve the magnificent structure.
Thumbs up: What a nifty idea. Link up students from Lincoln Elementary with city officials planning the renovation of the artesian well on Fourth Avenue to get the kids’ perspective on improving the site.
You had to laugh at some of the suggestions, like the request to install a teeter-totter or monkey bars.
The notion to add trees to the parking lot landscape was thoughtful and city officials said they hadn’t even considered the kids’ notion of adding a community garden to the site.
This was a terrific field trip because the students got an education on artesian wells while the adults got the opportunity to see the well site through the eyes of the children.
What’s important is that the city create a safe and attractive place where South Sound residents can get a cool drink of artesian water or fill their jugs for use at home.
There must not be so many amenities, however, that it becomes home to panhandlers or those who harass downtown patrons. The bottom line is this improvement project has been a long time coming. The sooner it is completed the better.
