This week’s local news brought one surprise and one not-so-surprising announcement:
1. The surprise: a person involved in the investigation of the police shooting of native American wood carver John T. Williams told the press this week that the carving knife found with Williams’ body was in a closed position.
In the initial reports of the shooting, the folding knife was cited as the reason why Officer Birk pulled his car over, jumped out, pursued Williams, and eventually shot him. A witness at the scene, however, told the Seattle P-I that he didn’t see Williams holding a knife at the time of the shooting.
The Seattle Police Department is now, finally, asking witnesses to come forward and speak to the homicide unit (206-684-5550), which means they may file charges against Birk—especially since many of the things Birk said immediately after the killing have been proved to be lies.
2. And now for the not-so-surprising announcement: a state lawmaker has said Seattle will definitely be on the hook for cost overruns on the downtown traffic tunnel being built to replace the viaduct.
Democrat Larry Seaquist of the 26th District that covers parts of Tacoma and Gig Harbor said he’ll make sure that Seattle residents pay for cost overruns on the tunnel, and not stick state residents with the bill. Seaquist said that his constituents had to agree to pay tolls to use the new bridge over the Tacoma Narrows, so Seattle residents should have to pay for the tunnel. If necessary, he’ll make sure that happens.
Gov. Gregoire has threatened to veto any bill that forces Seattle to pay for tunnel overruns, but a veto is not always the final say. If two-thirds of the Legislature support such a bill, they can override her veto. And sticking it to the big city is a very popular stance in state legislatures right now.
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