Two court decisions on the lefty docket are in play this week.
1. First, King County Superior Court Judge Sharon Armstrong will rule today on the request for a preliminary injunction in the case filed against Washington State Attorney General and GOP gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna for signing on to the lawsuit against President Obama's Affordable Care Act (Obamacare!).
The plaintiffs argue that McKenna is bailing on his commitment to serve the interests of women; the ACA guarantees improved coverage for birth control and cancer screenings.
McKenna has said he's only against the insurance mandate (he says it's unconstitutional) and not against many of the guarantees of the new law. Whether or not those issues are "severable"--that is, whether they can be separated from the legality of the health care bill as a whole---was under discussion in the opening hearing last week.
2. King County Superior Court Judge Bruce Heller will rule tomorrow morning in the case argued earlier this year by education groups and state house Democrats against Tim Eyman's I-1053, the voter-approved rule requiring a two-thirds majority of the legislature to raise taxes.
Lefties argue that the rule is unconstitutional because the state constitution already spells out what types of decisions require supermajorities.
Eyman is pushing another initiative this year, I-1185, which would reinstate 1053.
3. Another decision that's coming up, though not a court ruling: Will Sound Transit go ahead with a 900-stall parking garage at Northgate?
Local pedestrian advocacy group Feet First has come up with an infographic that juxtaposes the estimated $40 million garage vs. what else $40 million would buy for the Northgate station: a pedestrian bridge over I-5, new sidewalks, more bus service, and new bike facilities.
Sound Transit is holding an open house on Monday, June 4, at 6 pm at Olympic View Elementary to discuss Northgate construction plans.
The community's fight to prioritize pedestrians, bikers, and public transit over cars matches a New York Times essay that ran this weekend calling for more walkable communities (something it gave Seattle a shoutout for doing well). Some might conjecture: If they only knew.
This item has been updated to correct the name of Judge Heller.
