Is Gregoire Out Of Line To Sue Seattle School District?
Washington Attorney General Christine Gregoire has accused the former superintendent of Seattle schools of breaking state campaign laws.
William Kendrick and two aides are named in a suit alleging the district used public resources to promote a 1993 bond issue.
“We have determined there was a clear, consistent and unmistakable pattern of illegal behavior,” Gregoire said in a statement.
Not so, says Kendrick, who stepped down last summer after nearly 10 years in the job.
Meanwhile, Seattle public schools spokeswoman Dorothy Dubia said: “There may be some things that we did out of ignorance, or we may have done that were incorrect, but for a government agency to sue a school district over it, we question whether that is necessary or the proper way to correct the situation.”
Gregoire and the state Public Disclosure Commission, which identified 18 separate violations, obviously feel differently. How do “Bagpipes” readers feel?
The information at the bottom of this column tells you how to respond.
Revenge of the yuppies
In 1990, an Alabama man bought a BMW. Nine months later, he learned that the $41,000 car’s paint job had been touched up to conceal damage that had occurred during shipment.
He sued, and a jury awarded him $4,000 in actual damages - plus $4 million in punitive damages to teach the auto company a lesson. A judge trimmed the verdict by $2 million, but BMW has appealed to the Supreme Court, and some people expect a nationwide curb on punitive damages (which, incidentally, Washington state courts don’t allow).
Do “Bagpipes” readers believe a BMW owner deserves a $2 million windfall over a touch-up he didn’t notice for nine months? Or should deceitful businesses be handled harshly? Or is there a better way to protect consumers without creating windfall millionaires?
Butt out or butt in?
Spokane County Health District is considering a total ban on smoking in Spokane’s restaurants, bars, taverns and lounges. A recent poll shows six out of 10 people would welcome it - meaning four of 10 wouldn’t.
If you have an idea for accommodating both smokers and non-smokers, “Bagpipes” would like to hear it.
, DataTimes MEMO: “Bagpipes” appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. To respond, call Cityline at 458-8800, category 9881, from a Touch-Tone phone; or send a fax to 459-5098 or e-mail to dougf@spokesman.com. You also can leave Doug Floyd a message at 459-5577, extension 5466.