King County Executive Candidates Plan Speedy Transition

10/29/2009

Whoever wins the race for King County Executive faces a quick turnaround, since that person will take office on November 24. Both Susan Hutchison and Dow Constantine say they are forming advisory teams to help them with such a quick transition.

Neither candidate for King County Executive is naming names as far as potential staff appointments go. But both are assembling teams of advisors who will help get their administrations up and running. Candidate Susan Hutchison's advisors include many who already endorsed her, like State Attorney General Rob McKenna.

Former Seattle mayor Wes Uhlman is another Hutchison advisor. He says Boeing's decision this week to locate its new assembly line in South Carolina brings back bad memories for him. Uhlman had just taken office when Boeing initiated massive layoffs in 1969.

Uhlman: "That was far worse than the present economic turmoil that we see today. So I think that's going to be Susan's greatest single challenge, is to deal with how to govern, how to do that prioritization — which is just terribly important — between the services we need and the services we would like to have."

If Hutchison is elected, she says she will work effectively with Governor Chris Gregoire, who she blamed in the wake of Boeing's decision. Hutchison says she'll also put the bitter election behind her to work with Constantine on the King County Council.

Hutchison: "He has lied about my record and misquoted me continually, and I will look forward to working with him when he is on the county council as a council member. That is just what you do when you get through these campaigns. And I will be the kind of collaborative leader I have always been."

Constantine responds that he's skeptical he and Hutchison will be working together post–election.

Constantine: "I think it's kind of presumptuous for her to put forward a transition team considering that she's fading fast in the polls."

Whoever wins is likely to implement some kind of performance management system to better track effectiveness of county employees and programs. Rob McKenna says he'd urge Hutchison to implement the program. Constantine says his advisors also support the concept.

Constantine: "Our policy team is very strong with performance management experts; from Senator Fred Jarrett who's made those reform efforts a cornerstone of his public service, to Professor Steve Page who's an acknowledged expert in academia."

Constantine says he'll name more names of potential staff and advisors at his election night party at the Edgewater in Seattle.

I'm Amy Radil, KUOW News.

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