Do you have questions for Seattle City Councilmembers? How does the Council want to handle the City’s 2011 $50 million budget deficit?  What are their thoughts on a solution for rebuilding the State Route 520 bridge? How do they feel the search for a new Seattle Police Chief search is going?  This episode of City Inside/Out: Council Edition features Seattle City Council Finance and Budget Chair Jean Godden, Public Safety Chair Tim Burgess and Energy and Technology Chair Bruce Harrell answering your questions.

Whatever your question is, if you want it answered on TV, you have to call 206-684-8821 or email contact@seattlechannel.org. Host C.R. Douglas will also raise the key issues facing Seattle. You can also submit your questions or watch past episodes by visiting the City Inside/Out: Council Edition website, http://www.seattlechannel.org/CouncilEdition/.

Don’t miss this opportunity to put your issues before the City’s lawmakers! Call or email right now! Then tune in Wednesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. on SEATTLE CHANNEL, Cable 21, to get answers.

Chopp names one $150-million tax incentive in particular that he wants to see rescinded—the so-called “Dot Foods loophole.” In 1983, the state Legislature created a tax exemption for out-of-state food companies that use an agent to sell directly to wholesalers in Washington. In 2000, the state Department of Revenue began interpreting this law to mean that companies, including Dot Foods of Illinois, could not receive the tax exemption if they sold any products to wholesalers that ended up in retail stores. Dot Foods sued and the state Supreme Court ruled in the corporation’s favor. Chopp says that the decision opened up an unexpected $150-million hole in the state budget. He adds, “So we’ll close that loophole and make sure we do it in a way that complies with state law and the Supreme Court decision.”

Children’s is the largest pediatric care facility in the Northwest, serving kids from Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Montana. It is also one of the ten best pediatric hospitals in the U.S., according to a survey by U.S. News and World Report. Now Children’s has an ambitious plan that would add a million and a half square feet to its current facility in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood, nearly tripling the hospital’s size from 250 beds to 600 beds. “We are a safety-net provider for the region. We take care of kids regardless of the ability to pay, and we are full and we urgently need additional beds,” says Children’s Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Brandenburg.

Some in the surrounding neighborhood say the expansion is too big, would be out of scale in a residential neighborhood and create too much traffic. Laurelhurst Community Club President Jeannie Hale says, “We looked at their projections of need and we thought, ‘Well, why not double the size instead of triple the size?’ Doubling the size would allow considerable expansion, but Children’s has been unwilling to compromise whatsoever.” Now the Seattle City Council is going to rule on the expansion.

It’s a complex fight, and since Children’s is in the business of saving kids’ lives, it’s full of strong feelings. Don’t miss your chance to learn about this important issue!

Is the hike needed? And how will customers respond? We also visit City Ice, a local business that will be impacted negatively by the increase and hear from Northwest Energy Coalition Executive Director Sara Patton, an environmentalist who supports the increase.

Watch City Inside/Out with C.R. Douglas

Doud versus Holland

Doud and Holland disagree over the Port’s proposed $300 million contribution to replacing the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a deep-bore tunnel under downtown Seattle. “I like the tunnel,” says Holland. “I think that there are investments that should be made that continue to help move freight through the region.” Doud, by contrast, thinks that the tunnel decision is worth another look. “We need to evaluate other options,” he says. Moreover, he opposes the Port spending $300 million on the tunnel.  “I am not for the Port contributing to a state highway,” he says.

 Albro versus Vekich

City Inside/Out host C.R. Douglas asks Albro and Vekich about the backers of their campaigns. Albro’s critics, Douglas says, point out many of the candidate’s contributions come from big businesses that depend on Port contracts. Albro says, “I have many, many people who are supporting me from all walks of life—good government people, small business, friends—I am independent, absolutely, positively.” Douglas asks Vekich about the financial and volunteer support that he is receiving from labor unions. Vekich replies, “If you look at my record in the [state] Legislature, I’m nobody’s man—I’m my own man…I’ve even voted against my own union at times.”