i have been waiting for wellover thirty years for someone or agency to start confronting the port of seattle on several fronts.
First of all: why is this taxing agency completely independent? There is no state, county, or city office to whom they are responsible. They mandate (not legislate) new taxes without any say from the public.
Second: years ago, when dr. Beisse did the zone three sound level tests, one test was done in the backyard eighty-five feet north of our home located at 21508 13th Ave So in desmoines. The man who owned that property happened to be an officer of seafirst bank downtown seattle. He promptly lost his job after approximately twenty years. coincidence?
Third: the pos police force. For years i watched their patrol cars on streets in burien and e marginal way. seldom have i seen one near the waterfront or near the airport.

i have been waiting for wellover thirty years for someone or agency to start confronting the port of seattle on several fronts.
First of all: why is this taxing agency completely independent? There is no state, county, or city office to whom they are responsible. They mandate (not legislate) new taxes without any say from the public.
Second: years ago, when dr. Beisse did the zone three sound level tests, one test was done in the backyard eighty-five feet north of our home at the time located at 21508 13th Ave So in desmoines. The man who owned that property happened to be an officer of seafirst bank downtown seattle. He promptly lost his job after approximately twenty years. coincidence?
Third: the pos police force. For years i watched their patrol cars on streets in burien and e marginal way. seldom have i seen one near the waterfront or near the airport.

The event with the $10,000 brass ensemble was the opening of Concourse A. This building was a much worse example of waste, fraud and abuse. The original cost estimate was $187 million, but the final cost was almost $600 million. That's more than the Seahawks stadium.

Problems at the Port have been going on for way longer than a year and whatever size the budget the public is entitled to and should get excellent management for the taxes we pay! We are definitely not getting our money's worth but worse we are getting unethical management. Dinsmore and at least some of the commissioners were in bed together with an attitude of the public be damned. The Port police scandal should have resulted in firings to clear our the ringleaders and change the culture. Unless the Port Commissioners who are culpable are replaced and the new executive is given a free hand to clean up the mess and supported in the process, nothing will change. I would sign the recall on Pat Davis in a heartbeat but she is not the only one who needs to go. It is past time for changes in commissioners, police leadership, attitudes toward responsibility to the public and ethics! Commissioners are supposed to be PUBLIC SERVANTS - not dilettantes traveling and living the grand life at public expense although one could not infer that from the way they have behaved for way too long. I hope the media will keep this issue before the public on a continuing basis until real reform occurs. Port management at the moment is a disgrace

We need Clean Elections and The Port of Seattle is just one more example of that. We need to cut the tie between big money and our elected officials and candidates. It starts in the campaign. The option of publicly funded campaigns will mean more diversity, more competition, and the possible election of candidates who are not influenced by that next campaign contribution. The question isn't how can they get away with what they're doing, but how can we continue to let them get away with what they're doing. Elections should be about voters and not big donors. For more information go to www.washclean.org. There is a solution to this abuse of power and mismanagement of public money.

I have live in King county for 26 years. I worked as a manager for a contract supplier for 19 years in the Port of Seattle. I've watched with total "Disgust" the politics of this county. Certainly the most recent pattern the state govornor's race, the ability of one county to control the state. Questionable you say , not if you have a long enough history. The Port of Seattle had all the steamship companies that Tacoma or Pierce County has presently. The investment was made by the tax payers. Now we have an aditional cost of paying for a second Port. The return on investments and jobs was "lost" to those of King County and the Port. The reason, poor management of contracts, could not negotiate or once negotiated couldn't live with their own contractual agreements ie. Sea Land&American President Lines. The longshore union the failure of the Port to regulate and
control on Port property. All these activities and Many Many more. When I moved to Seattle in 1971 the flight pattern approach to Sea Tac Airport was down the Puget Sound. The safest route for all resident least number of people expose to diaster. This has not changed but the route has "reason" money along that route bought political change. Everything about these "Port" is unaccountable. They build freeways into the Port's not one but two. The investment that was made by other's is sitting idle. Now we are a tourist town with cruise ships and billions of dollars spent to be a container shipping port is lost.They build beautiful aiports at unbelievable cost and of course it is always under constuction. The constuction never ends. They have a union local in Seattle experiencing the loss of wages, dues and membership.

These stories make me physically sick. I work an eight-hour day with a 1.5-hour commute each way 5 days a week. I don't have time to surf the web or send personal jokes and emails when I am a work nor does anyone else that I work with or for. Obviously I work in the private sector. It is clear that these PUBLIC servants at the POS have to much free time on their hands and are not dedicated to their positions or the public good. Everyone involved in this email scam should be fired. It is not even an issue of the porn for me it is the fact that they are being paid tax dollars while surfing the web and sending personal emails. I would have certainly lost my job for misuse of company property and time. Why shouldn't they? After all they are suppose to be serving the public not themselves.

I was featured in the segment about the Port Noise Remedy program, and faulty Alpine Windows.
I would like to clarify that our issue is NOT with the contractor companies that installed the windows - all recipients of this program that I have talked with have been very satisfied with their contractors - the contractors did NOT make the windows that the Port paid for, nor did the contractors have any sort of free reign to select just any manufacturer to provide the windows.
The issue here is with the Port Noise Remedy group and THEIR selection of Alpine Windows, a financially troubled window manufacturer, whom through the Port's program supplied faulty windows to hundreds and hundreds of homes - The Port themselves selected and "approved" the few manufacturers allowed to even supply windows for this program - not the contractors, and certainly not the homeowners. The Port should have stringently and proactively validated the financial health of the "approved" manufacturers before "approving" them, as well as to have an ongoing process to protect their investment of public funds, and regularly check the financial soundness of those companies as they moved forward and took on more homes - this is a standard business procurement practice in large corporations both public and private. Additionally, the Port should have had an ongoing process to verify that the materials used to manufacture the windows were indeed in compliance with the specs and standards that they set for them. Alpine Windows was in financial trouble before my windows were ever installed, and they declared bankruptcy almost immediately after my install - my "10-year Warranty" was useless instantly.
We cannot understand why the Port would neglect to do these things and allow this to happen - they did not act in the best interests of the people involved here, and they spent millions doing it. We as homeowners obviously had no visibility to the inner workings of any of this with the Port, until our windows began failing and we tried to ask for their help.
This Noise Remedy program still continues today, with millions more $ in public funding being spent on it - and property owners choosing to participate should be aware of what they could be facing. Here is their own site speaking to their program expansion:
http://www.portseattle.org/business/airport/noiseremedy.shtml

If you are a recipient of these faulty Alpine windows provided by the Port's program and would like more information on this effort, please e-mail portwindows@comcast.net

I am very concerned and upset at this story today. The Alpine windows are obviously failing. They are leaking, rusting and causing mold problems. This is a health hazard for the approximately 400+ residents who have reported problems to the Port. These homeowners should not be responsible for replacing their windows as they are the victims. The Port is a huge public agency who, obviously, can afford to spend OUR TAX MONEY on marching bands, elaborate bathrooms, a stream running through their offices, whatever they want! But they cannot fix a health hazard they have created! These people are pathetic. Alpine going bankrupt after guaranteeing their product is a disgusting mess. The Port should insure the warranty and immediately replace these windows. The original money wasn't even their entire burden for insulation in the first place. The program is 80% federal (FAA) and only 20% Port. They can fix a dozen homes for what it cost for one marching band at that rate!

Additionally, the people who did appraisals on property around the airport also went out of business immediately after their contract was finished. They moved to Florida! Is there a lot more that the State Auditor or even the Department of Justice should be looking into at the Port?

Isn't past time for a complete change in the management (or lack there of) at the Port. They have demonstrated that it is easy to spend other's money. If they want parties, let them pay for it out of their pockets, not the taxpayers.
If they can't fix it, it is time for the taxpayers to fix it. Elect new representatives. Stop the blank check they have for taxes.
IT IS PAST TIME FOR A CHANGE!!
LET US DO IT !!

No, I am not getting my money's worth from the Port, they are getting mine. There is no reason they cannot make a profit at the shipping ports. All other ports make a profit. This port has been operated by a bunch of insiders patting each others backs and pockets. I am so glad to see new officers and for them to stand up to the old guard. May Patty Davis be fired!

I'm appalled at the actions of the Port Commission and also at the salary being paid to the CEO. The severance package is obscene. When did we all become so greedy? The CEO makes more money than the President of the United States and isn't even elected. I think it's time for a shake-up at the Port. Let's recall ALL the commissioners. What do I do to help change the flagrant use of MY tax dollars and YOUR tax dollars at the Port?

Thanks Up Front for doing this program... The Port seems to be able to do whatever at will no matter the cost. It is time they stand financially on their own like other Port agencies and stop using real estate taxes to beef up their income... maybe they wouldn't be so free spending money if they were responsible for all of their own budget. Give the home owners back their money.

It is obvious the Port of Seattle (POS) has a problem with accountability. With any large organization,some minor waste can be expected. With the POS, waste is the norm. They need to realize they exist for the benefit of more than the businesses in their back pocket. There needs to be a leash on these dogs so they don't continue this "standard" of ludicros errors in judgment.

The Port of Seattle has for years operated with impunity. Thank goodness someone is shining light on their operation and the fleecing of the taxpayer

Mr Mak,
Thankyou for bringing this to the rest of the publics attention.I work for the largest window only company in the United States Penguin Windows We have built a legacy here in the N. W. on integrity and doing whats right for our clients.. There is so much deception in this industry of bait and switch and lies about what a window will do and how long it will last.. I have to deal with lies ,bait and switch ect on a daily basis as I'm a senior sales rep for my company, We at Penguin Windows try and educate our clients of the differences what windows will and won't do.. If I can be of any help to be apart of fixing and explaining what a window will and won't do. I have a open door policy, Please feel free to contact me at anytime

425 679 1688
Michael Calabrese
Senior Design Consultant
Penguin Windows

The Port of Seattle staff has needed a complete overall for a long time. There simply has been no accountability at any level. Nighttime security at their marinas has declined year after year, they repeatedly fail to enforce their own regulations (e.g. parking), an "old boys club" protects slackers, and complaints by fee-paying customers are routinely ignored unless accompanied by threats to expose them in the media. Your report was long overdue and so is the resignation or sacking of all those who collect fat paychecks for doing absolutely nothing.

I too have had leaking windows from the Port. It ruined my siding and interior wall, which we had to replace and repair ourselves. It took many letters in 2002 and a lot of jumping through hoops.I thought I finally got Alpine/Reliant Building Company to agree to replace the window, but a instead I received a check for $133.99. I had sent them a repair bill of $411.12. After that I was unable to reach them and to this day I too have windows that are failing. I am very interested in joining any group that is going to hold the Port responsible for this mess. Can someone post more information about who I need to contact or the group that is heading this complaint up. I have much more to say on the matter! Thank You.

Please see my earlier comment for contact info.(I'd submitted it Sunday but it just appeared here yesterday afternoon)