Port of Seattle Commissioner Alec Fisken is running for re-election.  Yesterday, I emailed his campaign to ask for a yard sign and literature to hand out to neighbors.  Today he called.  I'm in the neighborhood, he said, would you like me to drop off a sign?  

Fisken is a friend of the people, a true-blue public servant who responded to the scandal, secrecy, and mismanagement plaguing the Port by entering the political arena and putting his expertise in maritime and financial management -- as well as his good-governance beliefs -- to work. Over the years, Port blunders, some appearing to involve ethical lapses, have led to financial losses, diminished market share, the sale of valuable public property to private interests way below market rate, poor environmental practices, excess taxation on homeowners, and losses of good jobs. Fisken been a plainspoken and steadfast voice and vote for the public interest above special interests.  He's one of the elected officials I most admire.  It was a real treat for my husband and me to meet him at our home -- even for just a 5-minute visit.  

Do you have a quote for me for Washblog, I asked. The Port has been moving in a good direction lately, Fisken answered.  Media coverage of the Port's  disastrous management has been helpful.  There is a lot of potential to make this a good Port, he said.  Any thoughts on the campaign, I asked, how people can help?  There is a concern that people will respond to the media coverage of the Port mismanagement by voting against both current commissioners, he said.  Email messages sent out to networks of friends may really be the best way to get the message out across the entire county. Do you have, like, a mneumonic device for people to remember that you're the one they want to vote for, I asked?  Fisken means "fish" in Norweigan, he said.  Hey, good one!