The Port of Seattle is governed by the Port Commission, consisting of five commissioners elected by the voters of King County. The Port Watch Committee keeps League members and the larger community informed about the Port Commission's governance in order to hold it accountable for managing this major resource for the public good. We address issues of public transparency, transportation, environmental concerns, and use of public resources. For general background, read Seattle LWV's 2010 study, The Seattle Port Commission: Challenges, Resolutions, and Public Accountability.

The Port Watch Committee will meet monthly and activities include attending Port Commission meetings, tracking port issues, and developing educational programs and activities that help voters stay informed about the work of the Commission and the Port of Seattle. The Port Watch Committee welcomes new members. For information, contact committee chair Linda Brown, (206) 329-4848.

The Transportation Committee is a statewide committee, with focus on Puget Sound regional transportation issues and on statewide issues. Recent meeting topics have included Freight Mobility, Alaskan Way Viaduct, SR 520, Puget Sound Regional Council Transportation plan, Aviation, Regional Transportation Commission, and Climate Advisory Team/Transportation Technical Working Group. Soon to be heard include Joni Earl, head of Sound Transit and Peg Staeheli on pedestrian and bicycle issues.

The Transportation Committee generally meets on the third Tuesday of each month, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the League of Women Voters of Seattle office.

We enthusiastically welcome all who are interested in transportation issues. For further information, please contact Transportation Chair Linnea Hirst.

The purpose of the I-R Committee is to educate ourselves and others on important issues. One way we typically do this is by responding to an invitation from the Seattle League to prepare a research report and forum on an I-R subject; this year we are working on an April program on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. The daytime group is doing the core research and writing for the report, while the evening group is working on an annotated bibliography and some book reviews on each of the eight goals. The evening group is also viewing and discussing an array of videos on globalization. Both groups would welcome new members! Contact Co-chair Ellen Berg for more information.

Land Use Committee members look at the policies and politics that govern how land is used in our neighborhoods, in downtown Seattle, and throughout the city generally. Our agenda includes everything from advocating for the preservation of historic structures, to testifying on the community costs/benefits of newly-proposed building projects, to monitoring whether our parks, shorelines and other open spaces are adequately protected.

In September, 2008, the Immigration Study Committee brought to a close a two-year study, which first focused on national immigration policy in connection with the immigration study of the League of Women Voters of the US. The committee held two forums on related issues in immigration and led the Seattle League through consensus on national issues. The outcome of the national consensus was broad and included:

• Due process for all people
• A path to legal status including citizenship for unauthorized immigrants
• A stop to deportation of unauthorized immigrants with no criminal record
• Expeditious reunification of immediate family members of immigrants

For a full reading of the League position, go to the national League of Women Voters website.

Following the study of national immigration policy, the Immigration Study Committee turned its efforts to the interplay between national policy and local policy in regard to Seattle/King County's large immigrant population. The study focused on four areas: health services, education, jobs, and law enforcement. The written report of this study was published in the September, 2008, issue of the Seattle Voter, which can be viewed here. The committee's third forum in September 2008 spoke to local issues. Local consensus was reached including:

• Support of the provision of public health services to all residents without regard to their citizenship status.
• Support of an emphasis in law enforcement on building trust in immigrant communities, to include the policy of asking about an individual's immigration status only if he/she has been charged with a felony or misdemeanor.

The committee continues to meet regularly to discuss issues of relevance to national or local immigration policy. For more information, contact co-chairs Barbara Reid at barbereid@yahoo.com or Barbara Yasui.

Thank you!

The Social Justice Committee is an advocacy committee that works to fulfill League's positions on equal rights, social policy, housing and justice at the local government level - in Seattle, Bellevue, the suburban cities and King County. We also follow issues at the state and national level by working with LWV of Washington and LWV of US.

The Education Committee follows issues related to public education from Pre-K to 12th grade. Currently, the committee is conducting a study on the development of a public school teacher. The study is looking at teacher preparation programs in the Seattle area and at three local school districts: Seattle, Mercer Island, and Bellevue. The study will be presented to the membership in September, 2011.

The committee also follows issues in the public schools in Seattle and the Eastside. If you are interested in helping with this task, please contact Lucy Gaskill-Gaddis.

The Membership & Outreach Committee's purpose is to create momentum within the board, units and other league leadership to move forward the membership and outreach strategic goals. All are welcome.

Please contact Maria Brusher at outreach.seattlew@gmail.com and Kelly Powers at membership.seattlelwv@gmail.com, co-chairs, if you'd like to join us.