Ethics chief says mayor's tunnel pitch inappropriate

The Web site for Mayor Greg Nickels has a picture of downtown Seattle and its waterfront with the headline: "The Right Choice for Seattle and the Region. The Alaskan Way Tunnel."

That's inappropriate, says Wayne Barnett, the city's elections and ethics director.

"The mayor's Web site still promotes the tunnel option and now that it's on the ballot, the Web site can't do that," said Barnett. "It has to remove materials that promote the tunnel alternative."

An advisory measure on how to replace the viaduct will appear on the March 13 ballot, and election code says city resources can't be used to promote or oppose a ballot measure. Nickels could face fines of up to $5,000.

Barnett said he sent a letter to the mayor's legal counsel Friday.

"The city will follow the ethics rules and will take down anything biased on the mayor's Web site," said Marianne Bichsel, spokeswoman for Nickels. She said the site will have analyses of both options.

"If things have to be taken down, we'll certainly will do that," she said, noting that the tunnel option is the policy position of the city and has passed the City Council several times.

Susan Gilmore: 206-464-2054

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