Constantine vs. Hutchison on the issues

Here's a look at where Dow Constantine and Susan Hutchison stand on issues facing the elected King County executive.

County budget

Constantine: Wants nonunion employees making $60,000 a year or more to pay a portion of their health-care premiums. He says it is disingenuous to imply union contracts can be changed now when both sides must agree to renegotiate the terms. Opposes putting a property- tax levy on the ballot to pay for human services. Would tap $15 million county rainy-day fund to help save parks.

Hutchison: Supports renegotiating union contracts to begin charging county employees health-care premiums. She calls county government "bloated" and says county employee benefits are "gold-plated." She also would put a county property-tax levy on the ballot for voters to help pay for human services, and would seek public-private partnerships to keep parks open.

Metro transit

Constantine: Wants state authority for a car-tab tax or license fee to help pay for Metro, to occur when the recession subsides. Supports repealing the state's constitutional amendment restricting state gas-tax money for use on roads only. Agrees with a 25-cent bus-fare increase in each of the next two years. Supports current executive's plan for a temporary 9 percent cut in service hours across all Metro routes to cut costs.

Hutchison: Does not support more transit taxes. She opposes using state gas-tax money for any transportation purpose other than roads. Backs a bus-fare increase in 2010, but not yet committed to a fare increase beyond that. Favors cutting lesser-used bus routes to reduce costs, rather than implementing across-the-board service cuts.

Growth and development

Constantine: Supports the county's critical-areas ordinance restricting development along wetlands and other sensitive areas. He's a leading opponent of expanding a gravel mine on Maury Island, and wants to combat global warming with transportation and land-use policies that fight suburban sprawl and reliance on cars.

Hutchison: Calls the county's critical-areas ordinance, which restricts development along wetlands and other sensitive areas, "bad policy" and says the law needs to be amended. She favors expanding a gravel mine on Maury Island, and says global warming takes a back seat to local issues such a public safety.

Light rail

Constantine: Backs the I-90 route to expand light rail to the Eastside. He supports repealing a state constitutional amendment restricting gas-tax money for use on roads only, so some money could go toward urban transit programs.

Hutchison: Opposes the voter-approved plan to route light rail over the I-90 bridge to the Eastside, saying it would reduce vehicle lanes for drivers. Instead, she backs using a new Highway 520 bridge to carry light rail. Opposes using state gas tax money for anything other than roads.

Referendum 71

Constantine: Supports R-71, which if approved leaves in place a state law expanding domestic-partnership benefits for same-sex couples. He believes the names of those who signed petitions to put R-71 on the ballot should be a public record.

Hutchison: Supports R-71, which if approved leaves in place a state law expanding domestic-partnership benefits for same-sex couples. Believes the names of those who signed petitions to put R-71 on the ballot should be kept private, to protect them from threats and preserve a robust initiative process.

Initiative 1033

Constantine: Opposes I-1033, which would cap state and local government revenue increases at inflation plus population growth, and use any excess to reduce property taxes. He says it would gut public services, especially education, and slow annexations by cities in King County. Limits on government growth — such as a 1 percent cap on annual property-tax increases — already exist.

Hutchison: Opposes I-1033, which would cap state and local government revenue increases at inflation plus population growth, and use any excess to reduce property taxes. She says she understands why voters would want to cap spending, but I-1033 goes too far. She would prefer that any surplus go into reserve funds that governments could tap to help weather economic downturns without cutting key services.