SIDRAN, CALLING FOR LOWER DRUG SENTENCES, GAINS IN NEW POLL

In a move that might help him make more inroads with Seattle Democrats,
mayoral candidate Mark Sidran backed asking the state to cut drug sentences
- -- perhaps by half -- and shifting the savings toward more drug counseling.

A new KING-5 poll last night found Sidran, Seattle's city attorney, is
making inroads with Democrats and with women. Sidran is still battling
perceptions of meanness and for his championing of civility laws affecting
the homeless.

Overall, the poll found Sidran trailing Nickels by only 47 percent to 45
percent -- a statistical dead heat given the poll's margin of error of 4.5
percentage points. A poll by the television station a month ago showed
Nickels with a 50-40 advantage.

Sidran's call for reduced sentences came when he was asked how he'd reduce
drug use at a forum at the Rainier Valley Cultural Center last night. "It's
not the length of the sentence that matters," he said. "It's the certainty
of the sentence that matters."

Rainier Valley, traditionally ignored because of low voter turnout, could
hold significance this year. Mayor Paul Schell did particularly well in the
area during the primary, and his supporters are up for grabs. The audience
was mostly white, in one of the city's most diverse areas. Nickels did not
mention drug sentences. He said he would bring community members together
to figure out what to do about drugs in the community. Nickels also said he
supports the county's drug courts, in which drug offenders are sentenced to
treatment instead of jail.

As he appeared to reach out to liberal Democrats, Sidran refrained from
making a couple of standard points that might alienate some voters. Asked
about housing, Sidran didn't mention he wants to shift some money from
homeless shelters and toward mental-health programs. He has said the city
should address the root causes of homelessness.