ballot issues

I've been getting a lot of email from people who can't find the ballot issues on my politiblog. They'e there. Really. Check the menu of older posts on the right side of the blog page and you should find the ballot issues page, next to last item in the list.

I went to a lot of trouble to ferret out the information so please do make use of it.

County Commissioner Candidates' Night, 10-10-12

notes from the Candidates’ Night 10-10-12 at Clinton

     There were a fair amount of people in the Clinton Hall for this event, but there were plenty of empty seats, and not that many chairs had been set up. Which means that most of you did not hear what the county commissioner candidates had to say. Unlike the presidential debates, which are available on line, I've had to settle for actually scribbling notes and transcribing them.

      Here, for your amusement and edification, are those notes.

1. Fire/EMS, whether or not to grant Fire/EMS district 3 a $0.15/$1000.00 property tax increase.

            This is the second time I’ve heard chief Rusty Palmer and Dean Enell argue this issue. My overall impression is that Dean has not researched deeply enough to ask the most penetrating questions, and that chief Palmer is skating. It feels for all the world like junior has once again brought the car home with new dents and parts missing, and once again expects mom and dad to fork over to fix it. After all, its the family car. Dean, in the position of dad, keeps asking what he did to make the car so beat up so quickly, and junior just keeps repeating that the car is very important to the family and really has to be in tip-top shape, so please folks, just fix it.

            It would take a whole lot of research to discover how big a fire station really needs to be, and how much hanging onto two parcels of bare land is costing us, even if they are free and clear. Chief Palmer pointed proudly to the fact that administrative offices are now in the bedrooms of the new, huge Freeland fire station. I never got to ask, why does the Freeland fire station have bedrooms if it has no paid firefighters to occupy them?

            As I wrote in my election crib sheet, this is a reluctant yes vote, which feels like my insurance rates have gone up and my ratification is really an after-the-fact sort of thing.

2. This was the real show of the evening. All 4 candidates for both County Commissioner seats were at the table. The audience was allowed to pose questions by writing them down and giving them to the moderator, Sherry (she used to be Mays), who acknowledged being a bit discombobulated.

In case you’ve been on Mars, there are now two candidates for each of two seats on the Board of Island County Commissioners.

District 1 (Clinton to Oak Harbor)

Helen Price-Johnson, D

Jeff Lauderdale, R

District 2 (Oak Harbor)

Angie Homola, D

Jill Johnson, R

Each candidate was given 5 minutes to make an opening statement.

Helen started by saying that her priorities are and have been public health & safety, a vibrant economy, quality of life, and open, transparent government. She said that transparency actually reduces the workload because people know what’s going on so don’t have to ask as many questions. She said it reduced Public Disclosure Act requests significantly. She works with the Economic Development Council and the Tourism Commission to increase tourism related revenues to local businesses.

Angie talked about having grown up camping all over the country, and how that awakened her environmental sensibilities. She talked about how having been a machinist, a carpenter, and an architect connected her with working people. She talked about raising her two kids in Oak Harbor and about her husband being in the Navy. She spent many years volunteering in the Oak Harbor schools, often in a teaching role. What woke her up was a letter to neighbors of a proposed annexation into the Oak Harbor Urban Growth Area. She felt a need to learn more and do more about this proposal. She ended up running for office and becoming an Island County Commissioner.  She found there had been a long time emphasis on growth and development, but no thought to how to deal with the impacts of that growth and development.  She had more to say, but her time was up.

Jill Johnson said she grew up in Oak Harbor, spent 10 years away from the island working as a fundraiser and learning to navigate the world of politics. She said Angie calls it non-transparency, but its really knowing how to get things done. She sits on the Oak Harbor Planning Commission. She has worked on school revitalization projects. She presented this pithy quote: “In government’s attempt to take the risk out of life, it is taking the life out of risk-taking.”

Jeff Lauderdale said he first came to the island in 1971 as a Navy airman. He listed his various positions in the Navy, including mechanical and nuclear engineer. He said he was very well versed in chemistry and physics. He said he’s been everywhere and done everything, and had come to Whidbey by choice. He’s been attending County Commissioner meetings for 2.5 years. Both the natural and human environment need protection. Government has hit an affordability wall. Island County has problems. It needs to return to the core values of protecting life, liberty, and property. It doesn’t take regulation to protect property. There is a more effective and responsible course.

Then came the questions, most of which were directed at all 4 candidates.

1. What is your biggest challenge or achilles heel?  2 minutes/ candidate

 You may notice that none of the candidates actually answered the question.

Jeff Lauderdale - We need a baseline budget scrub. We need more deputies. He promises to find any and all loose $ and devote it to more deputies, and then see what’s left. He acknowledged that assessing, collecting, and distributing taxes is important, but its secondary to public safety.

Jill Johnson - Every challenge is really an opportunity. She will bring fresh eyes with no preconceived notions. She has new ideas, a new perspective, and a new tone.

Angie - How to accomplish our mission? She’s already on the BICC, and they inherited the current recession when they came into office. Dealing with a 20% budget cut has been a major challenge. The county’s mandate is to protect life, health, and safety. Most taxes are earmarked for specific items. There is only $300k in discretionary spending. She has worked to save Meals on Wheels, disease prevention, and animal control. And she finds it very important to keep the public informed.

Helen - The elections office is swamped, all two of them. She had prioritized Law & Justice. She wants to reorganize local government to make it leaner but still accomplish its goals. She says they need a new paradigm. She wants seniors to be able to age in place, she wants at risk kids to have counselling available. She wants to reduce the cost of overhead, in part by increased use of technology.

2. What have you done as a volunteer in the last 10 years to serve the community?

Angie - talked about the many projects in the Oak Harbor schools which she initiated or in which she was involved, including noxious weed pulling, scuba trash patrols in the bay, lesson planning, teaching; working with Habitat for Humanity, and the Veterans’ Support program.

Jill - said she’d been involved with United Way, had worked on the High School stadium bond and on renovations. She’s a Big Sister. Her job as director of the Chamber of Commerce is paid, but it involves community support. She says she represents the voice of Business.

Lauderdale - says he’s a newcomer. He spent the first 2.5 years building his house, and that’s a significant contribution to the tax base. He became involved in the septic system program and helped there. He became involved in the Freeland Water & Sewer District and was asked to run for office, so here he is. He says its been a long and difficult time, and he’s trying to be involved.

Helen - was elected to the South Whidbey School Board in 2001 and served for 7 years. She’s been a youth leader at her church, she works with Hearts & Hammers, she sits on the Senior Services Board, the Island Transit Board, Ebey’s Landing Historic Reserve Board, the Mental Health Board, the Area Agency on Aging Board - and I know I missed a few.

3. What is your position on Conservation Futures and the Clean Water Utility?

Jill - says she’s not against Conservation Futures, but would not support a 1% increase. She wants all lands acquired through Conservation Futures to be open to the public. Only unique properties should be acquired. She’s concerned about properties coming off the tax rolls. The program need not be as big as it is or on the front burner. She doesn’t like the Clean Water Utility. She says its too expensive, its poorly communicated, and people distrust it.

Lauderdale - says Conservation Futures was a good idea once. Good things run out of steam. The tax rolls have to make up the difference for every property acquired. He wants a moratorium on land acquisitions. He’s even less a fan of the Clean Water Utility. He says it has nothing to do with drinking water. Its all about surface water. Its entangled in the current expense budget. He would trade off the Clean Water Utility for more important things.

Helen - says the Clean Water Utility is well thought out and integrated, and it leaves general fund $ for law and justice. Our water is too important to depend on Wall Street. We need to manage our own clean drinking water and surface/storm water. Conservation Futures acquisitions can mitigate some stormwater problems. She cites the blowout of Glendale Road as a problem which can now be solved because of the CWU.

Angie - says we need the Clean Water Utility to deal with the fact that we are a Sole Source Aquifer and have a very real threat of sea water intrusion into our freshwater aquifers. She says they’re being pro-active to protect water quality. She says Conservation Futures is very popular and very cheap. It comes to +/- $1.00/month and allows us to keep working farms, communities, and open space. She says its well worth the cost.

4. Do you support the restoration efforts at Deer Lagoon? Addressed to Angie only.

Angie - Habitat restoration is important everywhere. Deer Lagoon has been identified as a top priority for restoration, but this has to be done in the context of protecting the homeowners surrounding the Lagoon.

5. What role does planning play and should it be budgeted?

Lauderdale - says planning has its place, but it also has its limits. Current planning is for vertical growth because current planners assumed people would need to live where they worked. That is no longer the case. Because of the internet people can live anywhere. Planning should not be a major funding priority.

Helen - pointed out that county government is an extension of the state and must abide by state laws. The Growth Management Act requires counties to plan. If they defy GMA they stand to lose funding for all sorts of county functions. The current planning process is still picking up pieces and leftovers from the previous administration which did not meet its obligations. The planning dept does more than just long range planning. It also processes permits.

Angie - says they’ve cut 48% of the planning dept and the $350k/year land use attorney the former administration had. The current budget is actually super low. It does take planning to keep the county running.

Jill - says planning is important and says that a 40% reduction in staff should equate to a 40% reduction in permits processed. She says its wrong to budget $60k for a new planner.

6. What have you done or will you do for Veterans?

Helen - says that veterans are 15% of the county’s population, no doubt having to do with NAS Whidbey.  (I didn’t hear the rest of Helen’s remarks, or Angie’s or Jill’s. I got back as Lauderdale was talking. That said, I have heard Angie mention on several occasions how proud she is of the fact that they've increased the county's assistance to veterans more than 10-fold.)

Lauderdale - speaks as if all veteran resources were on the mainland and talks about making transportation to the mainland available for vets. He says he does not want Island County’s safety net to exceed that of the federal government.

7. Would you add deputies?

Angie - sure, she’d love to, but where do you find the money? She says she could eliminate whole departments and still not have enough to fund a single deputy.

Jill - says its a priority. That $66k for a planner could have gone toward a deputy, or even a patrol car. Saying its a priority and then not doing it is hypocrisy.

Lauderdale - says there is only one #1 priority and that’s law and justice. He went on a long diatribe about how few deputies are on patrol between 1:00 am and 6:00 am, and how its been 2.5 years and still there are no solutions.

Helen - says that law and justice suffered far fewer cuts than any other department. They whacked all the other departments to the bone. With nowhere else to turn they went to the public and asked for a tax increase via proposition 1. She reminded Lauderdale that he and Kelly Emerson campaigned actively against prop 1 and that loss was the coup which cut law and justice. And she wanted to remind Lauderdale and others that its not just deputies but also jail staff and courts.

8. Do you favor a Clinton Community Council?

Helen - Yes. It will help distill ideas, which will then be brought to the commissioners.

Angie - says its a new idea, that she’s not used to a RAID (Rural Area of more Intense rural Development, the designation for Clinton, Ken's Corner, Bayview, etc)  having a council. She supports it.

Jill - says she’s from a city. She finds a community center important. She’s not opposed.

Lauderdale - says Clinton is where Freeland was before it was made an NMUGA (Non-Municipal Urban Growth Area). Its vulnerable under GMA. Its wonderful to create a voice to protect a community from Olympia, and maybe even from him (implying his election). They need a broad spectrum of representation on any community council, and to stay involved for the long haul.

9. Has Island County participated in a LEAN training for all employees?

(I’ve just gone on line to figure out what LEAN is, and find that there are dozens if not hundreds of companies offering training. All I’ve seen thus far is training for management, manufacturing, and students. Nowhere have I found any kind of definition, but I gather from what I did see that it is intended to streamline businesses, shorten the decision making process, and thereby increase profit. I’m not at all clear on how this would apply to a government.)

Helen - says they’ve talked about it, and the county has just been awarded the opportunity to do this for the permitting process. This comes out of business management.

Angie - says its a great opportunity, but the county has 478 employees and they’re still working to spread the idea.  She’s still working on trying to consolidate the motor pool and purchasing.

Jill - says that much in the business world is transferable, but not everything. Finding ways to be more efficient is the duty of all county commissioners.

Lauderdale - goes on record as agreeing with Helen on this.

Closing Statements

Lauderdale - this is not about personalities or politics but about priorities. Public safety, deputies come first. The second priority is the economy. Do everything necessary to keep NAS Whidbey because it provides 85% of Island County’s funding stream. Third, help the economy. Growth and development generate profits, not costs. We don’t need any more regulations.

Jill - says she was raised here. Her heart is here. She cares deeply. She says she is balanced, independent, has no predetermined ideas. She knows they have to work together. This election is about priorities: law and justice, the economy, and improving the tone of the County Commissioners. She says she’s not perfect, she’ll do her best.

Angie - goes back to the budget. The cuts that were made impacted the medical benefits of all employees except the deputies. The pay of administrative staff was frozen. They have to keep the chemical dependency program because the alternative, leaving those people on the street, would be far more expensive. The county used to be able to raise its tax base by 6%. The previous Republican administration did that regularly. Now the maximum increase is 1% while the rate of inflation is 3%. Yes, deputies are a priority. You should help us pay for them.

Helen - We have an aging population. We need to reorganize all our public agencies. We need to preserve public resources, improve transportation, take preventive measures, and leverage public funds. She supported the COPS grant, but the county did not have a community policing policy so was not eligible.

And there the meeting ended.

I found some pretty remarkable statements by some of the candidates. The emphasis on deputies by Lauderdale, and to some extent by Jill, demonstrates a serious lack of understanding of county budgets. No, you can't just rob Peter to pay Paul for more deputies. Funds are very specifically allocated to certain functions and departments. You can't just short one in favor of another. That's why Angie and Helen went to the public to ask for a small tax increase - and the very people demanding more deputies campaigned against that request. 

Lauderdale's claim that building his house constituted public service elicited some snorts from the public. Its obvious he does not have a clear understanding of what volunteer service is about.

Jill Johnson mentioned several times wanting to improve the "tone" of the commissioners' offices. That seemed a bit odd, since it was she who was doing the sniping. I didn't actually write that part down, but she took several low shots at Angie and Helen during the evening. She also has a reputation for some pretty loud confrontations, so I'm wondering what 'tone' she intends to improve.

Its clear that both Jill Johnson and Lauderdale would do away with Conservation Futures at the first opportunity. And without Conservation Futures, we will see no more acquisitions of those very special places which make Island County such a great place to live and visit. As for the Clean Water Utility, it is obvious that neither Johnson nor Lauderdale are even aware of what it is or what it does, or that doing away with it will leave the county open to lawsuits and sanctions by the state. 

You can't expect a challenger to know all about what's going on at the county, but if they're serious about the office they should at least try to educate themselves. Jill Johnson has attended either two or three commissioner meetings. Jeff Lauderdale has attended staff sessions and hearings for more than two years and evidently hasn't learned a thing in that time. He still doesn't understand the budget process or which departments are mandated by the state and must be funded.

One of the more offensive claims by Lauderdale is the demand for more deputies at the cost of everything else the county does. There is a great deal of evidence to the effect that providing an ounce of prevention in the form of parks, open space, and services for kids, seniors, and those with mental health problems is worth many pounds of cure in deputies dealing with kids going wild and adults wound too tight. The mayor of Los Angeles has instituted a program of providing parks in the worst neighborhoods because it reduces the crime rate significantly. You'll note from the exchanges above that Jill Johnson has now drunk Lauderdale's kool-aid and is singing the same tune. For someone who has served as a Big Sister, this seems rather inconsistent.

Now its your turn to think about all of this.

US President and Vice-President

Here is the 2012 General Election Crib Sheet, in many pages. I went to the trouble of researching all the presidential/vice presidential candidates, and found some very interesting information along the way. Have fun with those.

As you know, I'm not telling anyone how to vote. I'm merely telling you how I intend to vote and why. You get to take it from there. And in response to critique from the peanut gallery, I'm adding a check beside my choices, to make sure no one is confused by the use of red to indicate my favorites.

I started out trying to keep the snark factor under control. "Just the facts, ma'am." And then I dropped the inner censor a notch or two.  Have fun.

√  Barack Obama,  D, incumbent

√  Joe Biden, D, incumbent

            Don’t know what I can or need to say about these two. They’re not my first choice, but they’re many orders of magnitude better than the only realistic competition. Yeah, Obama is  not a very good debater. On the other hand, its awfully hard to get a word in edgewise when your opponent is so busy spouting bilgewater and bullfrogs. I'll vote for Obama because I want to know that Social Security and Medicare will continue, and not be turned into voluntary programs to enrich private insurance companies and Wall Street. I wish we'd heard at least a word from Obama about the environment and global climate change. The impression is that he is lukewarm, but at least leaning in a positive direction. 

Mitt Romney, R

Paul Ryan, R

            If you are a masochist, go ahead, vote for these guys. They happen to disregard half the population, writing them off as freeloaders, and of course they think women should be kept in their place - barefoot and pregnant. As for global warming, that’s a joke and we really need to burn more fossil fuel. And of course we 47% are merely baggage in Romney's country, who don't need to be considered. We’re still wondering, if he loves this country so much, why does he send his money to the Caymen Islands and Switzerland.  He likes coal and will shut down NPR. The latest news is that Big Bird will be leading a 'million bird march' in Washington. He's good on a stage when he's been coached. Not so good in the real world where the rest of us live. No thanks.

Gary Johnson, Libertarian, former New Mexico governor

James Gray, Libertarian

             Johnson says he’s more liberal than Obama, more conservative than Romney, doesn’t want to bomb Iran, wants out of Afghanistan, supports marriage equality, wants to end the war on drugs, repeal the Patriot Act, abolish IRS, eliminate income tax and corporate tax and replace them with a consumption tax.

            The party platform includes repealing Obamacare, supports gun-owning rights, and fewer immigration restrictions. they’re all over the map, which makes them both confused and confusing.

Virgil Goode, Constitution Party

James N Clymer, Constitution Party

            Goode is the ultra conservative former 6 term Virginia congressman who is pulling a Nader. Virginia Rs are worried. A former D, he voted to impeach Clinton in 1998 and left the party. Wants to reduce the federal debt, rein in PACs, institute a moratorium on issuing green cards to immigrants until unemployment drops below 5%. Wants to stop outsourcing jobs & concentrate on Americans.

            Clymer is an attorney from PA, with a hybrid platform of traditional conservatism and libertarianism. Objects to the Patriot Act, TARP, bailouts of private industries. Considers the R and D agendas as too similar to differentiate.

            The Constitution party platform is very similar to the Libertarian platform. Both propose to abolish IRS and income tax, most executive departments except those relating to the military, both want repeal of the Patriot Act.  “A fundamental difference between the parties is that the Constitution Party believes that the foundation of our law, our jurisprudence, and our legal system is rooted in the Judeo-Christian bible. The Libertarian Party has a more secular viewpoint.” Can’t accept Libertarian tolerance for homosexual marriage or abortion. They want a constitutional amendment to ban abortion and declare fetal personhood, and an amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. They want sealed borders, but agree with Libertarians on ending the war on drugs.

Jill Stein, Green party, MD from Massachusetts

Cheri Honkala, Green party, anti-poverty activist, Pennsylvania

            This is a ticket I would be proud to vote for. Their platform reflects all the things I’ve been saying for years. How very refreshing. Check out their issues at:

http://www.jillstein.org/issues

http://www.democracynow.org/2012/7/13/green_party_nominee_jill_stein_running

Watch the interview on Democracy Now to get a good sense of these two strong women.  I know several people who feel that Washington is “safe” for Obama without their vote so they’re going to vote Green, where their hearts are. I have to say, I’m very tempted.

Peta Lindsay, Socialism and Liberation Party, anti-war activist, Pennsylvania

Yari Osorio, Socialism & Liberation Party

            They’re only on the ballot in 13 states. Theirs is a typical old-line socialist agenda, dethroning capitalism and the corporations which feed and are fed by it. They want to bring down the banks which brought down the economy, cancel student debt and institute free education, end ‘imperialist’ wars and shut down all US military bases outside the US, protect the environment by ending capitalism, support abortion rights, LGBT equality, an end to mass incarceration, immigrant rights. Certainly better than Republicanism, but a bit off center and incomplete.

James Harris, Socialist Workers Party

Alyson Kennedy, Socialist Workers Party

            Their website appears to be out of date and discombobulated.  They can’t seem to settle on their vice presidential candidate. They’re on the ballot in 8 states. Harris has run for president several times before, never gaining more than 8500 votes. The SWP consider themselves the true communists, and theirs is the old workers’ platform: massive public works programs to put people back to work, universal health care which excludes the insurance industry. If they weren’t so disorganized they might have useful contributions to the discussion. 

Ross (Rocky) Anderson, Justice Party

Luis Rodriguez, Justice Party

            On the ballot in 15 states. Anderson is an attorney, former mayor of Salt Lake City. Their website says that Rocky advocates:

•                The promotion of the public interest through the defeat of the systemic corruption that has caused massive failures in public policy

•                An immediate end to the on-going wars

•                Essential health care coverage for all citizens

•                Urgent international leadership by the U.S. to prevent against the most catastrophic consequences of climate disruption

•                Adequate revenues to balance the budget through fair taxation

•                Treatment of substance abuse as a public health, rather than criminal justice, issue

•                Control of the Federal Reserve by the Treasury Department and Congress

•                A balanced budget (or a surplus) except in times of war or major recession

•                An end to the legal concept of corporate “personhood”

•                A constitutional amendment to overrule Citizens United and to allow limits or prohibitions on the corrosive impact of money in our electoral system

•                An end to the stranglehold on our government by the military-industrial complex                       

•                http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/29/presidential_hopeful_rocky_anderson_dems_gop

                        They say all the right things, including debates on Progressive Radio with people like Dennis Kucinich and Ralph Nader. So why am I still nervous? 

US Senate and House

US Senate

√  Maria Cantwell, D, incumbent. We’ve watched Maria for the last 6 years and for the most part she has supported our issues. She has a strong environmental record. Sometimes she has been ahead of the curve. At times we have disagreed with her, but her intentions have always been honorable. We’re lucky to have Maria. Endorsed by Progressive Voters.

Michael Baumgartner, R, currently state senator,  anti birth control, Mr cleancut from Spokane. His background is as a diplomat serving the Bush state dept in Baghdad in 2007/8 and in counter narcotics (opium) in Afghanistan 2008/9. Worked for Hecla mining in Venezuela. He’s a typical Bush republican who wants to ‘reform’ health care and Social Security. He called Cantwell unqualified to speak on birth control because she is not married.

US House, congressional district 2

√  Rick Larsen, D, incumbent, by no means my favorite, but certainly better than the competition, supports Bellingham coal terminal (damn him). Endorsed by Progressive Voters because of the good things he’s done, such as support for additional wilderness. If you didn’t know, we’ve just added a significant area to the North Cascades wilderness complex. He does generally lend his vote to the dem side in the house.

Dan Matthews, R, Mukilteo, touted on Island Politics & Eagle Forum (right wing blogs), retired AF Lt Col, “social conservative”, “Uniting for God and Country”, tea party candidate (his statement). claims to be a member of the Cousteau Society & The Nature Conservancy - also a lifetime NRA member, Heritage Foundation supporter. Opposes the Violence Against Women Act, claims its a weapon against men and a way to ‘game the system.’ 

governor & lieutenant governor

WA state governor

√  Jay Inslee, D            (currently US representative) focus on

~ economy. He fought bank deregulation and the bailout. He wanted relief for bank mortgage victims.

~ clean energy. He’s an expert and has proposed a detailed economic plan for new clean energy industries, which will create jobs.

~ education. supports increased innovation in the classroom and smaller class size. He knows education = jobs, so wants to increase emphasis on science, tech, and math.

~ equality. strong supporter of equality and civil rights, gay marriage.

~ choice. strong supporter of women’s right to choose, continued funding for Planned Parenthood, and full access to reproductive services.

~ environment.  he’s a recognized environmental champion, endorsed by conservation organizations.

~ transportation. he recognizes that transportation is more than cars and freeways. He’s working toward “a connected multi-modal, well-maintained transportation system that maximizes our ability to move people and goods.”

~ veterans. leader in pursuing health and economic security for WA veterans, particularly in training and jobs. 

Rob McKenna, R  (currently AG) appealed Obamacare to the Supreme Court. Says he’ll create jobs by ‘reducing government interference’  (you know, enabling the ‘job creators’). Says education will be improved via competition, innovation, and charter schools (read: privatization); wants to break teachers’ unions (again, read: privatization). He wants to outsource government functions, create public v private competition, and break staff unions. Are we beginning to catch a theme of union busting here? He wants to  ‘reduce lawsuit abuse’, which translates into slamming the courthouse door on people who have been harmed,  and to shrink government through attrition. This does raise a question about who is going to do the work. He’ll save $ on state health care costs by shrinking or doing away with Basic Health. He doesn’t say what happens to the poor people who lose coverage. He’ll privatize Labor & Industries (disability) insurance, and push for tort reform (limits on corporate liability). Yowza! This is our very own local Romney.

WA Lieutenant Governor (serves as president of the state Senate)

√  Brad Owen, D incumbent,  top priority is to stimulate the economy & create jobs, help WA business increase its share of world markets. He’s a former rock musician who uses his talents in his personal campaign of  substance abuse prevention, bullying prevention, and  promotion of child welfare. We’ve heard very little, either good or bad about him while in office, which the Tacoma News-Tribune says is an indication that he is doing his job well, and has been doing so for 16 years. He has spent a lot of time as a trade ambassador to other countries, which opponent Finkbeiner says is inappropriate. He says he’s courting trade and has made significant contributions to Washington’s economy at little or no cost to taxpayers. Progressive Voter reports that he sides with Tim Eyman on tax issues. He says he’s non-partisan, working with labor and business to create new jobs. He declares that he will run a positive campaign (no mudslinging).

Bill Finkbeiner, R, proposes to break partisan gridlock by reducing the number of staff and limiting the influence of lobbyists. He says he wants to ‘remove the aisle’ and make Senators sit wherever. Is this really going to make them talk to each other or agree on issues? He says he’ll act as a mediator to settle differences. Sounds good, but his history in the legislature is as a solid R. Can he be expected to mediate in good faith? He’s endorsed by Progressive Voter, and looking at his platform I can see why. It sounds really good - until you figure out what that means. He wants to make sure the legislature does not borrow more money than it can repay. Yes, of course. But what does that mean in the real world? He rags on Brad Owen for “world travel.” It seems that Mr Finkbeiner is trying to downplay a fair amount of political baggage, including trying to stop and/or slow the final ratification of Christine Gregoire as governor. Seattle Times says he was engaging in “a season of cheap shots.”

state offices

WA Secretary of State

√  Kathleen Drew, D, former state senator, endorsed by Progressive Voter, NOW, labor, Washington Environmental Council. Wrote the state’s Ethics in Public Service law, works on fair elections. pro-choice.  top message: ensure impartial and fair elections, streamline services to business and charitable organizations, increase community and civic engagement. Supports a ‘high earners’ income tax.

Kim Wyman, R, Thurston Co Auditor,  opposes same-day voter registration, wants to modernize elections to improve accuracy and efficiency, make archives and documents more accessible. Not awful. Just not as good as Drew.

WA State Treasurer

√  Jim McIntire, D. endorsed by Progressive Voters. intends to protect the long term interests of taxpayers and encourage investment in the future. Dares to say we need a state income tax. Supports single payer nationally as a way to save money, believes in raising taxes to pay for essential services such as health care and education.

Sharon Hanek, R, write-in candidate. The platform looked good, but then I got to the endorsements: Citizens Alliance for Property Rights, North Olympic Counties Farm Bureau, We Believe - We Vote, a whole slew of far right candidates and electeds, including Barbara Bailey, John Koster, and Clint Didier. With friends like these, I don’t think I want her handling our state’s treasury.

WA State Auditor

√  Troy Kelley, D, conservative, moderate on social issues. He has been accused by his R opponent of all manner of financial wrongdoing. This caused me some concern, so I looked into it. Seems Mr Watkins did the same thing to Jay Inslee. Political mudslinging of the lowest order. Under other circumstances I would have sat out this race, but I don’t believe in enabling this kind of disgusting behavior, so am voting for Kelley to send a message to the mudslingers.

James Watkins, R, business consultant, As mentioned above, Watkins made some pretty serious allegations of financial misconduct against Troy Kelley. The Tacoma News-Tribune investigated and found that Watkins had done the same to Jay Inslee, and found the accusations baseless mudslinging.

WA state Attorney General

√  Bob Ferguson, D, endorsed by Progressive Voter and a whole list of others. progressive on criminal justice, government transparency, environmental protection, limits on greenhouse gases, and support for veterans. As an attorney he successfully challenged one of Tim Eyman’s initiatives. He’s pro-choice and pro women’s rights. Described by associates as nerdy and earnest. Top 3 campaign messages: 1. consumer protection. 2. public safety. 3. environmental protection. Focus on veterans, foreclosure fairness act. Supports Obamacare. Wants to close tax loopholes enjoyed by out of state banks & use proceeds to fund schools. This was actually passed by the legislature and is now on the ballot. You’ll see it below.

Reagan Dunn, R, King Co council member, typical R on most issues,  Focus seems to be on being a top cop. Lied during debate, claiming 2 more years in civil practice than the reality. Seattle P-I has documented this tendency to exaggerate. Claims to have helped prosecute the 20^th hijacker and been victim of a hit order by an international gang. Trust fund baby, named for Ronald Reagan. Contemporaries describe him as a partying frat boy with a rich and famous mom (Jennifer Dunn). Shows up for roll call, then leaves before actual public testimony, debate, and vote.

Commissioner of Public Lands

√  Peter Goldmark, D, incumbent, has been picking up pieces and cleaning up after his ‘log it all now’ predecessor. Has reinstated reasonable limits on logging public lands, has been trying to put people to work cleaning up Puget Sound. principles: manage state lands sustainably, make decisions based on sound science, transparency. Increased logging permit fees to make administering logging pay for itself.

Clint Didier, R, former NFL football player, worries about UN black helicopters, out to stop ‘big time assault on private property rights.’ Accuses Goldmark of allegiance to the UN. Ran against Dino Rossi in 2010. Lost badly.

WA Superintendent of Public Instruction

Randy Dorn (incumbent) says he has improved student testing, holding all parties responsible for student learning, improved ability to remove or improve poor teachers, partnered with Microsoft and Boeing, has led fight for funding. wants to continue. Its so  non-specific as to leave me wondering. I’m not at all clear why he is on the ballot all by himself, but there he is.

WA Insurance Commissioner

√  Mike Kreidler, D - (incumbent), campaign messages: continue to implement health care reform (Obamacare), continue to fight for lower health insurance premiums, continue to fight for insurance consumers. Strong civil rights proponent. He’s been doing a good job, which we know because we hear the complaints of the insurance industry. http://www.insurance.wa.gov/   This is where you go to ask questions or file complaints about insurance companies.

John R Adams, R, proposes to audit the Insurance Commissioner’s office, reduce over-regulation, reform unfair underwriting practices, tort reform, claims payment reform - all the corporate agenda code words. Reduce over-regulation = giving insurance companies free rein. Reform unfair underwriting practices = let insurance companies discriminate against women, people with ‘existing conditions’, etc. Tort reform = limiting lawsuits against insurance companies (and others) by limiting maximum judgments, disallowing class action lawsuits, etc. Claims payment reform = if plaintiffs actually get a favorable judgment out of a court, not having to actually pay. This is not someone we want representing us. 

10th legislative district

position 1

√  Aaron Simpson, D, Langley, endorsed by Progressive Voter. He’s young, which means he has ideas the same old same old haven’t thought of. He supports public schools and recognizes the threat charter schools pose to public school funding. He’s brave (or naive) enough to take on Washington’s unfair regressive tax system. “Eliminate tax incentives that don’t create jobs and design ones that do.” He wants to protect agricultural land for production and clarify environmental regulations.

Norma Smith, R, incumbent, very personable, easy to talk to. Just don’t expect actual support. Talks a good line but votes the usual R destructo agenda. Thinks chopping state programs is the way to create jobs. Sponsored a bill limiting the authority of state agencies (HB 1151). Sponsored a bill requiring special license plates for people convicted of DUIs (maybe with scarlet letters?). Sponsored a moratorium on rulemaking (HB 1156). Offered to help with State Parks funding but we never heard from her again.

position 2

√  Tom Riggs, D, ran 2 years ago and was swamped by Bailey. Camano state park ranger. endorsed by Progressive Voter and just about everybody else. focus: Washington jobs, sustainable economy, voice for working people. President (2^nd term) Camano Chamber of Commerce. His tag line: “Its your government and your money, isn’t it time it started working for you?”

Dave Hayes, R, police officer. focus: education, public safety, removing regulations from small business. Endorsed by Barbara Bailey and Norma Smith. His life’s focus has been on “public safety.” He tells us he was in the Navy, based at NAS Whidbey, then worked as a Marysville cop, then a Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy. The problem with people who are trained as hammers is that they see all situations as nails to be hit. By focusing on ‘public safety’ such people overlook the obvious: an ounce of prevention in the form of public parks, public health, and basic support is a lot cheaper and easier on all concerned than hammering people after they’ve gone over an edge. His website does not provide a single actual position on an issue.  Just another R in the mold of Barbara and Norma.

10^th leg. district, senate

√  Mary Margaret Haugen, D,  incumbent, endorsed by Progressive Voter. Mary Margaret has been around forever. She has her faults, but she knows what’s important. She doesn’t admit it in the current political climate, but Mary Margaret was one of the authors of the Growth Management Act, which has been the biggest single law to keep Island County from being over-run by slob development. You may have read that the ferry system wants to save money by canceling some Keystone and Mukilteo ferry runs. Mary Margaret is the chair of the Senate transportation committee and she says no, we need those boats. And we know Mary Margaret, she’ll make it stick. She also told all her supporters (and by no means for the first time) that she would have no mud slinging on her behalf. And she has made it stick.

Given the competition, its important to re-elect her.

Barbara Bailey, R, currently state rep, member of ALEC, proud of having demolished the state budget. Genuinely believes that there is money hiding somewhere and the Dems refuse to bring it forward. Most of her funding comes from big pharma, and her votes reflect that and the ALEC (think Trayvon Martin/Stand Your Ground) agenda. Her website does not reveal her platform. She did send out a flyer which says jobs are her first priority, and we’re going to get them by shrinking government. She says “private sector job growth will stabilize tax revenue for critical government services, like education and public safety.”  And just when can we expect those jobs?

The Republican Central Committee has sent out a number of blatantly false hit pieces against Mary Margaret. Bailey cried buckets of crocodile tears about how she couldn’t control other people and she had nothing to do with that. Funny, Mary Margaret said she wouldn’t have mudlsinging and people abided by that. So Bailey is saying that she can’t control her own supporters? Doesn’t speak well for having any influence in the Senate. Bailey is the problem.

the courts, VERY IMPORTANT

We've got one contested race, for position 9 on the State Supreme Court. This one is very important because as we've been seeing at the federal level, the courts make a major difference in how our world works.

WA state Supreme Court

I’m not at all clear on why two of the judges are running unopposed - a second time.

position 2

√  Susan Owens, incumbent, endorsed by Progressive Voter, been a good judge for 12 years. No reason to change now. Judged Well Qualified by King Co Bar Assoc. Described by a fellow justice as “bright, well-intentioned, thoughtful and compassionate, and takes her job very seriously.”

position 8

√  Steve Gonzalez, incumbent, appointed 2012, endorsed by Progressive Voter, respected and experienced judge on King Co Superior Court, former Assistant US Attorney. “We need to have the courage to speak for people who don’t have a voice.”

position 9

√  Sheryl Gordon McCloud, endorsed by Progressive Voter and an impressive array of judges and attorneys. She wants to assure that trials are conducted properly. “I’ve been fighting for fairness for all, including those who have often lacked meaningful access to the judicial system.” Says one attorney: “McCloud’s reputation for fairness and her tireless pursuit of justice will benefit all of our State’s citizens.” She represented a man wrongly sentenced to death and won him a retrial. She worked to win sick leave benefits for pregnant women. She has fought for battered women who fight back.  She has also fought to support the right to own guns. Gotta say, she’s fair across ideological lines.

           

Richard Sanders former justice, libertarian property rights proponent who has consistently ruled against women, LGBTs, and the environment. Thinks diversity is a red herring. Its all about individual rights. Endorsed by contractors, Libertarians, NRA, Christian Homeschoolers, Pro-lifers, Property Rights proponents. He was bad news when he was on the court before. He will be bad news if he’s elected again.

Court of Appeals  division 1, district 3  position 1           

√  Mary Kay Becker, incumbent, unopposed  She’s been on the court of appeals since 1994. Back in 1973 she co-wrote a fictional account of a major oil spill in Puget Sound. Her focus as a state representative was juvenile and adult sentencing, agriculture, environmental affairs, and budgeting for social services. 

Island County

Island County Superior Court

position 1            
√  Alan Hancock, incumbent, unopposed   I’ve watched Judge Hancock at work and have to say he is a deep thinker, a scrupulous researcher, and has amazing patience with fools. We’re lucky to have judge Hancock.

position 2            
√  Vickie Churchill, incumbent, unopposed  Judge Churchill seems to get the high profile criminal cases, often involving juveniles. She has been the spark plug behind the county’s juvenile detention center, which has actually reduced juvenile crime to the point that some on the right are demanding it be shut down.

Island County Commissioner, district 1

√  Helen Price-Johnson, D, incumbent  We’ve had our differences with Helen, but she is at least willing to listen, even if she’s not willing to appoint one of us to the county’s Noxious Weed Board. She has had time to learn how the county works, and understands its various functions on behalf of citizens. She donated back 10% of her salary to help balance the over-tight budget. She believes that the county has more functions than just cops and jails. Providing health services, public land, and veteran and senior services prevents the crime that sends people into the cops and jails system. An ounce of prevention is far less expensive and far less personally painful than the many pounds of cure offered by the sheriff. She has shown surprising patience with Kelly Emerson and her irrelevant, illegal, and sometimes dangerous grandstanding and petty obstructionism.

Helped create and continues to support the Clean Water Utility. Supports Conservation Futures.

Jeff Lauderdale, tea party R, focus on law’n order, “the real environment is  the human environment . . . protecting our property and our freedoms.” He thinks open space refers only to agriculture, and believes property rights should trump environmental protection. His knickers are twisted because Island County chose not to opt in to the “Voluntary Stewardship Program” offered to farmers as an alternative to obeying the county’s Critical Areas Ordinance. The farmers thought this would be a state gravy train. Which makes it odd that Jeff Lauderdale, who wants to shrink the state’s budget, should argue in its favor. One has the distinct impression that he doesn’t really know the issues or the impacts and is talking out of his hat.

            He makes some pretty questionable claims on his website about Commissioners Homola and Price-Johnson bending county policy as a personal favor to my partner and me. I have just posted notice on his website requesting that he remove the false and libelous statements by October 9. His website features the classic tea party video about ‘if I wanted America to fail’ and then lists such things as curbing fossil fuels, dealing with climate change, ‘demonizing prosperity’, etc. as causing America to fail. He works closely with Kelly Emerson and wants to abolish the Clean Water Utility and Conservation Futures.

            He doesn’t see that the recession has hurt county government, which only goes to show that even though he attends many commissioner meetings, he is not understanding what happens. All he can see is that county offices are shut on Fridays. He can’t see that some departments have only a single staff person. The whole department shuts down when they want a cup of coffee or need to use the bathroom. There are huge information technology issues which a little bit of money would resolve, saving staff gazillions of hours. He has obviously never looked under the hood of county government. He just knows he wants less of it - and more cops.

Island County Commissioner, district 2

√  Angie Homola, D, incumbent Angie is one of the hardest workers I have ever met. I don’t think she sleeps. She is thorough and detail oriented, with a rare understanding of the budget and how the pieces fit (or don’t fit) together. She has donated back  more than 10% of her salary to help balance the budget. She’s had a focus on improving conditions for veterans, who she believes have been treated shabbily. Angie believes that public safety is important, but that an ounce of prevention in the form of health care, public open space, and support for children and seniors is worth pounds of policing cure offered by the sheriff. She believes that the way we protect both the quality of life and the economic vitality of the county is by protecting the environment in which we all live and work. Tourists don’t come here to visit Walmart. Angie has been the favorite target of fellow commissioner Tea Party Kelly Emerson, who enjoys interrupting, shouting down, and insulting her during hearings. Angie proposed and helped create the Clean Water Utility.

 Watching a commissioner staff session is very instructive. Kelly Emerson is paying no attention, reading email on her private iPad. Helen knows what’s going on and speaks in general terms. Angie is the one who has read whatever it is, has notes in the margins on every page and is ready to discuss every detail. She’s the one who wants to know how this fits into the existing budget, how necessary it is, and what will happen if they don’t adopt it. Maybe that’s what has Lauderdale and his tea party buddies so upset.

Jill Johnson, R, executive, Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce. This summer she changed the route of the July 4 parade without informing the business owners on Pioneer Way who were preparing for crowds that did not appear. As Chamber executive she promotes shopping local - then does her Christmas shopping on the mainland and farms out printing of her campaign signs to businesses across the country.

She has not attended county commissioner meetings and does not appear to understand county issues. She was born and raised in Oak Harbor and does not seem to have learned much about the rest of the county. Her focus is on economic growth, without considering the environmental basis for that growth. Her website does not provide any information on county issues.

While accusing current commissioners of being confrontational and accusatory, and claiming that she will bring trust and collaboration, she has had some major high-decibel confrontations with her opponents and with downtown business owners. Evidently this is her style at work as well. Her failure to inform Pioneer Way businesses about the changed parade route does not argue well for trust and collaboration.  She has said that she would get rid of the Conservation Futures fund. You know, the one that bought us Double Bluff, Greenbank Farm, Ala Spit, Davis Slough, and conservation easements on many of the prairie farms.

In relation to the budget she has said “we can have it all.” Really? I would sure like to hear her expand on that statement. I have watched commissioners Angie and Helen sweat blood over the budget, dickering, arguing, listening to impassioned pleas from people to whom one particular item is desperately important and then having to tell them, sorry, there is just no way we can do that.

Jill now sits on the Oak Harbor Planning Commission. The minutes of those meetings give the impression that she is not well informed on the issues. One has the impression she does not do her homework. Will she continue in that role if elected? How many hats does she expect to wear?

Her pop-up ads on the Whidbey News Times on-line were truly annoying. 

PUD #1 Commissioner, District 2

Kathleen Vaughn, incumbent  Has been a commissioner since 1995. Favors a proposal for a new ‘innovative energy facility’ (a dam) on the Skykomish, one mile out of Index, which would generate 30 megawatts of energy but would not count toward the requirement for 15% renewables. The solution? Change the law. She’s endorsed by the Herald as the “tested public servant.”  Her background is as the owner of a mortgage company. Six years ago she was criticized for failing to endorse Initiative 937 (it passed) which requires that utilities generate 15% renewable energy.

√  Eric Teegarden  is a systems engineer and solar advocate with degrees in environmental science and physics  who objects to new hydro instead of solar and geothermal. The Herald says very nice things about him, calls him ‘the idea guy,’ asks that he continue with his advocacy, and that the commission consider his ideas.

Mr Teegarden points out that the same amount of money could be spent on putting solar panels on thousands of homes and big box stores without dynamiting through granite and destroying a gorgeous canyon.

At this point there is a question whether the facility would qualify as a dam. FERC has issued a very preliminary permit to “study and assess” the project’s feasibility.

Both candidates agree on energy conservation.

You know me. I’m a sucker for environmental protection, sustainable energy, and keeping gorgeous canyons. I don’t get to vote on this, but I’d go for Mr Teegarden.

Ballot issues

I received some comment to the effect that putting my choices in red could be confusing. Just to be sure, I've added a checkmark to my picks.


Initiative 1185, taxes and fees, would require 2/3 legislative approval or a vote by the people in order to raise taxes, and a simple majority of both houses to increase fees. This is a re-run of  I-1053 which was found illegal. Classic Eyman blueprint for destroying government. The simple majority of both houses to increase fees ought to work well. Remember the brouhaha over raising annual dog licenses from $7.00 to $10.00? Now imagine both house and senate having to vote on every single one of these.

http://www.majorityrules.org/2012/05/eymans-initiative-1185-is-road-to-nowhere.html

https://wei.sos.wa.gov/agency/osos/en/press_and_research/PreviousElections/2012/General-Election/Pages/Online-Voters-Guide.aspx

    yes

√  no

Initiative 1240, education, would allow 40 public charter schools in the state over 5 years. Very popular with Tea party types, Libertarians, and the people who paid millions to get this on the ballot - Walmart heirs, Bill Gates, Paul Allen, Bezos family members. Washington Education Association is against it because they see charter schools draining scarce $ out of public schools. I agree. Fix the schools we have rather than building new and different ones to get around them. What we see in other states is that for-profit businesses are taking over public education, and this is one way they do that. We also see the religious right injecting their agenda and curriculum into charter schools.  I say if  a school has a problem the community needs to step in, not offer it to those with a profit agenda.

http://ourvoicewashingtonea.org/issues/charter-schools/

https://wei.sos.wa.gov/agency/osos/en/press_and_research/PreviousElections/2012/General-Election/Pages/Online-Voters-Guide.aspx

   yes

√ no

Referendum 74, marriage, should same sex marriage be legalized in Washington? Well, duh! A vote for approved favors same sex marriage. If you really feel you need to read the arguments pro and con, go to: https://wei.sos.wa.gov/agency/osos/en/press_and_research/PreviousElections/2012/General-Election/Pages/Online-Voters-Guide.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Referendum_74_(2012)

√  approved

    rejected

Initiative 502, marijuana, would legalize and regulate sale of small amounts of marijuana to people 21 and older. Sigh. Here is an issue for which I have fought these 45 years, and the version that is on the ballot is less than satisfactory. Of course I favor legalization. Lest you think I’m one of those dope smoking hippies, that was then. I quit smoking 25 years ago. But I really would like to grow my own fibre hemp. 502 does not allow that. I was lectured sternly that this is a beginning and we can always improve on it later. I am dubious. I really don’t like setting up a system which makes the only providers large corporations who are able to go through a long and expensive approval process. There’s also the issue of drivers having to prove, via a blood test, that they are not under the influence - except that traces remain in the system for up to 6 months, so a test would prove nothing. There is just too much potential for abuse of privacy and individual rights written into this version. I hate to have to, but I’ll be voting no.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Initiative_502_(2011)

https://wei.sos.wa.gov/agency/osos/en/press_and_research/PreviousElections/2012/General-Election/Pages/Online-Voters-Guide.aspx

    yes

√  no

Senate Joint Resolution 8221, budgets, to include the recommendations of the commission on state debt. As far as I can tell this is an arcane amendment to  how debt and interest due is calculated. It claims to be non-controversial. It probably is.

http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Washington_State_Debt_Amendment,_SJR_8221_(2012)

√  approved

    rejected

Senate Joint Resolution 8223, Public Universities Amendment, education, provide authority to state research universities to invest funds. At present the universities are very tightly constrained in how they may invest their endowments, which amount to $1.5 billion at the moment (after losing half a billion in the recession). This would allow them to invest their endowments in private stocks. That sounds pretty dicey to me. Those private stocks haven’t done so well for their investors in the last few years.  http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=8223&year=2011

    approved

√  rejected

Advisory Vote 1 (ESB 6635)  The legislature closed a tax loophole for out of state banks who hold mortgage paper in Washington. They were not paying B&O tax on the interest they were earning in Washington. With the new Eyman requirement, after the legislature acted, the matter now has to go to a public vote. Do we, or do we not, want out of state banks to pay their fair share? This will remove preferential treatment for “certain large banks.” It will bring in upward of $18 million now being avoided by out of state banks. The question as written is: “This tax increase should be [ ] repealed or [ ] maintained.” I don’t see it as a tax increase but the closing of a loophole. Yes, we should maintain that loophole in a closed position so those out of state banks don’t have an advantage over in-state banks, and the state gains a little bit of desperately needed revenue.

http://www.nwcua.org/member-resources/anthem/washington-legislative-update-state-bank-tax-exemption-to-appear-on-november-ballot

    repealed

√  maintained

Advisory Vote 2 (SHB 2590)  Here’s another bill passed by the legislature which now has to go to a public advisory vote. This one involves retaining the Petroleum Products tax. This is a tax on the first possession of a petroleum product, currently 0.5% of the wholesale value.  This bill delays expiration of the Pollution Liability Insurance Agency’s funding by not allowing the tax to expire until July 2020. “The mission of the Pollution Liability 
Insurance Agency (PLIA) is to make 
pollution liability insurance available and 
affordable to the owners and operators of 
regulated petroleum underground storage 
tanks (USTs) and heating oil tanks by 
offering reinsurance services to the 
insurance industry.” It goes on to say that this program receives nothing from the general fund. This is an award winning program preventing groundwater contamination by assuring that storage tanks are safe. So why exactly would we want to let the program expire? This is on the ballot because of a previous Eyman initiative (I-960) similar to 1185 above. Eyman and his wonderfully cynical sponsors assume the public is ignorant and will automatically vote against what they see as a tax increase. Of course this is not. Oh, and its a non-binding advisory vote.  http://www.plia.wa.gov/ 

    repealed

√  maintained