Brickworks supporters (many not in his district) who are angry with Rich Peterson for putting the interests of the taxpayers above their cherished hope of a raid on the county coffers are now trying to punish him — and all the county taxpayers who look to him to put their interests first — by opposing his re-election.

Rich was, of course, absolutely right that his protection of the taxpayers’ interests was not a death knell for the Brickworks project — it is going ahead without the additional taxpayer support its proponents had sought. The highly intemperate rhetoric that his vote was a knife in the heart of Friday Harbor has proved to be not only intemperate and offensive but dead wrong.

But this has not assuaged the anger of the Brickworks’ true believers. Their interest is not just in the project itself, but in getting it paid for by you and me. Having lost that opportunity, they are striking out against responsible government even as their project is going forward.

Rich stood up for us when we needed him. Come election time, it’s time for us to stand up for him and thank him for putting out interests first. I encourage all taxpayers who care about having their interests represented on the council to return this responsible, fiscally prudent legislator to office. We need him there — and, though they don’t know it yet, the Brickworks supporters need him there too.

Christopher Hodgkin
District 2
San Juan Island