Rich Peterson for San Juan County Council, District 2
County Councilman Rich Peterson has had a formidable challenger in Laura Jo Severson. But his experience gives him the edge in this election.
The council is in the middle of a lot of work on solid waste, the Critical Areas Ordinance update, and balancing the budget. This is a critical time. Peterson should be reelected.
Peterson has emerged bruised but better educated after serving as councilman during the county’s formative years as a charter county. He helped pare government spending. He helped get the ball rolling on updates to cell phone regulations. He advocated for the transfer station to stay on Sutton Road, because the county doesn’t have the money to build a new transfer station elsewhere. He implemented changes in management and structure at the planning department.
Peterson’s vote against the Brickworks conservation easement cost him friends in the community, he said, but he believes his vote was the right decision. Peterson said the council must give clearer direction to its appointed committees; for example, the council asked the Solid Waste Advisory Committee to recommend a transfer station site on San Juan Island but to not consider cost. The council went against the SWAC’s recommendation because it couldn’t afford its recommendation. Peterson wants to make sure such a mistake is not repeated.
We encourage voters to give Peterson a second term.
Kristine Lytton for state House, 40th District, Position 1
As president of the Anacortes School Board, Kristine Lytton has experience dealing with the fallout from decisions made on the state level. She has experience working with labor leaders to identify efficiencies and cut expenses in order to balance a budget.
As an elected official responsible for setting local policy and making sure students and teachers have the tools they need, she knows that it’s not enough to just cut expenses. “Taxpayers deserve to see us do the most important services better, not just cut everything another 15 percent,” she said.
She’s served as a legislative liaison in Olympia and has a good understanding of how state government works – and how it can work better. Mike Newman is a fine candidate, but Lytton is the right candidate at this time.
Lytton supports zero-based budgeting and prioritizing of programs — the most important services are retained and fully funded, lower priorities are greatly reduced or eliminated. “There are going to be things that fall off the table,” she told the Anacortes American. She supports an income tax for the state’s highest earners and cutting property taxes and B&O taxes for the middle class. She wants to explore privatization of some of the ferry operations.
“An ongoing discussion with our citizens about the level of services wanted and the taxes we are willing to pay is something I see missing in today’s politics. This is a discussion that I think has to happen for our State to succeed,” she said.
Reject Referendum 2008-2
We believe the ban on “safe and sane” fireworks should be rejected, but not for the sentimental reasons put forth by opponents.
The ban is overreaching. There are already adequate laws on the books banning illegal fireworks; those laws should be enforced.
Residents of islands other than Lopez, Orcas and San Juan cannot enjoy the commercial fireworks displays presented there; therefore, the ban would affect one segment of the county population more than others.
However, laws are written out of necessity. We live on forested islands where the fire risk runs high in summer. In 2008, personal fireworks caused 7,000 emergency room visits and 22,500 fires in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Personal fireworks stress pets and other animals. And the heavy metals in fireworks can cause environmental harm. Jackson’s Beach is usually trashed on the Fourth.
The privilege of using personal fireworks comes with responsibility. If we’re not responsible fireworks users, we could be asked again to ban fireworks. And The Journal may endorse it.
