The Central Committee of the San Juan County Republican Party reccomends the following picks on the November ballot. However, we encourage everyone to vote their own mind, and we welcome hearing your opinions on these candidates/initatives.
INITIATIVE 1125 – STATE EXPENDITURES ON TRANSPORTATION
RECOMMENDED VOTE: YES
This initiative restricts new transportation revenues from being used for other purposes. It also puts the decision on toll setting back into the hands of the legislature.
IMPACT: I-1125 would transfer toll-setting decisions from unelected bureaucrats to legislators who are accountable to their constituents, making Washington the only state in the nation to do so. The Office of Financial Management’s official impact statement warns, “Bonds secured solely by toll revenue will become prohibitively expensive if the Legislature sets tolls thus eliminating this financing tool for transportation projects.” The measure would likely, prevent, or at least delay, light rail on the I-90 floating bridge and prevent tolls collected on I-90 from funding the SR 520 bridge replacement project.
INITIATIVE 1163 – LONG-TERM CARE WORKERS & SERVICES FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED PEOPLE
RECOMMENDED VOTE: REJECT
This bill sponsored by SEIU would give the union control over the training of long-term health care workers who serve the elderly.
IMPACT: Since 2008, Washington’s economic situation has worsened, and the proposed policy for training health care workers has become more expensive. Current law already requires state background checks and training. This unfunded mandate of $80 million over the next two years punts the scramble for funding to a legislature that already faces a massive revenue problem. Ironically, if I-1163 passes, assistance for the elderly and disabled may be diverted to finance paid training only for union workers.
INITIATIVE 1183 – CONCERNING BEER, WINE, AND LIQUOR
RECOMMENDED VOTE: ACCEPT
I-1183 would end Washington State’s monopoly on liquor sales and distribution and add some much needed competition to the current outdated system.
IMPACT: Two separate analyses of the measure project revenue gains to the state and local governments, particularly because of new distributor and retail license fees. Washington Research Council shows state and local governments would gain $433 million over six years. The Office of Financial Management estimates these revenues would be as high as $480 million. Regarding the initiative’s social impact, studies of 48 states have found no link between government control over liquor sales and key social goals such as reductions in underage drinking, underage binge drinking, and alcohol-related traffic deaths.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8205 – ELECTION ELIGIBILITY
RECOMMENDED VOTE: ACCEPT
The Washington Constitution currently requires a person reside here for at least 30 days before being eligible to vote. However, the Constitution also includes another requirement for 60 days residency.
IMPACT: This resolution will not change anything in practice; it merely makes the language of our State Constitution internally consistent. Under the original language of our State Constitution, a person was required to reside within the state for one year before being eligible to vote here and to reside within their county at least 90 days, and their precinct at least 30 days. Current U.S. Supreme Court case law says that a residency requirement of more than 30 days is unconstitutional.
S. JOINT RESOLUTION 8206 – “RAINY DAY FUNDING”
RECOMMENDED VOTE:
This amendment restricts the legislature’s ability to spend all of the revenues received in the best economic times.
IMPACT: When government spends a dollar, it’s usually interpreted as a promise that government will spend another dollar (or more) in each future budget. This becomes a problem when the legislature spends all the revenues it receives in good times, which don’t last forever. This amendment would simply make it more difficult to spend some of an “extraordinary,” temporary spike in state revenues.
PROPOSITION 1 – EXTENSION THROUGH 2026 OF CONSERVATION AREA REAL ESTATE EXCISE TAX
RECOMMENDED VOTE: NO
The Land Bank is prematurely requesting another authorization to extract a 1% tax from all real property purchases for another 12-year period. There are many issues, including its focus, mission, and the stewardship of currently owned lands that should be addressed before the Land Bank is re-authorized to tax transactions.
Like many organizations that have had success in their primary mission, the Land Bank has begun to lose focus on conservation. It has strayed into commercial development and is competing with the struggling private sector. We believe that its excessively long 12-year taxing authorization is to blame for this lack of focus, and is no longer needed to support the program.
The Land Bank has a large budget, millions of dollars in reserve, and many properties to manage. In this bad economy and with real estate sales at or near their lowest levels in decades, the Land Bank should concentrate on the prudent management of its investments and holdings.
PROPOSITION 2 – SOLID WASTE USER CHARGE
RECOMMENDED VOTE: NO
While this new “fee” will bring more money to county government, it will not solve the wait times, nor will it reduce county costs. It will continue comingled recycling and leave the county vulnerable to volume swings. The worst part of this new fee is that it will increase prices substantially in the following years.
The best solution is the Recycle Co-op proposed by Frank Penwell
CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION SUGGESTIONS
DISTRICT 1
Richard Civille
Gordy Petersen
Mary Jean Cahail
DISTRICT 2
Bob Llevinson
Amy Taylor
Stephanie O’Day
Janice Peterson
DISTRICT 3
Frank Penwell
Thomas Starr
DISTRICT 4
Ralph Gutschmidt
DISTRICT 5
Stephen Garrison
Leonard Wood
DISTRICT 6
Jerrold Gonce
Larry Hendel
ORCAS SCHOOL DISTRICT LEVY
VOTE NO
PORT OF ORCAS POSITION 2
Dwight Guss
PORT OF LOPEZ POSITION 1
Ed Kilduff
PORT OF LOPEZ POSITION 2
Stephen Adams
SAN JUAN ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT POSITION 3
Robin Delazerda
SAN JUAN ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT POSITION 5
Jack McKenna
ORCAS SCHOOL BOND ISSUE
NO
ORCAS SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO Recommendations due to the fact that none of the candidates are opposed
SHAW SCHOOL DISTRICT
NO Recommendations due to the fact that none of the candidates are opposed
PORT OF Orcas position 2
Dwight Guss
PORT OF LOPEZ POSITION 1
Ed Kilduff
PORT OF LOPEZ POSITION 2
Stephen K. Adams
TOWN COUNCIL OF FRIDAY HARBOR
No recommendations due to the fact that none of the candidates are opposed