OPINION Islands’ Sounder
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Editorial
Wednesday, July 25, 2012 • The Islands’ Sounder
To the Editor:
Vote yes to keep public safety services
I
t wasn’t the first time her husband raised a fist to her face. But she had no idea it would be the last. Despite a frantic call to 911, she died at the hands of her spouse. Local deputies were overworked and in the middle of a major car accident. They couldn’t respond to the call. Does this sound dramatic and unrealistic? It’s not. It could happen. Domestic violence, drug dealing, drunk driving – it’s all part of our idyllic island communities. We depend on our county’s law, courts and justice departments to monitor and combat these illegal activities. Cutting funds to the Sheriff’s department and the Prosecutor’s office would be a major blow to our quality of life. This is why we support proposition one, the public safety sales tax on the Aug. 7 primary ballot. The tax is 3/10th of one percent. This means it’s 30 cents on every $100 dollars for visitors and locals alike. Groceries, prescription drugs and some other items are exempt. It will produce approximately $600,000 for the county and $400,000 for the Town of Friday Harbor. The county’s current budget projections show that next year revenues will fall $800,000 short of the amount needed to maintain the current level of county services and staffing. The shortfall totals approximately $3.6 million for budgets in 2013 through the end of 2015. Worst case scenarios: if the tax fails, the county will have to eliminate 14 county positions. If it passes, seven positions will be cut. According to a press release from the county, Sheriff Rob Nou noted that his force is already stretched thin providing 24-hour a day coverage on multiple islands and, unlike mainland agencies, they have no backup. Having voiced support of this measure, we also feel compelled to say that the county might want to look at its wage structure before asking voters for any more money. The pay of many county employees exceeds the average annual local wage, $31,190 (2010), with the pay of some, management in particular, twice that or more. Even though most wages were frozen in 2011, and employees took unpaid furloughs in 2010, and some now pay more for medical insurance, there are cost-of-living increases in store for union and non-union workers, 3 percent, this year and the next. In addition, some employees – including management – are slated to receive a raise in pay under a new job “re-classification” study, which is scheduled to start in August. We feel paying 3/10th of one percent is a small public cost to help sustain our law and justice programs. But we hope the county continues to look at its budget with a magnifying glass before any more drastic funding slices are threatened to take effect. When you call 911, you count on a response.
Public meetings
Commission at the Eastsound Fire station, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 26
Thursday, Aug. 2
• Eagle Forum public meeting about the Charter Review
www.ISLANDSSOUNDER.com
• Eastsound Planning Review, 3 p.m., Eastsound Fire Station.
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Come one, come all to Market Day To celebrate another year of Market Day at Emmanuel Episcopal in Eastsound (Saturday, July 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), David Gutteridge, our poet laureate, has penned: Across all Orcas let this news resound: Episcopalians are preparing For fun at Emmanuel in Eastsound. Your done-with treasures you may kindly bring For every kind of rummage they’ll array, Chairs, rods, nets, books, a shiny glinting ring. July the twenty-eighth is Market Day They’ll offer you delicious homebaked fare Washed down with tea-for-free to make you stay So come and spend what dollars you can spare Walk labyrinthine paths, buy something new, From ten ‘til two eat hot dogs in fresh air ~ On Market Day there’s lots for you to do: The church on Main Street, number 242. Every year, this event produces an amazing collection of treasures, jewelry, books, and, sometimes, fishing gear, as well as baked goods. My mother (Joyce Burghardt) will be one of the ladies pouring tea. If you would like to contribute any used treasures, Marguerite Olson will be receiving them in the old parish hall (the one attached to the church) on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. As ever, all proceeds go to support local good works. Galen Burghardt Eastsound
Yes for public safety A yes vote for Proposition One on the Aug. 7, 2012 ballot is a vote for public safety. Increased revenue is needed to maintain current levels of public safety and justice services in San Juan County. Despite five years of cuts in county budgets and severe cuts in staffing, county revenues are projected to fall $3.6 million short over the next three
Publisher/Editor Colleen Smith Armstrong editor@islandssounder.com Staff Reporter Cali Bagby cbagby@islandssounder.com County Reporter Scott Rasmussen srasmussen@sanjuanjournal.com Advertising Sales Colleen Armstrong carmstrong@soundpublishing.com
Circulation/ Gail Anderson-Toombs administrative gandersontoombs coordinator @islandssounder.com Marketing Artist Scott Herning sherning@soundpublishing.com Kathryn Sherman ksherman@sanjuanjournal.com Legals/Office Staff admin@islandssounder.com
years. Until now, cuts to the sheriff ’s department and to the criminal justice services have been minimized. But without increased revenue, these essential public services will be cut in ways that affect our quality of life. The proposed 30 cents increase per $100 in sales would fund current levels of public safety and justice services in our islands. A sales tax increase will raise revenue from both residents and visitors. Our population approximately doubles during the tourist season. The surge in visitors results in increased pressure on the sheriff ’s department and on the justice department. Most drugs and groceries would not be taxed. The sales tax would not apply to auto sales. This increase in the sales tax is the best way to stabilize funding for our county’s public safety and justice services because visitors will contribute as well as residents. No statements against this increase in sales tax have been made despite attempts to add a “con” view to the Proposition 1 ballot. Vote yes for public safety and justice. Vote yes for Proposition One. Janet Alderton Orcas Island
No on sales tax to fund public safety I am voting no for a 3 percent sales tax increase to further bloat the prosecutors office. I believe in government but this tax is a terrible idea. The prosecutor’s office is already out of control wasting taxpayers money through “Prosecutorial Overreach.” They have improperly charged numerous people including myself using yours and mine tax dollars. The improp-
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erly charged individual then has to spend a small fortune defending themselves. The prosecutors office are like a pack of rabid dogs. Do not encourage them with more money. More money for deputy’s makes more sense. I am not the only one that has been ground through the mill. Vote no!!!!! Harvey Aldort Orcas Island
Orcas, from a grandmother’s perspective I have just enjoyed a great birthday and have been reminded of some of my past years on Orcas Island. In 1982, I moved to Orcas Island. Sometime later, one of my sons and his little family, a wife and baby, joined me on Orcas. I was involved with real estate and a few years later insurance. At times, visitors to the island would come into my office and the subject of living on such a small island would come about. A question most often asked was: “how can a child get a good education, be rounded in world events, etc., on such a small island? What is there here for them to do”? This now makes me laugh. I mean really laugh. I have seen four grandchildren grow up on Orcas Island, now ages 19 to 12. The four of them are pretty great kids. A lot of it is due to the hard work of the parents and a great deal is due to people in the education field, also members of the community, who have given their time and energy to help educate and teach our young people. Some of these kids, due to our local school or community private clubs, have traveled to the following
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