WHIDBEY
WRITE TO US: The Whidbey News-Times welcomes letters from its readers. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. Letters should be typewritten and not exceed 350 words. They must be signed and include a daytime phone number. Send items to P.O. Box 1200, Coupeville, WA 98239, or email kgraves@ whidbeynewsgroup.com
OPINION Page A6
WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM
Wednesday, June 25, 2014 • Whidbey News-Times
Ethics Board looks at fine line around lobbyist meetings THE PETRI DISH
By JERRY CORNFIELD Amid the dialectic contours in Olympia, they are trying to figure out if influence can be peddled with a few bags of Doritos or a $12 meal. A panel empowered to guide elected leaders along a righteous path is struggling to draw clear ethical boundaries for lawmakers when dining and drinking with lobbyists. State lawmakers are allowed to “accept gifts in the form of free food and beverage on infrequent occasions” if it’s related to their official duties. But existing law doesn’t define “infrequent.” Pressure to come up with a definition arose following revelations that a handful of legislators regularly dined on lobbyists’ dime during the 2013 session. Several of them may have done so while collecting taxpayer-funded per-diem payments, according to research compiled by reporters for a public radio station and Associated Press. The Legislative Ethics Board, a panel of lawmakers and legal minds, is trying to provide clarity on the rules, but members are thus far unable to agree on whether “infrequent” should be defined in terms of a specific number of meals. Also, they are wrestling with what exactly constitutes a meal and at what point must lawmakers report them. Right now, legislators must report whenever they are treated to meal worth more than $50. That brings us back to a recent meeting of the Ethics Board and a confession from Rep. Drew Hansen, D-Bainbridge Island, that a bag of Doritos can be a meal for him. He wanted to know how many bags of Doritos a lawmaker can accept from a lobbyist before it becomes a meal that must be reported as a gift. The answer he got from the board counsel was that it’s not crystal clear, but if he gets $50 worth all at once, it likely needs to be declared. That didn’t sound like a problem to Hansen, who endorsed limiting lawmakers to an average of one free meal per week and to report those exceeding $5 in value. Such a course of action didn’t set well with other panel SEE CORNFIELD, A7
News-Times whidbey
Published each Wednesday and Saturday from the office of The Whidbey News-Times 107 S. Main St., Ste. E101 • P.O. Box 1200 Coupeville, WA 98239 (360) 675-6611 • (360) 679-2695 fax On the Internet at www.whidbeynewstimes.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Politics
Lack of awareness is Democrats’ downfall
Editor, The Democratic Party is completely out of step with the people of America. But, I prefer Democrat. After eight years of George W. Bush, and now six years of President Barack Obama, our nation is still involved in war, still torturing innocent people, still favoring Wall Street, still without a public option for health care and still ignoring polluters. The real problem is clearly Democrats’ inability to listen to their critics. Instead, they call people names. Name calling, like “birther” or “truther,” does not address the questions that 30 percent of Americans are raising about their nation. Now, with the war machine ramping up yet again, many Democrats are silent on the deadly noise and air pollution that is in our skies over Whidbey. The Seattle Times reported that 27 million marine mammals will be killed by the Navy/Air Force testing in the Puget Sound, yet our Democratic leaders are silent on this issue. Legalization of recreational use of
marijuana passed 16 months ago, but still no dispensaries have been licensed. That is a potential loss of $500 million in state revenue. The Democratically led Washington legislators have amassed a $90 billion state debt. That is a $75 billion waste over five years of overspending. Need I continue? When I complained at Democratic meetings about the War in Iraq, I was told to “Shut up.” They then ratified the war. When I questioned excessive spending about road work like railing along Deception Pass State Park costing $1,000 per linear foot, I was told to “Get a life.” This Democratic Party is completely unresponsive. So it does not surprise me that they will not endorse my candidacy for State House of Representatives. Now it is up to the voters to say, “Enough is enough.” I will gladly represent their concerns in Olympia. As an independent, I can work both sides of the isle and find compromises. The incumbent just knows how to spend, spend, spend. We never needed another overpriced ferry at Keystone. We need accountability from government waste. We never needed a septic inspection on homes — there is no proven science
behind it. Ninety percent of homeowners are not complying. It is a tax that no one voted on. I will work to repeal it. I assure you, I am not the person people are describing in the press. I am not a racist. I am a man who supports our Bill of Rights. Until people realize how far off track our nation is, we will never restore our nation to fairness and solvency. The lack of awareness in the Democratic Party is preventing real change. Until we can address the obvious failure of Obama at every level, we will not achieve democracy. David Sponheim Oak Harbor
Bus Service
Don’t let Island Transit start charging fares
Editor, Regarding the issue of Island Transit funding, from this point forward, we should never accept anything but ongoing “fare-free” service from Island Transit. Island Transit vehemently mainSEE BURNETT, A7
Executive Editor & Publisher........................................................................................ Keven R. Graves Marketing Representatives.........................................................................Phil Dubois, Debbie Leavitt Associate Publisher..............................................................................................................Kim Winjum Creative Manager................................................................................................................. Connie Ross Co-Editors........................................................................................ Jessie Stensland and Megan Hansen Lead Creative Artist...........................................................................................Michelle Wolfensparger Reporters.............................................................Michelle Beahm, Janis Reid, Ron Newberry, Jim Waller Creative Artists............................................................................................. Adine Close, Jennifer Miller Administrative Coordinator............................................................................................Renee Midgett Circulation Manager...................................................................................................... Diane Smothers Senior Marketing Representative...................................................................................Teri Mendiola Circulation Assistant.............................................................................................................. Ben Garcia IDENTIFICATION STATEMENT AND SUBSCRIPTION RATES The Whidbey News-Times (ISSN 1060-7161) is published semi-weekly by Sound Publishing on Wednesdays and Saturdays for $19 for 3 months, $29 for 6 months, $45 per year and $75 for 2 years delivered by carrier in island county from North Whidbey Island to Greenbank; $20 for 3 months, $32 for 6 months, $52 per year and $94 for 2 years delivered by in county mail from Greenbank to Clinton; $35 for 3 months, $65 for 6 months, $105 per year mailed out of county. Payment in advance is required. It is published by The Whidbey News-Times PO Box 1200, Coupeville, WA 98239. Periodicals rate postage paid at Coupeville, WA and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Whidbey News-Times, PO Box 1200, Coupeville, WA 98239. Copyright © 2014, Sound Publishing ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENTS: FRED MEYER, SEARS, JCPENNEY
READER INFORMATION: ADMINISTRATIVE: The Whidbey News-Times is a publication of Sound Publishing, and is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, the National Newspaper Association and Suburban Newspapers of America. Advertising rates are available at the News-Times office. While the News-Times endeavors to accept only reliable advertisements, it shall not be responsible to the public for advertisements nor are the views expressed in those advertisements necessarily those of the Whidbey News-Times. The right to decline or discontinue any ad without explanation is reserved. DEADLINES: Display Ads–4p.m. Friday and 4p.m. Wednesday; Legals – Noon Friday & Noon Wednesday; Classified Ads – 4:30 p.m. Monday and 4:30 p.m. Thursday; Community News – Noon Friday and Noon Wednesday; Letters to Editor – Noon Monday and Noon Wednesday.