News-Times Whidbey
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2012 | Vol. 113, No. 93 | www.whidbeynewstimes.com | 75¢
INSIDE: Holiday Gift Guide leads to local gifts.
Haugen concerned with future of Whidbey politics By JESSIE STENSLAND Staff reporter
Outgoing state Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen becomes emotional when she talks about her worries for the district she’s represented in Olympia over the last 30 years. Without her clout, she said District 10 could lose out on millions of dollars in state funding for a wide variety of projects. “I’m really going to miss being able to serve the people,” she said. And Haugen is not the only one with concerns. Officials in Island County and Oak Harbor are worried that her departure could spell the end of a vital transportation funding source. The CEO of the county’s largest private employer admits doubts about the future of state projects. “Mary Margaret has helped bring millions of dollars of work here,” said Matt Nichols, CEO of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland. “She pretty much mandated we would get
A lot of voters, part of the ferry she said, aren’t work.” aware of all she’s The longtime done to bring state senator lost money to the disin the November trict and to protect election to Oak it from cuts. In fact, Harbor resident she admits to being Barbara Bailey, a amazed when she Republican state looks back on her r epr esentative. achievements. Haugen served as Barbara Bailey She counts a state senator for among her achieve20 years and 10 years in the House before ments, the millions of dollars of funding she’s been able to that. Haugen surmises that she bring to District 10, which lost, in part, because of her includes Island County historic vote in favor of legal- and portions of Skagit and Snohomish counties. She izing gay marriage. “I had a lot of people tell found the money to help me to my face that they fund major public purchases, could no longer support including the Keystone Spit, me anymore because of my the Greenbank Farm, Cama vote on gay marriage,” she Beach, a pier in Langley and said, adding that she doesn’t the Boyer property in Oak regret her stand. Bailey was Harbor. As the head of the opposed to the measure. In addition, Haugen said Transportation Committee it didn’t help that the ferry in the state senate, she said workers were mad at her, she also has been able to accusing her of union bust- steer a lot of road money to ing. And she blames the 26 the district over the years. Barry Sehlin, an Oak “hit pieces” sent out by her opponent and Republican organizations.
See HAUGEN, A8
Justin Burnett/Whidbey News-Times
Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen said she is concerned with how well her newly elected replacement, Barbara Bailey, will represent District 10.
Democrats file PDC complaint
Auditor looking at Aquajets finances
Staff reporter
Staff reporter
By JUSTIN BURNETT
Emerson and her husband “intentionally tried to go around these rules” when it collected money for a targeted mailer. Emerson denies the charges, claiming she had little to do with the organization and that this is just a political attack by Democrats embittered over the election See PDC, A10
By NATHAN WHALEN
The state auditor’s office is examining a North Whidbey Park and Recreation District checking account. Park district executive director Bill Walker notified the Washington State Auditor’s Office of a checking account in possession of the North Whidbey Aquatic
Club that didn’t go through the district’s usual accounting processes. “I think the director did the right thing by self reporting,” said commissioner Scott Vogt during a meeting last week. Walker said the checking account was opened in 1996, which was before the park district formally took over operations of the Aquajets in 1999. The account has been
used to pay for swim team entry fees and expenses. Walker cited a state law that states the county treaSee FINANCES, A10
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The election may be over but Island County Democrats are still fighting on behalf of their candidates. Early last week, the party filed a complaint with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission that alleged a mini-PAC involving Island County
Commissioner Kelly Emerson ran afoul of state disclosure rules. The state agency acts as a watchdog for campaign finance and disclosure laws with the power to investigate prospective violations and levy fines. Duane Fulgham, chairman of the Island County Democrat party, said in an interview Friday he believed