Saturday, July 12, 2014 • Whidbey News-Times
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CORNFIELD
LETTERS CONTINUED
CONTINUED FROM A6 for the 2/3-For-Taxes Constitutional Amendment fell short this year,” Eyman wrote in an email to supporters, without acknowledging how many signatures were gathered. “We’ll just have to work even harder next time.” What “next time” looks like may determine whether Eyman effectuates a rebound to relevancy. If he wants to maintain a statewide profile, he’ll need to make amends with his old allies. Without their wallets and their wisdom, Eyman’s ability to continue earning regular paydays will be put at risk. Or Eyman could change course and focus on pushing ballot measures on the local level. He’s had success in fighting red-light cameras. There is no end
to levies and taxes he could consider challenging on behalf of a citizenry that feels overtaxed. That requires Eyman to rethink his methods, and his motives. Pushing initiatives in cities around the state isn’t easier, and pays a whole lot less than what he’s been doing most of the past 15 years. If his “thousands of supporters throughout the state” are truly behind him, this may be their only way to ensure there isn’t another November without an Eyman measure on a ballot somewhere. Political reporter Jerry Cornfield’s blog, The Petri Dish, is at www.heraldnet.com Contact him at 360-352-8623 or jcorn field@heraldnet.com
THEY REPRESENT YOU U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen: Washington, DC, office: 2113 Rayburn Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-2605. Everett office: 2930 Wetmore Ave. Suite 9F, Everett, WA 98201, 425-252-3188, Bellingham office: 119 N. Commercial St., Suite 1350, Bellingham, WA 98225 U.S. Sen. Patty Murray: Washington, DC, office: 154 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, 202-2242621. Everett office: 2934 Wetmore Ave., Suite 903, Everett, WA 98201, 425-2596515 U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell: Washington, DC, office: 311 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510, 202-2243441. Everett office: 2930 Wetmore Ave., 9B, Everett, WA 98201, 425-303-0114 State Sen. Barbara Bailey: Olympia office: 109-B Irv Newhouse Building, PO Box 40410, Olympia, WA 98504-0410, 360-786-7618. Barbara.Bailey@leg.wa.gov State Rep. Norma Smith: PO Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504-0600, 360786-7884, norma.smith@leg.wa.gov State Rep. Dave Hayes: PO Box 40600, Olympia, WA 98504-0600, 360786-7914, dave.hayes@leg.wa.gov Board of Island County Commissioners: PO Box 5000, 1 NE Seventh St., Coupeville, WA 98239, www.islandcounty. net • Commissioner Aubrey Vaughn: dis trict3@co.island.wa.us
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• Commissioner Jill Johnson: 360-6797354, district2@co.island.wa.us • Commissioner Helen Price Johnson: 360-679-7354, district1@co.island.wa.us Oak Harbor City Council: 865 SE Barrington Dr., Oak Harbor, WA 98277, 360-279-4500, www.oakharbor.org • Mayor: Scott Dudley • Council members: Rick Almberg, Danny Paggao, James Campbell, Beth Munns, Tara Hizon, Bob Severns and Joel Servatius Town of Coupeville: 4 NE Seventh St., PO Box 725, Coupeville, WA 98239, 360-678-4461, www.townofcoupeville.org • Mayor: Nancy Conard • Council members: Jackie Henderson, Bob Clay, Molly Hughes, Dianne Binder and Pat Powell Oak Harbor School District: 350 S Oak Harbor St., Oak Harbor, WA 98277, 360-279-5000, www.ohsd.net • Superintendent: Lance Gibbon, lgib bon@ohsd.net • Board members: Gary Wallin, Pete Hunt, Christine Abbott, Christine Cribb and Corey Johnson Coupeville School District: 501 S. Main St. Coupeville, WA 98239, 360-6784522. www.coupeville.k12.wa.us • Superintendent: Jim Shank • Board members: Christine Sears, Jeff Tasoff, Chris Chan, Kathleen Anderson, Glenda Merwine and Vanessa Matros
QUESTION OF THE WEEK:
CONTINUED FROM A6
dence,” appeared on the eve of this year’s Fourth of July celebration. Once again, he touts the benefits of domestic petroleum extracted from shale formations. I agree that U.S. technology for bringing in oil from shale is impressive. Many of the wells are as deep as Mount Baker is tall — and the wells not only go straight down, they travel horizontally for miles. Shale oil extraction is impressive and provides some hope for energy security, but the geology of shale oil and gas makes the resource very expensive. With shale oil, we’re drilling and pumping far below the “easy” oil and gas found in the reservoirs I heard so much about as a kid — the oil of “wildcatters.” Increasingly, we’re into the petroleum of “source rock.” Below the tightly held petroleum in source rock, there’s just “rock rock” — zero petroleum. These deep wells cost several million dollars each, minimum. They have rapid production decline rates; they produce less than half as much on average after the first year. Not only is there a limited supply of shale petroleum, but national and international energy agencies project that U.S. production as a whole will decline by 2020. The trend is for petroleum costs to go up, not down. This will weigh on American family budgets and our economy. Perversely, a gallon of gasoline this Fourth of July holiday costs the most
of any year since 2008 — the culmination year for a series of bursting financial bubbles, temporarily causing crude oil prices to go to $145/barrel. The U.S. may be more energy secure today with domestic production at 3 million barrels more a day than in 2008, but our exposure to international oil price shocks has changed very little. I wouldn’t be bringing up Brunell’s column if I thought our energy future and costs were going to get better. World petroleum supply — of which we are a part — is precarious. The net benefit of business-as-usual with fossil fuels is also running down with each passing year. Consider the effects of fossil fuels on our health, energy security and climate. How clean are our oceans, drinking water and the air with fossil fuel extraction, transportation and burning? We need to accelerate our transition to alternatives to fossil fuels just as fast as we can. We get 100 percent upbeat messages about fossil fuel from the national Chamber of Commerce and related state business associations. Will we be lulled into consuming fossil fuels as if they are getting cheaper and permanently plentiful? Fossil fuels are no longer like a starburst firework on the Fourth of July. We need to be careful what we wrap in “red, white and blue” … to impart cachet, when the net worth of fossil fuels is not what it used to be. Lee James Coupeville
MARK
THE DATE
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July Publications & Deadlines
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Lavender Wind Festival Pages
sales deadline July 17 publishes July 23 and 24 A Celebration of lavender and art
• August Publications & Deadlines
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Coupeville Arts Festival Tab
sales deadline July 16 publishes August 6 & 7 A commemorative look at 50 years of celebrating the arts and giving back to the community
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Fall Sports Guides
sales deadline August 20 publishes Sept. 17 & 18 A guide to High School Sports Activities
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South Whidbey School Calendar
sales deadline August 1 publishes August 30 useful for parents of school-age children
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I Love Coupeville Portrait
What do you think about the public art in Oak Harbor?
sales deadline August 28 publishes Sept 11 Photo on September 6th at the Coupeville Farmers Market Green
• September 2014 Deadlines & Holidays: Labor Day Sept. 1 Autumn Begins Sept. 22
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“I like it. It shows how artistic people are here.”
Raven Engler Freeland, Wash.
“I like it.”
Germana Fullman Albuquerque, N.M.
“I’m fine with it. I think it ... looks good.”
Al Collongues New Orleans, La.
“There should definitely be more of it.”
Bethanie Collongues Oak Harbor, Wash.
Central Whidbey Non-Profit Guide
sales deadline August 15 publishes Sept. 11