| HeraldNet - Snohomish County's online news source |
 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2010 4:59 am |
||||||||||
 |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
Editorials 
|
|||||||||||||||
McKenna has earned second term as AG Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg says he'd make a fine state attorney general, and we agree.Trouble is, we already have an excellent one in Rob McKenna. Voters would be smart to elect him to a second term. McKenna, a Republican, has gone far beyond the technical role of the attorney general and worked with lawmakers from both parties to pass a number of important bills in Olympia. As a result, Washington has tougher laws against identity theft, sexual predators, domestic violence and methamphetamine abuse. A champion of open government, McKenna has worked to strengthen the Public Disclosure Act, and with House Majority Leader Lynn Kessler, a Democrat, to pass a reporter shield law that strengthens the news media's ability to expose wrongdoing. McKenna also hired a public-records expert to be a full-time open records ombudsman, helping citizens to obtain records from state agencies and helping agencies comply with such requests. He says he's planning about a dozen legislative proposals for next year, including more on domestic violence and open government, and an update to the state's lemon law. McKenna has managed the attorney general's office well, cutting turnover roughly in half and shifting more than $3 million in overhead to consumer protection and law enforcement programs. He also won a $1.7 million funding increase for the office's Consumer Protection Division. He has operated the office in a scrupulously nonpartisan way. He argued successfully in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in defense of Washington's voter-approved top two primary, which was challenged by the political parties. His office has also sued the state Republican Party for allegedly spending money illegally to advocate for gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi. Ladenburg, a Democrat, is an experienced attorney and longtime policy leader as well. Before becoming Pierce County executive, he spent 14 years at the county's elected prosecutor, and worked with state lawmakers to write legislation to fight drug dealers and gang violence. He also developed what he says was the nation's first sex-predator notification law. As a county executive he has earned a reputation throughout the region for being collaborative and getting things done. After serving a term as chairman of the Sound Transit board, his colleagues asked him to serve another. As attorney general, Ladenburg says he would crack down more aggressively on consumer fraud than McKenna has, and would push to set up forensic labs to investigate identity theft, which he says has become a haven for organized crime. If elected, Ladenburg would no doubt serve well. But McKenna already is. A change isn't warranted. |
- Sorry, Hawkeye; M*A*S*H gets bowled over
- Former Whidbey student shot
- County archive software paid for but waiting for set-up
- Ruling expected on Sultan beating statement
- ‘Roadkill’ caucus seeks a voice for centrist Democrats
- Police seek witnesses in two accidents
- PAWS calls out for critter care-givers
- Boeing has a busy test schedule
- Ex-Boeing engineer jailed for espionage
- Morning mystery: What happened to House Bill 3181?
- Lynnwood sets height limit on grass: 8 inches
(10) - State Senate votes to toss I-960's tax-raising hurdle (9)
- School levies in Snohomish County all passing, Marysville bond failing (6)
- A tidy lawn could be law in Lynnwood (4)
- County archive software paid for but waiting for set-up (3)
- Vote on school levies by Tuesday (3)
- Two suspects sought in Everett shooting that injured two (3)
- Lynnwood makes law against too tall lawns (3)
- Schools do well in levy elections (2)
- Snohomish County's bargain housing won't last (2)
- Jackson girls outlast Meadowdale owdale
- OBT raises barre in children’s program
- Junior firefighters
- School levies passing
- Mavericks topple Wolfpack
- Get a second look at Second City Feb. 13
- Sports Briefs
- Warriors advance 11 to regional meet
- Arlington's Cascade Valley Hospital celebrates expansion, national award and 100 years of service
- Business Licences Feb. 2010
- Technology tips for launching your own business
- Business Events Feb. 2010
- Tech Talk: No excuse today for going without a Web site
- State already raising fees and rates that restrict business growth
- Some legislators again targeting people’s initiative petition rights
|
 
|
|
|
|
| TODAY'S TOP JOBS |
| View All Top Jobs |
| Top Cars |
|
| Top Homes |
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|Contact Us
|Advertiser Services
|Home Delivery
|Newsstand Locations
|Classifieds
|Feedback
|About the Company
|Work@the Herald
|Site Map |
|
COMMENTS | Be the first to comment
Log in or register to post a new comment.
To read other terms and conditions, click here