Letters to the Editor
Published 1:30 am Thursday, July 30, 2026
ELECTION
Vote for real change on August 4th
I am a resident of the 44th Legislative District Unincorporated Snohomish County and have lived here since 1979. When I first relocated to the State of Washington, I was so impressed by how clean and beautiful this state was back then. After 47 years I now see a different Washington all together. When you drive from Western Washington to Eastern Washington you see garbage littering the sides of the highways. The minute you drive into the bordering state of Idaho it is like you just entered a different world. It is clean from one side to the other, no garbage, no waste lined highways!
No matter how the government spends our tax dollars, we see no difference in how our roads are maintained (now the worst in the country) or in how the maintenance of the highways is simply put NONE!
Our communities were once safer because we took pride in hiring quality Law Enforcement Officers. Now Washington has the least amount of LEO’s per capita in the country. That doesn’t make a resident feel safe now, does it?
The education system is failing our children; in fact, Washington State has some of the lowest results in reading and math in the country. How did this happen?
Why do the people of this state continue to elect the same people who are making these horrible policies ruining this beautiful state driving people and business out of Washington? The results stay the same and the policies are getting worse every legislative session.
I am voting for change this election. Change that will put Washington on a new path forward. We need fresh ideas coupled with fiscal restraint and good judgment.
That is why I am endorsing Sherri Larkin for Senate in the 44th Legislative District, Chris Elder for Representative Position 1 in the 44th Legislative District and Tonya Stadlman for Representative Position 2 in the 44th Legislative District.
Debra Blodgett
Snohomish
Shed your apathy — vote for change
We are at a crossroads in WA state. A decision needs to be made whether or not we wish to be governed by rulers who believe in alsolute, unchecked power with the people as mere pawns; or by those who firmly adhere to the tenets of our Founding Fathers who declared the government is for and by the people, and represtatives are service workers to the people.
We have been a one party state for 40 years or better, and the pompous exercise of absolute authority without accountability, is palpable in Olympia, and many other jurisdictions. This needs to change. One party seems to believe our money belongs to them, and only by their benevolence are we allowed to keep a dwindling portion. This is a form of socialism, and a danger to a free society.
WA government has increased in cost and size 10% annually for the past 10 years. Our wages have not. This is unsustainable. Government policy seems to measure success by those dependent upon government, not bythose gainfiulky employed. That is absurd.
Voters need to look closely at their representatives ss to who has supported endless increases in tsxes with no transparency nor accountability. WA state is creating poverty, not solving it. Vote for change and shed your apathy.
Mike Deacy
Mill Creek
We need fresh ideas and fiscal restraint
Thanks to the Climate Commitment Act (CCA) tax, which just went up again on in July, it is estimated that we spend nearly $11,000 per year on gasoline alone and the data suggest Little to No Benefit to the environment from this tax on the working men and women of Washington. And also puts us third in the U.S. for highest fuel prices.
I don’t know how seniors and lower-income folks make ends meet. Yet, we Washingtonians keep on voting for the same politicians whose tax policies—and other wrong-way measures are driving individuals and businesses from our beautiful state. The more who leave, the more taxes will fall on the rest of us unless we change direction.
That’s why I’m supporting Sherri Larkin for LD 44 Senator and Chris Elder for State Representatives and Tanya Stadelman Pos 1 & 2, LD44 who want to bring back fiscal responsibility and real common sense.
Remember the definition of insanity? Let’s not keep voting for the same people & policies over and over and expect a different result. We need fresh ideas coupled with fiscal restraint and good judgment as two former Democratic Governors have recently commented.
Jay Hines
Everett
