A look at claims and facts in campaign ads

By Warren Cornwall

Herald Writer

Voter’s mailboxes are getting a bumper crop of political ads as the Nov. 6 election draws near.

Two Snohomish County Council races are generating a number of ads making claims about the opposing candidate.

Here is a summary of those ads, and an analysis of the facts behind the claims.

Ad: "John Koster’s Freedom County"

Sponsor: Ashley for County Council

Claim: The ad accuses Koster, a former state lawmaker, of leading a legislative effort to turn north Snohomish County into a separate "Freedom County." It shows excerpts from a recent Herald editorial criticizing Freedom County supporters, and refers to the movement as "John Koster’s Freedom County."

Ad: "Liar"

Sponsor: Friends of John Koster

Claim: The response to Ashley’s Freedom County ad accuses Ashley of lying about Koster’s record and of trying to tie Koster to a movement that he isn’t part of. It says Koster introduced legislation to hold an election in Snohomish County for people wanting to create a new county, and contends Koster had an obligation to represent constituents who brought the petitions for the new county.

Facts: In 1997, Koster sponsored legislation to create Freedom County after advocates for the new county petitioned the Legislature. Koster’s initial bill did not require a public vote, but was later amended to include a public vote. The bill didn’t pass.

The Herald editorial refers to an incident between Ashley and men who came to his house the night of Sept. 11 to serve him with bogus liens. Koster is not mentioned in the editorial. There is no evidence that Koster was involved in the encounter or the liens. Koster has recently stated that Freedom County doesn’t exist, which runs counter to claims from secession supporters.

Ad: "Up Close and Personal"

Sponsor: Friends of John Koster

Claim: The ad claims that Ashley has scoffed at concerns over property tax increases, done nothing to help the sheriff’s department, has a record showing no support for road improvements, supports the Growth Management Act and has a "government first" attitude.

Ad: "Check the record"

Sponsor: Ashley for County Council

Claim: The ad says Koster sponsored the state bill to create Freedom County out of northern part of Snohomish County, opposes growth planning laws, supports school vouchers and tried to ban impact fees from new developments that support schools.

Facts: Ashley has charged that Koster exaggerates how much personal property taxes have increased.

Ashley has said he would support an increase in a portion of the property tax that pays for road work. Koster opposes that. Ashley voted for an ordinance requiring developments to undergo closer scrutiny for impacts on surrounding roads.

Ashley, who has served on the council for 10 months, hasn’t been faced with a vote on funding proposals for the sheriff’s department. He has earned endorsements from the deputy’s union and the sheriff.

Koster and Ashley disagree over the state’s Growth Management Act. Koster says it usurps local control of regulations. Ashley says it is a foundation for local planning.

Koster has supported school vouchers, which allow public funds to be used for private education, and in 1997 sponsored a bill to repeal the Growth Management Act, which includes provisions for impact fees.

District 5 (east and central county), Don Polson, Libertarian; Jeff Sax, Republican; Dave Somers, Democrat

Ad: "Sewage Plant"

Sponsor: Friends of Jeff Sax

Claim: The ads claims the county council, including Somers, has approved building a King County waste treatment plant near Highway 522 and Highway 9.

Facts: The county council has not voted on the location of the waste treatment plant, nor has a location been chosen. The decision lies with King County, which has narrowed possible locations to two, including one near Highway 522 and Highway 9.

Terry Labrue, the consultant who wrote the ad for the Sax campaign, said the county council has not approved the location through a vote, but it hasn’t opposed a location, either. The letter did fail to say the final site hadn’t been selected yet, he said.

Ad: "You sit in your car…"

Sponsor: Snohomish County Citizens for Responsible Government

Claim: The ad claims Somers has failed to show leadership because the county hasn’t spent $20 million in fees it collected to solve traffic problems.

Fact: The county has at least $20 million in traffic fees that it hasn’t spent, and county officials say the money is already earmarked for projects scheduled in the next six years.

Sax has said county leaders should have projects ready to go and spend the money right away. Somers has said the projects are being planned and that the fees can be maximized by attracting matching grants, which take time to arrive.

Ad: "Read the facts"

Sponsor: Citizens to Re-elect Dave Somers

Claim: The ad says Sax has said people get too much time to speak against county laws, that he opposes increasing traffic mitigation fees charged on new developments, that he opposes laws restricting "haphazard development," and that he has no record on taxes.

Facts: Sax has criticized Somers for not holding people to established time limits at public hearings.

Sax said he opposes fee increases because they get passed on to home buyers. Somers said he supports them because it makes growth pay for part of the impacts.

Sax has said he opposes new development regulations, saying they interfere with a broader overhaul of county development regulations. Somers voted for the changes, saying it reined in excessive development.

Sax has said he would oppose increases in the county’s sales or property tax without first auditing all county government operations. He has no record because he hasn’t held public office before.

Ad: "Don’t we deserve better?"

Sponsor: 44th District Republican Committee

Claim: The ad says Somers supports Sound Transit, has voted for larger budgets and property tax increases, is working with King County to put a sewage plant in Snohomish County, and that the sheriff’s department is understaffed.

Facts: Somers said he supports Sound Transit because the area needs a regional transit system. He has voted for property tax increases and larger budgets in recent years. The sheriff’s department is understaffed, according to county models. Somers is not involved in locating the treatment plant. That is being done by King County.

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