While the immediate news is the County Council closing yet another shooting spot, this one was the last sanctioned outdoors spot to shoot other than commercial ranges, out of dozens only a handful of years ago. (Thursday article, “County Council shoos gun enthusiasts from former Sultan gravel pit.”)
The deeper issue is the 40 years that the various incarnations of the Snohomish County Council have been sitting on the plans and location for a public shooting range. Even for a government project this is astoundingly poor performance.
In that same time there have been built a host of parks, ball fields, campgrounds, bike trails and other free or low-fee use facilities while the county, DNR and USFS have been steadily pressing shooters into smaller and smaller areas — and then wondering at the increase in local noise at those locations. It is disingenuous at best and downright discriminatory toward a whole class of people at worst.
Even Councilman Koster commented that he has a spot in the woods he goes to shoot, but won’t disclose where. What’s sauce for the goose doesn’t go with the gander maybe?
Aaron Everett
Sultan
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