We may get another request from the city of Mukilteo for money to fight passenger air service at Paine Field.
The fight would be a waste of money.
Mukilteo has $250,000 to fight the beginning of Horizon Airlines flights to Portland and Spokane this spring, and Allegiant Airlines flights to Las Vegas at a later time.
What can Mukilteo and neighboring cities gain from spending such money on court costs? Hold off the flights for about a year or so.
They know federal aviation laws mean that they can’t stop passenger flights; so they hope to delay them.
Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine said last week that his city would use federal laws to drag out the process.
“Make it time consuming, expensive and stretch it out,” he told the Everett Herald.
Marine and the lawyers representing Mukilteo hope that using the courts to delay the beginning of commercial flights will either convince the airlines that the effort isn’t worth the cost or to help local people bargain for control of the timing and nature of takeoffs and landings.
Mukilteo and other Snohomish County cities would be better served by letting county officials bargain to get the best terms from the airlines.
I’m sure that Mukilteo’s police, fire and parks departments would find better uses for the $250,000, and I’m sure that other cities have more important demands on their resources than a contribution to Mukilteo’s efforts.
Is it time for a porn tax?
A Federal Way legislator wants to close a gap in the state budget with a tax on pornography.
Democratic Rep. Mark Miloscia said an 18.5 percent sales tax should be levied against Playboy and other adult magazines, as well as pornographic photographs, movies, videos, cable-television services, telephone services, audiotapes, computer programs and paraphernalia.
Miloscia proposes using revenue from the tax to restore money for the general assistance unemployable program. The GAU program supports people who are unable to work because of disabilities. The governor eliminated money for GAU in her proposed 2009-11 budget.
Owners of strip clubs say they will sue to stop such a tax on the grounds that it violates free-expression rights.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that such activities can’t be prohibited because they don’t fall under the definition of obscenity.
One strip-club owner said last week that a tax on pornography would be like a tax on newspapers.
It’s nice to be in such good company.
Would you want Gregoire on your jury?
Gov. Christine Gregoire got a notice a couple of weeks ago calling her to jury duty. She probably won’t end up on a jury.
Imagine Gregoire on a jury with 11 voters from the 2004 election. Five would look to her for guidance; five would oppose anything she said; and the other would wonder what the Libertarian candidate would think.
Evan Smith can be reached at entopinion@heraldnet.com.
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