The victory of Kirke Sievers as County treasurers means that the string of Sievers family in county government will soon pass the 75-year mark.
Kirke’s father, Vern Sievers, won his first county election in 1934. He served as county treasurer through the pre charter days of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s before he retired, only to have his son succeed him. When the county adopted a charter in the 1970s, Kirke won three terms, the maximum allowed by the charter. Then he won three elections to the county council only to run into term limits again and won another term as treasurer. If he completes this term, the Sievers will reach 77 years in country elected office.
Why did we elect a county clerk?
We just elected a Snohomish County clerk. Why? This is certainly not an office that makes any kind of policy. The clerk’s main responsibility is to keep records for the superior court. Most county’s that have adopted charters have done away with an elected clerk. We don’t elect the clerk of our district court, or our court of appeals, or state Supreme Court. Why should we elect one for our superior court? Every other county elected official is sometimes in the new. The only time the clerk has been in the news was over pay for deputy clerks, something that is decided by the county and the County Council.
Simple majority passes, now what?
HJR 4240, which would allow a simple majority to pass school levies, is apparently headed to victory. Now it’s time to eliminate the need for these special levies that account for nearly 20 percent of local school budgets.
It’s time to provide support for basic education through regular state and local tax money. Our Legislature has an obligation to provide basic education to all our children. Voters shouldn’t have to be asked to approve levies over and over again.
What now for roads and transit?
The roads and transit package lost overwhelmingly.
The question is, what next?
If Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Improvement District want my vote in the future, here’s what they will have to do:
1. Make Sound Transit and RTID boards elected bodies. If we vote for schools, we’re turning over our money to an elected body. We should do the same for transportation.
2. Let’s have no more expansion of light rail until the first phase of the project is done.
3. Let’s allow private development of the Eastside railway corridor. Let the private developer put commuter rail on existing track on the Eastside rather than tear out the tracks and build a light rail system to serve the Eastside Corridor.
Don’t expand the Evergreen Point Bridge
Keep it at four lanes. If we build six lanes they’ll just fill up. And then we’ll need eight lanes. If we need more capacity, we should follow King County’s lead in establishing ferry runs across the lake.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com
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