As Edmonds voters decide between Mayor Gary Haakenson and challenger Mauri Moore, they need to ignore two non-issues.
The first is that we should reject Haakenson because he shouldn’t serve a third term. No, decide if he is a better candidate than Moore.
The second is that we should reject Moore because when she filed for mayor after saying she would not run either for mayor or for re-election to the City Council, her explanation was, “I changed my mind.” This newspaper cited that as an example of her “mercurial” nature. Politicians at all levels have been saying that they’ve changed their minds about election plans for as long as any of us can remember. It’s not a reason to vote for or against them.
The only questions should be who can better run the city and how do the candidates stand on important issues.
Also on the November ballot
We’re already seeing ads for Referendum 67 to reject an insurance-reform law, but it’s only one of six statewide measures on the November ballot.
The others are Tim Eyman’s Initiative 960, which would force public votes on tax increases and four constitutional amendments.
The four amendments:
• ESSJR 8206 to create the budget constitutional “rainy-day fund;”
• SJR 8212 to change some wording in the constitution’s limits on use of inmate labor;
• EHJR 4204 to allow simple majorities to authorize school levies; and
• SHJR 4215 to reduce restrictions on investments for state colleges and universities.
In addition, voters in Snohomish, King and Pierce counties will decide the fate of Proposition 1, the combined Regional Transportation Improvement District and Sound Transit 2 tax measures.
What’s with the cop who arrested Sen. Craig?
After Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, resigned following arrest for soliciting sex in an airport restroom, I have more questions about the conduct of the arresting policeman than I do about Craig’s conduct.
First, how did the cop know the secret toe-tap signal?
Second, could someone with a nervous twitch face arrest if his leg started twitching in a toilet stall next to the officer?
Third, does the officer spend his whole day looking for two taps in bathroom stalls? Or does he have other duties?
Am I a “conservative nut-job”?
I don’t know who wrote the e-mail calling me a “conservative nut-job” because it had been forwarded six or seven times before I saw it, but I want to answer.
I admit to being something of a nut-job, but “conservative”?
I may have some conservative tendencies, but I’m certainly not as conservative as Congressmen Jim McDermott or Dennis Kucinich.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com.
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