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A penny for your thoughts
City officials have started a
dialogue about possibly raising the
sales tax rate to better stabilize
funding ibr local law enforcement.
At first blush, it's seems a bit in-
congruous to be talking about a tax
increase -- a regressive sales tax
that adversely impacts low-income
earners and the poor -- in the midst
of the worst economy since the
Great Depression.
But, it may be a conversation
worth having.
City officials last year spent
months warning us about impend-
ing doom. Then, at the last minute,
the police chief and commissioners
came up with a plan, and a budget,
to save cops on the streets. Months
of discussions about worst-case
scenarios brought about a backlash
from the public and some creative
thinking at city hall.
Now, we're back to the gloom and
doom. Back to discussions about lost
• cops and increased crime. And now
is the time to be talking about it.
City officials are hoping to work
collaboratively with their counter-
parts at the county to come up with
some solutions. Ultimately, the
question will have to go before the
voters.
Officials have said that revenue
from any increases would be dedi-
cated to public safety alone and that
seems like it would be a sticking
point. Voters will almost certainly
want a guarantee that sales taxes
will actually save cops on the streets
and not go into the general fund
where it can be squandered on other
things.
Local voters did the right thing
a couple of years ago and saved the
local Timberland library and they
stepped up to the plate again last
year to create a Metropolitan Parks
District.
Voters said that books and ball-
fields are priorities that they
willing to pay a little extra for. The
question to come is, should they
have to chip in even more still to
keep a cop on the beat?
LETTERSTOTH EEDITOR
Learn the
truth about
Adage
Editor, the Journal
I am writing to address
some untrue statements I
have heard recently about
something very important
to me and to all residents of
mason County:
1. "Adage is a done deal."
Not true, representatives
are still involved in the
permitting process.
2. "Only kooks and
paid outsiders are against
biomss burning for
power." Not true, we are
ordinary citizens who care
deeply about the health of
our neighbors, relatives,
friends:, the children of the
county, the elderly and the
eiivironlnenL.
3. "The dangers to
our health are greatly
exaggerated." No. The sub-
micron particles emitted
out of the smokestack by
the ton are, according to
medical societies across
the country, the American
Lung Association, even
the Cancer Society, able
to penetrate the lining
of the lung and enter the
blood stream, causing all
kinds of illnesses. The
insidious thing is that
it takes awhile for these
illnesses to develop, so the
danger is not immediately
apparent, as is asthma. Our
local doctors have written
a letter against biomass
burning for this reason.
4. "We will get an
opportunity to vote on
whether or not we favor
the building of Adage."
No. Our county and port
commissioners refused even
when presented with more
than 3,000 signatures of
registered voters. I believe
the response was that we
wouldn't vote on a new 7
- 11, so why on Adage? No
comparison.
5. "Adage will bring
prosperity to Mason
County." No. There will be
an influx of construction
workers coming and going
as their particular trade is
needed, but they will not be
permanent. Then what will
happen? Adage promises
24 permanent jobs only.
The truck drivers bringing
in the thousands of tons
of fuel needed daily will
probably come from forest
areas away from here, since
the 600,000 tons of biomass
needed every year will be
depleted quickly in our
area.
6. "Since the Chamber
of Commerce and union
leaders are in favor of
Adage, shouldn't we follow
their lead?" No. All of them
have been convinced by
Adage representatives that
they will gain money and/or
jobs. Let us take the longer
view. What will be the long-
lasting effects of this huge
plant, 150 feet tall with a
170-foot smokestack? In
five years, after 3,000,000
tons have been burned?
Think about it. Research it.
Then decide for yourselves.
Carol Salzer
Grapeview
People
trash the
state
Editor, the Journal
Everyone seems to be
worried about air quality
but they haven't looked
at the garbage along the
highway. It is disgusting to
think people can't learn to
keep their trash in the car
until they get to a garbage
container. Canada has
$1,000 fines. Washington
too has fines but it doesn't
seem to keep folks from
tossing stuff along the
highway. How can we
educate the public to keep
Washington green and neat
and not be embarrassed
by the litter along the
roadways?
Ann Peters
Shelton
Port
celebrates
its
centennial
Editor, the Journal
As ports in Washington
State celebrate their
centennial year, the Port
of Shelton is examining
its history in details not
yet documented. We are
hopeful that local citizens
will be willing to help in
several research projects
by contributing photos
and first hand accounts of
events from the past.
One of the least
documented aspects of the
Port of Shelton history
involves the 400-acre
Industrial Park east of
the MCRA ball fields and
west of the railroad tracks.
While we know the land's
ownership trail from the
title search, we do not have
a good picture of what
actually took place on that
property from 1943 through
1960. We would like to
build a picture of both
military operations and
private enterprise activity
during that 17-year period.
We would be grateful
to anyone who would be
willing to discuss that
aspect of port history with
us. We can be contacted at
426-1151 or by email at:
info@portofshelton.com.
We will be looking
forward to hearing from
anyone willing to help.
Jay Hupp
Port of Shelton
Commissioner
RT F S H E LTON
J . ' ...... ============================================================================= _-::.:: ...............................
Political cartoon by Gaylene Wiseman|
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Page A-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 3, 201 1
Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc.
at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington
Mailing address: RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone (360) 426-4412 • www.masoncounty.com
Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, Washington
Rick Kennedy, publisher
Newsroom:
Jesse Mullen, editor
Kevan Moore, news editor
Dean Siemon, sports
Aria Shephard, North Mason,
environment, reporter Natalie
Johnson, reporter
Advertising:
Dave Pierik, advertising manager
Harvey Morris, ad representatwe
Mat Taylor, ad representative
Front office:
Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper
Margot Brand, circulation
Cricket Carter, mailroom supervisor
Composing room:
William Adams, graphics
Gaylene Wiseman, paginator
Koleen Wood, classifieds/legals
Becky Corr, typing
Pressroom:
Kraelly Riordan, productionmanager
vis Miller press operator