Your account does not include highlighter on images.
Searches Highlighted on Image
| March 8, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
|
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 3 (3 of 22 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
March 8, 2012 |
|
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader 
|
't seek reelection
After 36 years, Congressman calls it quits
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@masoncou nty,com,
U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks,
who has represented Ma-
son County in the 6th
Congressional District for
36 years, announced on
Friday, March 2, that he
would not seek re-election
in 2012.
"After 18 terms repre-
senting the people of the
6th Congressional District
of Washington, preceded
by eight years on the staff
~of Senator
Warren
G. Mag-
nuson,
(my wife)
and I have
made the
decision
to change
gears and
Norm enjoy life
Dicks at a differ-
ent pace,"
Dicks said
in a press release.
Dicks was first elected
to represent the 6th Dis-
trict in 1977 and worked
as a congressional staffer
before that.
"The privilege of serv-
ing in the House of Rep-
resentatives, with the
endorsement of the vot-
ers every two years, is
indeed an honor unlike
(any) other profession in
our country and I have
truly enjoyed every day
here and have cherished
all of the friendships we
have made with many of
the finest public servants
in the nation," Dicks con-
tinued.
The congressman's 6th
District represented all of
Mason County until a re-
cent decision by the Wash-
ington State Redistricting
Committee split the county
between the 6th District
and the newly formed 10th
District, which includes
Shelton, Arcadia and Ka-
milche in Mason County.
Dicks listed his accom-
plishments as including
measures to protect the
waters of Puget Sound and
Hood Canal, encouraging
community development
in Tacoma and Bremerton
and on a national level,
maintaining strong nation-
a] defense.
Dicks also mentioned
successes in restoring the
Elwha River, supporting
Boeing programs and the
establishment of communi-
ty health clinics in the 6th
District.
In 1963, Dicks gradu-
ated from the University of
Washington, where he was
a guard on the Husky foot-
ball team. He graduated
from the UW School of Law
in 1968 with a Juris Doc-
tor, or law degree.
In 1977, Dicks was elect-
ed to represent the 6th
Congressional District. He
was appointed in his first
term to the House Appro-
priation's Committee.
Dicks is now the top-
ranking Democrat in both
the full Appropriations
Committee and the De-
fense Appropriations Sub-
committee.
In the 1980s. Dicks was
involved in arms control
debates and was appoint-
ed as an official observer
to the U.S./Soviet Union
arms reduction talks.
In the 1990s, he was ap-
pointed to the House Per-
manent Select Committee
on Intelligence. He re-
mained on several intelli-
gence committees through-
out the 1990s.
In 1998, Dicks was
awarded the CIA Director's
Medal.
Dicks also worked on leg-
islation for environmental
issues. He was instrumen-
tal in a regional effort to
respond to the inclusion of
the Northern Spotted Owl
on the endangered species
list. He also worked on a
program to provide federal
assistance to affected tim-
ber communities, providing
$1.2 billion in the past six
years.
In September 2006,
Dicks wrote a bill that cre-
ated a federal lands con-
servation trust.
"Norm has done just a
fantastic job for our com-
munity over the years,"
said Tim Sheldon. Mason
County commissioner and
Washington state senator
in the 35th District. "I was
as surprised as everyone
that he's not running."
Sheldon said he is con-
sidering running for the
6th District seat. but is
also still mulling over a
reelection campaign to the
Mason County Commis-
sion.
"I would leave the door
open. Certainly I know the
territory," he said.
Do they watch you
struggle chewing
meat?
Do even
sandwiches yank
your teeth around?
We Have
the Answer!
th
Call for an appointment
William J. Busacca, DDS, PS
Shelton's #1 Experienced Office for Dentures/
Now a PREFERRED PROVIDER for
Washington Dental Service~Delta dental plans
1525 Olympic Highway North, in Shehon
360-426-9711
www.MyShehonDentist.com
City, county could soon feel squeeze
' ............................................................
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@masoncounty.com
Loca~ qrganiz~ti0ns held their breath
last week as Washington state Legislators
worked to finalize the state's 2012 supple-
mental budget for the 2011-2013 biennium.
The House's version of the budget, ap-
proved on Wednesday, Feb. 29, proposed
deep cuts to local governments, including
Mason County, said Mason County Com-
misioner Lynda Ring Erickson.
Specifically, she said, Mason County
could lose money out of the Rural County
Sales and Use Tax Fund, which allow the
county to invest in infrastructure, money
from the state liquor excise tax and funding
that pays for half of county judges' salaries.
After midnight on Friday, March 2, the
Washington State Senate voted 25-24 to
pass a budget proposed by the Senate Re-
publican Caucus. According to various re-
ports, the Senate's Republican minority
took control of the floor with the help of
three conservative Senate Democrats, in-
cluding Sen. Tim Sheldon of the 35th Dis-
trict, who is also a Mason County Commis-
sioner.
Before voting on the Senate budget, Shel-
don told the Shelton-Mason County Journal
he could not support the cuts to rural coun-
ties proposed in the House budget.
"The House budget is a non-starter for
me," he said.
Sheldon and Ring Erickson estimated
that the House's version of the budget could
result in $1.3 million to $1.6 million in lost
revenue for the county.
If the county faced major cuts to its 2013
budget from the loss of state funds, Ring Er-
ickson said there are few places left to cut
other than county staff.
"I hate to say, %Vell it would have to come
to staff,' but I don't know how we could avoid
staff cuts," she said. "I don't know what we
would cut, I don't know how we would get
there."
Washington State Rep. Fred Finn was
one of three House Democrats to vote
against the first House supplemental buget
last week.
"My district is comprised of mostly ru-
ral areas, and the budget as passed signifi-
cantly reduces state funding for vital pub-
lic services in rural counties. I am deeply
concerned about the potential effect of these
reductions in areas like law enforcement,
public safety, public health and rural hos-
pital services," Finn said in a statement.
"While there is an ongoing effort to give lo-
cal governments the tools to make up for
these reductions in state funds, rural com-
munities are already facing severe budget
challenges and are in no better position
to raise taxes than the state. These cuts
merely add to their burden, and hurt vital
public services."
Finn said he would continue to work to
balance the state budget.
"However, the budgetary process contin-
ues, and I am supportive of efforts to resolve
these issues as we move forward and in our
negotiations with the Senate. I remain op-
timistic that I will be able to support a final
budget proposal that is less hurtful to our
rural counties," he said.
Ring Erickson said the county could only
support programs that fall victim to pro-
posed cuts for so long on reserve funds.
"We would hate to lose our bond rating
by going below our reserve cap," she said.
"Once the reserves are gone there's certain-
ly no reason to believe they'll come back."
Under the proposed budgets, the county
• could raise sales taxes to help recoup the
losses, but Sheldon and Ring Erickson said
that might only bring back half of the lost
revenue.
City of Shelton Administrator Dave
O'Leary said the city could lose as much as
$50,000 in revenue from the state liquor ex-
cise tax in current drafts of the supplemen-
tal budget.
"It's for public safety services. It's not
dedicated for that, we spend so darn much
on public safety it's hard to say it's not go-
ing there," he said. "As I understand it,
the House eliminates it beginning Janu-
ary 2013 and the Senate will eliminate it in
July of this year."
O'Leary said the city is also worried
about losing state funding for law enforce-
ment training.
"We get quite a bit of money from the
state and potentially all of it is at risk," he
said.
On Monday, the Senate budget was back
in the House for review.
Hood Canal School set for showcase
Hood Canal School is set
to host a student achieve-
ment showcase from 4 to
7:30 p.m. on Thursday,
March 15, at the school's
:: :: . nasium, :
::: guardians and
community members are
invited to visit the school
in order to view displays of
student work in an open-
house format. There will
be displays of art work,
samples of student writing,
class projects, science fair
projects and other special
accomplishments on dis-
play.
"This is a time to cel-
ebrate the efforts of' our
students and praise them
for their accomplishments,"
said Superintendent/Prin-
cipal Tom Churchill. "We
hope you will attend this
celebration of our stu-
dents."
Saturday & Sunday, March 10t" & 11th
ROOSTERS RESTAURANT
3001 Olympic Hwy North • Shelton
ii:: ~i!~i¸ "~[~:~ ....
S~Fc~t Diego Dragon ..... !:!~:i~ Sh~ek Ho0kules Manny Dr.
Stop. Go. PennzoU:
360-426-7167
1-800-675-7167
2911 E. Brockdale Road
:~L" ~ .......
ii[
Call 360"426"4412
for advertising information
227
l
[
Shelton-Mason County Journal-Thursday, Nov. 18, 2012 - Page A-3