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JOURNALEDITORIAL
KOMENCOMMENT
E-books could Send in your primary ballot -- every vote counts
pose threat to A fterweeks0fpolitical loting, yet too offen people skip amples of many close races residents ean swing by the Port
/--1[ posturing from candi- the polls thinking that their throughout history that under- of Allyn, 18560 E. State Route
1 1 b ksto .]~tates telling you why you vote doesn't matter or they score the importance of every 3.
O ca o o res should vote for them, the pri- don't have the time. vote. Additionally, the Shelton
maor election is upon us.If you think your vote doesn't For those of you who haven't Timberland Library offers
"t once was hardbound books-versus- Ballots for the Aug. 7 pri- matter, considerthese elec- yet sent in your ballot, it's time drive-thru access. The library is
paperbacks. A reader had a choice mary were mailed out July 20 tions: to dust it off, dig it out of the at 710 W. Alder St.
one or the other. Either you bought and we're excited to see how [] In the 2003 general elec- pile of unsorted mail, fill it out And finally, you can drop off
the expensive hardback copy of the newly voters will decide who will rep- tion in Champlain, Quebec, two and mail it in. your completed ballot at the
published book you wanted, or you could resent us and how the political candidates tied which led to a If you can't afford the stamp, Mason County Auditor's office,
wait until the paperback version was landscape will change. With all new vote held 36 days later, or you want to ensure youralso located at 411 N. Fifth St.
published and buy it for a lot less. three Mason County Commis- [] In the 1974 New Hamp- ballot reaches its destination during regular business hours
How quaint -- given the "book" situ-sioner seats up for grabs, not shire US Senate race, Louis in time, there are four 24-hour and on Election Day from 7
ation today. Now one must consider "e- to mention a multitude of state Wyman beat John A. Durkin by drop boxes in Mason County. a.m. to 8 p.m.
books" and all the myriad choices of and federal offices, this year's two votes. In Shelton, the Mason We encourage all Mason
electronic readers we face. But not all of primary has the potential to [] Marcus Morton won the County Administration Build- County voters to cast their
us want to hold a hard, cold metal device make for a spirited Nov. 6 gen- 1839 Massachusetts gubernato- ing is located at 411 N. Fifth ballot and help decide the
and look at a glass screen, eral election, rial race by two votes. St. In North Mason, a drop box leadership, and future, of Ma-
Instead, we much prefer holding an Only the top two candidates [] This state's 2004 guberna- is located at 23910 N.E. State son County for the next four
actual book and turning an actual page, a from each race, regardless of tonal election put Gov. Chris- Route 3, Belfair. Hoodsport years.
paper page, not that "e" page that sits be- party affiliation, will move on tine Gregoire in office over her residents can leave their bal- For more information about
fore our eyes. Many readers also prefer an from the primary, opponent, Dino Rossi, following lots at the Hood Canal Visitor the primary or general elec-
actual honest-to-good- The state has made it easy two recounts. Center, which is at 150 N. Lake tions, contact the auditor's of-
ness bookstore, brows- to vote by allowing for mail bal- These are just a few ex- Cushman Road. Finally, Allyn rice at 427-9670.
ing their way along the
store's bookshelves. To
a hidebound hardback .....
bookworm, ordering
a book electronically
LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR
just doesn't do it. We'd
much rather hold the
By JOHN book we may or may
notbuy, and even turn JObS are the favor ofpaying the penalty. Ei- an office X was sitting in. Iread
ther way, the employer mandate the inside front-page article by
KOMEN its real paper pages, constitutes a major new tax on the outdoor sportsman guy, Kelly
Shelton is unusually iSS U e ~ business, the costs of which will Riordan. Mr. Riordan you have a
fortunate. It has an actual honest-to-good- be borne by workers and tonsure- lot to learn.
ness bookstore. It's on Shelton's historic Editor, the Journal ers in the form of lower wages, Have you been there to wit-
Railroad Avenue, just off First Street, and Reference Ms. Johnson and job losses and higher prices for ness the egregious behavior by
it is a gem. Its stock runs from current Ms, Gruer (Journal, July 26): goods and services, the sporties toward the Native
bestsellers, both fiction and non-fiction, Obama's ad on Romney's job_(6) Congress is creating layers fishermen? Oh, and by the way,
and it has a solid choice of regional and outsourcing won four Pinocchio's upon layers of new regulations there is a lot of illegal conduct
local history books. You can browse there (lies) from the liberal Washington upon banks, which hurt their by the non-Native fishers on the judicial districts. I was elected
easily for an hour or two and never risk Post. When Romney was withability to help their commtmities. Skokomish River. I grew up in to six more terms by Thurston
boredom. Bain Capital, they on occasion Each dollar spent on compliance these parts. I know for a fact that County voters and have served as
Sm all towns generally do not have the invested in foreign (not overseas means less money is available many non-Native people snag a Superior Court judge for Thur-
kind of bookstore you find in Shelton. In American) companies. Any in- for business loans, negating their salmon from the Skokomish ston County ever since. I retired
fact, bookstores in general are a threat- vesting in American companies growth and job creation. Local River. It has been going on for a on July 31.
ened species. The recent loss of Borders overseas by Bain was done after and national economy suffer, long time. They are locals, they I will be forever grateful to the
bookstores was a hard blow to book lovers. Romney left. Romney's retire- (7) Current business regula- are from here and they know how 1984 Mason County voters. They
Barnes & Noble bookstores are still ment income is investment capi- tions cost employers $10,000 per to do it when nobody is looking, gave me the opportunity to serve
with us, still selling a lot of books, both tal and he pays fully according year per employee, adding that Let's not even get into the the Superior Court these many
hardbound and paperback. But Barnes to the tax law (which he did not 78 percent of small business own- reams of excrement and waste years and to have a wonderful
& Noble is also pitching its e-reader, the write), whether his investment ers believe regulations stand in that are left behind by the career. Thank you so much.
Nook, which was launched to compete income is domestic or foreign. If the way of new hiring. President sporties, whether they are fishing
with the first of the e-books, the Kindle. you would research his website Obama's administration has im- legally or illegally. Paula Casey
Amazon introduced the Kindle, and it http']/www.mittromney.com/posed 400 new business regula- If you purport to be a real Thurston County Superior
and its several improved variations are a learn/mi'tt instead of listening to tions since he took office, costing journalist, maybe you could add Court Judge
resounding success. Other e-readers en- his critics, you would see that one businesses more than $100 mil- some depth to your heretofore Olympia
tered the market. Devices not originally of his platforms is to reform the lion a year. "silly reporting" about your dog
designed as e-readers are being rapidly tax code, making it more fair. (8) The EPA has a strangle- and so forth. If you want to wade
adapted to the e-reader craze. Download- Yes, consumers provide jobs, hold on business with their regu- into the waters of serious journal-
ing books on one's smartph,one is a popu- but if the consumer has no job, lations and burdensome permit ism, I recommend that you spend Taxe s co m e
lar option. Imagine trying t;o read a book they cannot consume, and busi- ting requirements for more than some time researching your
on a cell phone! nesses fold. Tax the rich? Real 200,000 manufacturing facilities, subject; there is a lot to learn. Or from
it is clear millions of readers are in- smart. They are the biggest 37,000 farms and millions of oth- maybe you should stick to the
deed reading books on their phones and consumers. It has been figured er sources such as universities, little stories about you and your Oly pi
their tablets. The New York Times cites that if you took the total income schools, hospitals and American dog and leave your uninformed m a
reports showing there are 40 million e- from all the rich, you might pay homes. Regulations are costly, political views out of your report-
readers and 65 million tablets in use in about a week's interest on the complex, and burdensome and ing. Editor, the Journal
the United States. And, ominously for national debt. How many poor or will harm manufacturer's ability I call foul.
bookstores, The Times says "in the first middle class people do you know to hire, invest and grow. Victoria Pavel After buying a used truck from
quarter of 2012, e-book sales beat print, run a business, providing jobs? This is why companies are Skokomisha friend, I ran wallet first into the
generating $282 million in sales, com- Obama's tax increase will include moving overseas, not because state of Washington. State law
pared with $230 million for print." owners of small businesses, of the 1 percent of rich people (RCW-82.12) allows the Depart-
Even as the old Borders bookstores are The crux ofthe matter is that you perceive as greedy. Thisis Protect San ment ofLicensing to levy tax on
being converted into retail stores selling the United States is toxic for America, land of opportunity - any amount that they wish. In
shirts and socks, Amazon moves rapidly companies, thus we produce very since when has being rich become my case, that was $425 more
into the publishing business. No longer little, employing few: a crime? 2008? So the rich should J U a n s than I had paid. But I did have
content with selling e-books it obtains (1) We have the highest corpo- pay their fair share of taxes. They options.
from publishers and authors, Amazon is rate tax in the industrial world, do. A lower tax rate for a million Editor, the Journal No. 1, I buy from a licensed
now publishing the books it distributes on reducing the ability of our na- dollars brings in tons more taxes Protect the San Juan Islands! dealer. No. 2, I buy from a bank.
its many e-readers -- the Kindle, Kindle tions' businesses to invest and than a higher rate for $30,000. Visiting this magical place is Sounds like special interest groups
DX, Kindle Fire, etc.. Amazon recently create jobs at home. The percentage of people who do what made us decide to move to at work to me. No. 3, I could lie
bought Avalon Books, a venerable pub- (2) The National Labor Rela- not pay any federal income taxes WA. Every inch is beautiful and under oath about the condition of
lishing house that specializes in mystery tions Board (NLRB) makes it rift- at all (because of credits, deduc- unique; from the water to the the vehicle and we know how that
and romance novels, ficult for business owners to focus tions, low income, etc), jumped sky, orcas, eagles, sea otters and would come. And No. 4, I could
This does not bode well for small town on running their business with- from 14.8 percent in 1984 to 49.5 everything in between. These dr- pay the tax and fix it later.
bookstores such as the one Shelton boasts, out wondering what the NLRB percent in 2009. What does that eas deserve special protection to To my shame I did not know
Even the hope that restarting Oprah Win- is going to demand, impose and tell you? preserve the pristine nature as is. whom to contact for help. My
frey's book club would help bookstores -- enforce next. If you want the election to be a state representatives were only
and it may indeed boost hardback sales -- (3) The current complicated personality contest, vote Obama; Lucinda Boudreau names that show up every few
Oprah is also bowing to the digital world. IRS codes make it equivalent of if you want the U.S. to bring busi- Sheltonyears and then just fade away.
The books she now selects for the new a ~ work month for businesses nesses home and provide jobs, Then I realized these were the
version of the Oprah Winfrey book club just to report the taxable income, vote Remney. He understands same people who voted to make
will include e-book versions, complete with this not including calculating and the problem. Thank you thisalaw. Since our tax laws are
Oprah's own e-style margin notes, paying tax or any employment based on sales, the state should
Are we witnessing the end of print on related taxes, state level income, Katie Groves not be allowed to change the col-
paper? The newspaper industry is labor- sales, property tax, etc. Shelton lection when they want to.
ing under such a threat. Still, in the face (4) Entrepreneurs are discour- ffthe people we elect won't
of a climate of change, we have some stur- aged from starting a company Editor, the Journal work to protect the residents/
dy defenders of books in print. Not the because they can't invest enough Columnist In September 19841 was taxpayers/voters, we need new
least of which is that delightful little shop time to learn the complicated elected as Superior Court Judge representatives in Olympia. And
en Shelton's historic Railroad Avenue-- rules; it would take longer to uestioned for the joint judicial district of if this sounds like your prop-
Sage Book Store. comply with the laws in a busi- q Thurston and Mason counties, erty tax in Mason County, we
ness than actually run a busi- The election margin was narrow may need some new hello' there
[] John Komen, who lives on Mason ness. Editor, the Journal enough to require a recount of the as well. Many of our state and
Lake, was for 40 years a reporter and edi- (5) Obama care employer man- Just when I thought it would votes. The Mason County votes county workers know about this
tot, TV anchorman, national TV network date is hurting business; it re- be okay to renew my long-lapsed favored me by a significant mar- law. But none have come forth to
correspondent, producer, columnist, edito- quires companies with 50 or more subscription to the Shelton- gin and determined my victory, speak out. Bad laws need to be
rial writer and commentator. His column, employees to provide health ben- Mason County Journal and long It was my honor and privilege changed. Right is right. There is
Komen Comment, appears each week in efits or face a penalty of $2,000 after I thought Native American to serve as one of Mason County's no ways about it.
the Shelton-Mason County Journal. per employee. A number of major bashing had ceased in our local Superior Court judges from 1984
corporations are considering periodicals, I happened to open to 1988. Tim Shanks
~4~ dropping health care coverage-- the outdoor section of the Journal In 1988, Mason and Thurston Shelton
Shelton-Mason Cqunty the premiums are escalating--in last week. It was lying around counties separated into their own
o rrn
Shelton-Mason County Journal is a member of Karl Sleight, publisher Advertising" Composing room:
usPs 492-800 Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association. Dave Pierik, Sr. Acct. Executive William Adams, graphics
Newsroom: Sharee Miller, ad representative
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Adam Rudnick, editor Maggie Burdick, ad representative Pressroom:
county Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. $37 per year for Mason County addresses, Natalie Johnson, reporter Kelli Alexander, ad representative Kelly Riordan, production manager
Travis Miller, press operator
Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. $51 per year in state of Washington but outside Emily Hanson, sports reporter Front office: Mary Northover, press operator
at 227 west Cota Street, Shelton, Washington Mason County, $61 per year out of state. Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper
Mailing address: P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Margot Brand, circulation
Telephone (360) 426-4412. www.masoncounty.com Owned and published by Cricket Carter, mailroom
Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, Washington Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc ....... supervisor
Page A-4- Shelton-Mason County Journal- Thursday, Aug. 2,2012