October 27, 2016 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 6 (5 of 40 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
October 27, 2016 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
Page A-6 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016
GUEST COLUMN
It's D-Day for American voters.
With Hillary Clinton and Donald
Trump carrying unusually low
approval ratings and having a deep
antipathy for one another, no
matter which one ultimately
is elected, the nation will be
bitterly polarized.
Hopefully, each has a plan
to bring us back together af-
ter Nov: 8.
America thrives on a
peaceful transfer of power. It
is one of the important tradi-
tions which has been handed By DON
down since John Adams suc- BRONELL
ceeded George Washington
on March 4, 1797.
For guidance, Clinton and Trnmp
ought to look to Gerald Ford.
First, Ford acknowledged the loss
and his concession statement was
gracious and reassuring. He urged
all Americans to leave the rancorous
campaign behind and unite with Pres-
ident-elect Carter. He pledged and
gave his full support to Carter.
Ford was our first President to as-
sume the office without having run for
president or vice president. Late in
1973 when Spiro Agnew resigned as
vice president, Nixon surprised every-
one by appointing Ford. Then, on Aug.
9, 1974, when Nixon became the first
president to resign under the threat of
impeachment, Gerald R. Ford
took the oath of office as 38th
president.
Ford faced some unusually
difficult decisions during his
30 months as president.
One month after taking
office, Ford granted Nixon a
full, free and absolute par-
don. It outraged many Ameri-
cans, but Ford believed it was
a necessary first step toward
healing a divided nation.
Politically, the pardon was very
costly. Ford's approval rating quickly
fell from 70 percent to below 40 per-
cent, but over the years, Ford was
vindicated.
In 2001, the John F. Kennedy Li-
brary Foundation awarded him with
the John F. Kennedy Profile in Cour-
age Award. In presenting the award,
Sen. Ted Kennedy, who vociferously
opposed the pardon, stated that his-
tory proved Ford made the correct de-
cision for this country.
Internationally, in March 1975,
during the final days of the Viet- York City voted heavily for Carter,
nam War, Ford ordered the airlift of Ford barely lost the state overall.
237,000 Vietnamese refugees to the Gerald Ford was a devoted and
United States. It was an unpopular gracious public servant, who put his
decision but he deeply believed that country first. He served in the House
people who Supported the United of Representatives from 1949 to 1973.
States should be saved. He was re-elected 12 times, winning
At home, families and businesses each time with more than 60 percent
faced interest rates, inflation and anem- of the vote.
ployment climbing toward double-digits. Ford served most of his legisla-
The economy was dropping quickly,tive career in the minority -- eight
Ford believed America needed to put its of which were as minority leader.
finances in order and stem borrowing. He could passionately disagree with
But New York City leaders were presidents, Democrats and even fellow
looking for a massive federal bailout Republicans, yet limited his criticism
of the public pension system. Ford to points in dispute without personal-
believed the rescue would be a fatal izing differences.
trend for our country although he kept On Inauguration Day, President
the discussions going. Ultimately, Carter began his speech: "For myself
Ford agreed to extend federal loans to and for our nation, I want to thank my
the city, preventing bankruptcy, predecessor for all he has done to heal
The political damage to Ford in our land."
New York City was deep and vitriolic. A grateful people concurred.
It sparked the infamous New York
Daily News headline "Ford to City: • Don C. Brunell is a business analyst,
Drop Dead." writer and columnist. He retired as
If Ford would have acquiesced president of the Association of Wash-
to the bailout, he likely would have ington Business, the state's oldest and
defeated Carter. The state's 41 elec- largest business organization, and now
teral votes would have been enough to lives in Vancouver. He can be contact-
swing the election. Even though New ed at theBrunells@msn.com.
LE'n'ERS cont. from page A-5
Don't forget:
Prop. 1 is
Editor, the Journal
What happens if citizens
vote for Prop. 1, which forms
a new Metropolitan park Dis-
trict (MPD), and then realize
we don't like it?
That would be a problem.
The MPD is a new govern-
ment, and governments don't
go away just because citizens
wish they would.
RCW 35.61.310 lays out the
rules for dissolving a Metro-
politan Park District. Here's
what it says:
• Only a vote of the MPD
commissioners can dissolve
the MPD.
• Citizens can hold a vote,
but it is only an advisory
vote. That means no matter
how many citizens vote "yes,
please shut down the MPD"
they can't actually shut down
the MPD. All that happens is
that the election results are
sent to the park commission-
ers as a "petition" to please
shut the MPD down. If the
park commissioners say "no,"
the MPD remains in opera-
tion. End of story.
• It's the same for the
county commissioners. They
can petition for dissolution,
but the MPD board always
has the final say.
How likely do you think it
is that the MPD board will
ever vote to dissolve its own
power/money base?
This is one reason why in
recent years, more and more
proposals similar to Prop. 1
have been rejected by the voters.
Here's a list of recent "no" votes:
• University Park Place (in
Pierce County) - Defeated in
April 2016
• Ferndale Metro Park
District - Defeated in 2015
• Kirkland Recreation Dis-
trict - Defeated in 2015
• Skamania County Metro
vice for employees; regulate,
manage and control; improve,
acquire, extend and maintain
parks, parkways, avenues and
playgrounds, within and with-
out the park district.
They also can sell, ex-
change or otherwise dispose of
surplus property; annex terri-
tory; and take homes and land
through eminent domain.
MPDs can also form Local
Improvement Districts, which
have the power to permit im-
provements to be financed and
paid for over a period of time
through assessments on the
benefiting properties.
Ask yourself this one ques-
tion. Do we really need anoth-
er government taxing agency?
I would encourage everyone
to look up Washington state
code RCW 35.61 and study it
carefully.
Thomas Nevers
Grapeview
Park District- Defeated in Do we really commissioners are under no
2014 obligation whatsoever to fol- Neatherlin
• Bonney Lake Metro Park need another low any advice from an over-
District - Defeated in 2013 sight committee.
They voted "no" but that a. : __ -...'1 Proponents of Prop. 1 also represents
US
didn't mean the end of parks.Lax|n9 a9ency~ want you to believe the 20
All these jurisdictions continue cent per thousand tax as- on commission
to have parks and recreational Editor, the Journal sessment will remain. If you
programs for their citizens. Proponents of Prop. 1 believe that, you do not know Editor, the Journal
Voters simply said "no" to would like the people of Ma-how government taxing enti- Randy Neatherlin is the
creating a Metro Park District son County to believe there ties function. The rate will be real deal. He stands up for us.
with power to assess taxes (up would be equal representation increased to the 75 cent taxAs our county commission-
to $150 per year for a house for everyone if Prop. 1 is ap- rate very quickly. As a tax-er, he gives his all. He doesn't
assessed at $200,000), to incur proved. The truth is, there is payer, you will not have anycare what people think of him
debt and to condemn private no guarantee that this wouldvoice or control over the rate or what their politics are; he
property to advance its single- be the case. being increased. Remember, will help you if you need help.
focus agenda. Since they failed to create these taxes would not expire, He has proven through his
The Journal has done a districts representing all ar- ever. actions that we can count on
good job of informing voters eas of the county, it could eas- No compensation for the fivehim to protect the interests of
about Prop. 1. That's impor- ily happen that all five com- elected members? Far from it. all of us, not just a select few.
tant because the county did missioners could be from oneRCW 35.61 clearly allows forOn the other hand, his oppo-
not. There isn't even any Prop. small area. Worse, since three each board member to receivenent has shown she would be a
1 info in the voters' pamphlet, members represent a major- up to $10,944 per year. Who proxy commissioner who would
If you'd like to learn more, ity, it is entirely possible that are they going to hire? Whatdo the bidding of special inter-
please visit my blog at www. the majority board members will these people be paid? ests and her friends at the ex-
masoncountyfocus.com, could be from one family or The functions and pow- pense of the people she serves.
And please vote "no" on one special interest group, ers of a Metropolitan Park That's why we're voting
Prop. 1. It's more than a parks They also make it sound District are numerous. MPDs for Randy Neatherlin for re-
levy. It's a new government, as if the citizen oversight have the power to purchase, election and ask you to vote
And it really is forever, committee would control the acquire and condemn lands, for him as well.
actions of the five board mem- issue and sell warrants, short-
Barb Parsloe bers. Metropolitan Park Dis- term obligations, or general Don Cady
Shelton tricts make no provision for obligation bonds; issue rev- Belfair
oversight committees. MPD enue bonds; establish civil ser-