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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
December 1, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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December 1, 2011
 
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I i I i I WORDONTHESTREET ]OURNALEDITORIAL The Legislature reconvened For 65 years now, the Jour- this week for a special session nal and the 40 et 8 veterans that is sure to slash social set- organization have teamed up vices across the board, to make the Christmas season So, it is in the midst of the brighter for our friends and worst economy that anyone neighbors who need a little can remember, right between help. The goal for this year's Thanksgiving and Christmas, Christmas fund is $40,000. Last that our elected representatives week, we passed the $7,000 are huddling in Olympia to make mark and there is clearly a long "tough" decisions. Those deci- way to go to meet our goal. sions, of course, are the result of We're calling on those that years of neglect and malfeasance, are in a position to do so this And, make no mistake, there is holiday season to give of their plenty of blame to go around on time, talent and treasure. A all sides of the political spectrum, donation, of any size, to our It is at times like this that Christmas basket fund is very many of us get easily frus- much appreciated and helps trated and disillusioned. We make a real difference in the feel like there really is nothing lives of our neighbors in need. we can do to make things bet- Donations to support the ter other than to throw up our Christmas food baskets may hands and turn away. be mailed to the Journal at But that, of course, isn't the P.O. Box 430, Shelton 98584 or case. There is plenty, on an dropped offat the newspaper individual level, that each and office located at 227 West Cota every one of us can do to make Street during business hours. this world a better place -- es- Make checks payable to: Jour- pecially during the holidays, nal -- 40 et 8 fund. What's your biggest concern legislative session? about Bob Cheri Doug Molesworth Phillips Inman "['hat they get "That they "[ think it's stu- something done won't get any- pid. They should for once." thing done." have taken care of it the first time." That down hess In the Nov. 24 edition of the of Christopher W, Penoyar. DO. Shelton-Mason County Journal'sTimothy Weber. MD and CPA Mi- reader's choice edition the names chael Wittenberg were misspelled. Todd's Shoe Repair spelled. We regret the errors. LETTERSTOTHEEDITORTM The ich overs, the state legislature r started a special session Nov. 28 to balance the bud- pay all the get to deal with a $1.4 bil- lion deficit. Here's hoping the lawmakers do not leave seniors and older disabled adults with the leftovers Editor, the Journal and once again let Wall Street banks walk away The two "occupy" let- with a $76 million platter ters this week indirectly of tax exemptions. A "cuts motivated me to be sure only" budget is no longer the writers are aware of feasible. Legislators need contain facts. Katherine to come together - hurdle and Dennis' letters seem to the two-thirds majority reply they are not. or don't vote and add revenue. want to be. You can nickel and dime Katherine and Dennis state agencies but that will should keep in mind that no longer add up to finding "the wealthy pay most of $1 billion in savings. our taxes and the economy Here's an example that grows when the govern- will cost taxpayers in the merit butts out." long run: To cut $35 mil- From the N.Y. Times. lion means 5,800 seniors or "The Bush tax cuts pro- people with disabilities will voked increased economic lose services. More than activity, which in turn 3,000 of these folks, with brought increased tax re've- a little bit of help from the nue, which in turn lowered state, are willing to remain the deficit." independent and in their The identical thing hap- home avoiding expensive pened when John F. Ken- out-of-home care or nurs- nedy's tax cuts reduced tax ing homes. If they do not rates from 90 percent to 70 get these services many percent, according to the are eligible and entitled Heritage Foundation and to costly care that leads to tax revenues climbed from two or three times more $94 billion in 1961 to $153 than taxpayers are cur- billion in 1968, an increase rently paying. of 62 percent. Then, thanks Get involved and de- to the Regan tax cuts in mand equity from legisla- the 1980's revenue doubled tors this special session, t~'om $500 billion in 1980 to or the vulnerable and dis- $1 trillion in 1990. abled will be the leftover Friday's News Tribune turkey. (Tacoma) says "Occupy Wall Street protesters Karen Lee clogged streets and tied up Grapeview traffic around the U.S. on Thursday. More than 200 people were arrested." How Let the 37-year career with Our Community Credit Union much did that cost taxpay- (Simpson Employees' Cred- ors? citizens it Union when she began in 1974) will come to an end. Jerry Horstman Over that period of time Sheltonh a ve a Cheryl exemplified one of the most caring, unselfish Cuts-only voice approaches to her job that I witnessed ... I worked with Editor, the Journal her for 35 of those years. Starting as a teller and The Shelton Hills devel-ultimately working up b U d g et opment proposal sits mired to VP of Lending, Cheryl in litigation brought by the was in the perfect posi- Port of Shelton. Supporters tion to understand what, makes us ofthe project are dismissed the credit union and her out of hand, not because job could do to help others their position lacks sound and make a meaningful all turkeys economic foundation but difference in their lives because a couple of port... and boy did she take Editor, the Journal commissioners lack the advantage of those oppor- ability to adapt to a chang- tunities. As many folks finish ing world. I remember one night eating Thanksgiving left- Such stubbornness is when she came back to not new; these same lead- ers have been directing our economy for decades, with little improvement to show for it. If Mason County wants its tomorrow to look very much like today then we are on the right track. But if we want a more' sta- ble future, one with jobs. growth and opportunity, weshould need to look outside those who have led us to this point. Sadly, the losers in this game are the citizens. Be- the office at nine to help a cause also mired in legal mother and her two young action are new streams of children who were trying revenue from commercial to get to SW Oregon to enterprise that accompa-visit husband/dad who was rues residential growth,working construction. They The coming year will had taken the train from likely bring greater chal- Olympia to Eugene and lenges, including more cut- then were co ge~ a rental backs and fewer services, car for the rest of the trip. Officials who view such The rental car desk had measures as inevitable fail an inexperienced employee to see a community that i~ and things weren't work- ripe with economic oppor- ing ... Cheryl got a call at tunity, home and went into her In the end, the Port re-office and the mother and sists precisely what it so children were soon on their desperately needs: new ap- way. preaches to old problems. Well, I know many in ed- But that will only occur if ucation, public safety, med- citizens are allowed a seat icine, senior services and at the table, other service fields do a lot to help others too ... but I Tom Davis just wanted to tip my hat to Shelton Cheryl and remind many of you in our community that She helped angel of caring will be retiring soon and you ought to give her a word of thanks thousands when you see her. Joe Robertson Editor, the Journal Retired President/CEO At the conclusion of this OCCU year, Cheryl Stewart's Lake Limerick It wasn't a false alarm Editor, the Journal While rejection of Fire District 5's two year $4.4 million maintenance and op- erations levy may seem like a "prudent rejection that reinforces," Mr. McKibbin's "confidence in our ballot sys- tem," it reinforces in me real concern of how broken our system is. We all (including District 5 administration) realize how tough the eco- nomic times are, so I take issue with Mr. McKibbin's insinuation that the district is "out of step." I feel the district knew that the levy proposed would be a tough sell and did not enter into that decision lightly and without a long process of review and planning. How- ever, I also feel the district recognized it is at a point where immediate replace- meat needs are necessary, combined with a plan for future needs. Fire service is a 24-hour, 365-day service and requires reliable equip- ment and manpower. After considering the high main- tenance and repair costs and especially the reliability and safety of the aging fleet of engines, tenders and com- mand vehicles versus new gling business in economy should: lookffd as a bad t me Mr. tries to put the bad !ight by is a false alarm newI real needs I take all the district presiented at the public meetings, . oir ts i: and repair, fuel reliability and se standardization I feel the district hard to put good together needs and costs but due equipment with warrantees lack of public for the majority of the most in the frequently used apparatus, one f think was the district felt replacement public to just was the best option. This, I feel, will : I feel the district tried the district in to keep the public involved of ~aking some in the planning process by c~smns having numerous public tinue operations forums before deciding to equipment that put it on the ballot and held to replace. numerous meetings after I [believe is was placed on the ballot, minlstration is Even with the newspaper striying to best b and radio notices, these critilcal needs of meetings had little or no munity attendance. I don't have providing profess the answer why, but I see reliable service. it time and time again - mee~ public important issues but little while public interest - I think higher costs and that bothers me more than is a the levy failing. I have What also bothers me Ma~on 5 for 18 I • • is someone distorting thefeel ithe d]str~ct truth as Mr. McKibbin has and will when he stated one of the witlI what it has districts selling points was witl). But the pu in its handouts "it could get also be informed a better bargain because understand that equipment suppliers were 5 is going to be a hurting." While probably tint~e the service true, it was not in a district de~ands and handout but rather brought up by a citizen at one of placement will b, I the early public forums, the equatmn. Even so, being able to save the taxpayers money, Nick while also helping a strug- Har~ Shelton-Mason County ' I[ ..... Shelton-Mason County Journal is a member of usPs 492-800 Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason SUBSCRIPTION RATES: County Journal, RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. $37 per year for Mason County addresses, Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. $51 per year in state of Washington but outside at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington Mason County, $61 per year out of state. Mailing address: RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Telephone (360) 426-4412 * www.masoncounty.com Owned and published by Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, Washington Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc Kari Sleight, publisherAdvertising: Jesse Mullen, general mgr. Dave Pierik, advertising manager Harvey Morris, ad representatwe Newsroom: Kevan Moore, managing editor Front office: Aria Shephard, North Mason, Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper environment, reporter Margot Brand, circulation Natalie Johnson, reporter Cricket Carter, mailroom Emily Hanson, sports re~orter supervisor Adam Rudnick, copy editor Page A-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, December 1,2011 Composing room: William Adams, grap Koleen Wood, classil Becky Corr, typing Pressl 'oom: Kelly iordan, produ( Travis Vliller press ler