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00ournal of Opinion:
Totally spent
Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their
county.
You can play a crucial role in stabilizing the county's
economy in uncertain economic times. It may require a
change in habits, which isn't that hard even if you're not a
monk or a nun who's used to such refashioning.
No one knows for sure how deeply the local economy will dip as
it recovers from such factors as the current housing slump. What
we do know is that Mason County's economy is more insulated
tom harm than it was a quarter century ago. Back then so much
depended on Simpson Timber Company employment that the
jobless rate hit 18 percent when the wood-products industry
suffered a painful restructuring.
Today the area is less dependent on wood products,
and though lots of industrial jobs have disappeared since
the '80s the economy has become more stable due to
diversification, all the retirees who have moved here and
all the government employees who live here.
Yet the county is always susceptible to economic downturns
and annually posts an unemployment rate about a point above the
state's average. Lately the white-hot housing market has cooled
and the news in the last few months is threatening a recession.
This week The'Journal carries a story about a hiring freeze at the
county because of a drop in revenue from the real-estate excise
tax, which the local government had begun to depend on to the
tune of $2 million a year. The belt-tightening includes talk of
burning the fire marshal.
Here's where you come in. You can invest in your
community, boost the economy and ensure adequate
government services by spending money here rather than
outside the county. Local residents spend tens of millions
of dollars "on the outside" each year. Some individuals
spend thousands outside the county, but just $100 per
capita kept here instead of spent elsewhere would pump
$5 million into the local economy.
That would mean jobs for local people, money respent over and
over locally and revenue for the government to do things such
as fix streets, police neighborhoods and develop parks. Consider
how much your local governmentslepend on local spending. The
City of Shelton is collecting about $1.9 million in sales taxes and
around $600,000 in business-and-occupation taxes annually.
That's more than a fourth of the operating budget. The county
receives almost $4 million in sales taxes, more than 10 percent of
its operating budget.
One hundred dollars per capita is simply doing your
family's grocery shopping a couple of times in Mason
County rather than Thurston or Kitsap. It's eating out a
few times here instead of driving to the big city.
Before you use $8 worth of gas and an hour of your time leaving
the county for a piece of hardware, try finding it locally at a place
like Lumbermen's, Toziers' or McLendon's. See what kind of a
bargain you can drive with a local auto dealer before you look
out of town. Toys R Us or a mall store isn't the only place you can
find a plaything for your child or grandchild. Old Town Hobby
is jammed with fun. Sure, Cabelas has stuffed mice in its new
Lacey zoo for dead animals. But it's simpler to find outdoors
merchandise at Verle's. Furniture, appliances, jewelry, tires and
a lot more can be found here.
Barnes & Noble and Borders are the big-box book
monsters, but we haven't been over there in years. When
we want a book, we go to Sage Book Store, and if it's not on
the shelf the clerks have the world at their fingertips on a
computer keyboard. They order the book, and it's here in
three days or so.
We had a 30-year-old paperback Bantam New College French
and English Dictionary that was so beat up the pages were falling
out. We loved it not only for its compactness in travel but for the
idioms and expressions it listed. Fat chance we'll find a new one,
we thought; the company has probably abandoned the concept
altogether since the '70s. We went into Sage and asked. The clerk
got on her computer. Owner Carolyn Olsen heard our request
and walked away. Before the clerk could find the dictionary on
the computer, Carolyn came back to the cashier's desk with the
newest version of the same dictionary.
When you buy here, you not only help your community
and therefore yourself, but you also make merchants
healthy enough to give to worthy local causes.
Don't spend all your money in Olympia or the Kitsap Mall and
then go to the local merchants you've shunned and ask for money
for the school yearbook, new band uniforms or free lunches for
the student self-esteem program. It's not fair. Many of them are
barely staying afloat, remaining in business because it was a
dream of theirs to run their own business in a neat little town. If
you want them around, patronize them. As we've seen so many
times, stores that are labors of love instead of labors for profit
generally aren't long for this world.
Mason County will be a better place, and healthier
economically, if its residents stick together and realize
how important it is not to contribute to a revenue drain.
-CG
iiuiu
ournal
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason
County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
Published weekly by Shelton Publishing 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
| .......
Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $31.00 per year in-county address,
$45.00 per year in state of Washington $55.00 per year out of state
Charles Gay, editor and publisher. Newsroom: Sean Hanlon, managing editor; Steve Patch,
sports editor; Jeff Green, general assignment, city government, schools, Port of Shelton; Rebecca
Wells, society editor, county government; Mary Duncan, police, courts. Advertising: Stephen
Gay, advertising manager; Dave Plerik and Harvey Morris, ad sales. Front office: Julie Orme,
business manager; Kathy Lester, circulation; Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper; Cricket Carter, mailroom
supervisor, Composlnfl room: Diane Riordan, supervisor; Margot Brand, Jan Kallinen, pagination;
Frank Isaac, pagination, photo technician; Koleen Wood, typesetter, computer system manager;
William Adams, ad builder, computer system manager; Clinton Kendall, proofreader. Preuroom: Jon
Hughes, pressman's assistant.
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, December 13, 2007
let 141e Otl..,
So
mn I...
so Vote
I! for
i00eaders" 00ournai:
D6j6 vu on fire marshal post
Editor, The Journal:
I believe the term is "dj vu all
over again."
That's how I felt sitting in the
Mason County Commissioners'
Chambers last Tuesday. I was
there with a number of Mason
County fire chiefs assembled to
express concern about the county
commissioners' decision to cut the
Mason County Fire Marshal posi-
tion to half time.
As I looked around the room,
my mind flashed back to late De-
cember of 1998. I was sitting in the
same room, listening to some of
the same fire chiefs expressing the
same concern and outrage that the
county commissioners were going
to completely cut the fire marshal
position from the 1999 budget.
I listened to the 1999 elected
board of commissioners explain
the difficult process of creating a
functional operating budget dur-
ing tough times. I listened to the
2007 elected board of commission-
ers say the same thing.
Different faces. Same words.
In 1998, and last Tuesday, the
response from the fire chiefs was
also the same. And their message
again was clear. "You took this ac-
tion in secret without consulting
the fire service. Once again, the
fire service was blindsided by the
county commission. Once again,
we have to come before you to edu-
cate you of the importance of the
fire marshal position. Once again,
we have to ask why."
Same faces. Same words.
The Mason County Fire Mar-
shal Program has been a work in
progress since 1983. After years of
thoughtful, patient and collabora-
tive deliberation involving broad
interest groups, the county com-
mission funded the first full-time
fire marshal position in 1992.
The core program has
dramatically since then to
variety of challenges from an
panding industrial,
and residential community.
What an odd time to reduce
resource.
What is most amazing to
the assumption by elected
that the people who provide
emergency response heart
community will just roll over
let a key support resource,
has been years in the
go away.
Same attitude. Same
tion. All over again.
Dave
(Editor's note: The writer,
county's first fire marshal,
that position at the time
moil in 1998.)
Long day not short on food
Editor, The Journal:
Last Tuesday, December 4,
my husband, who works for the
Mason County Public Works
road crew, worked from 7 a.m. to
9:30 p.m. up in the North Shore
area. I would like to express my
appreciation to the residents of
the North Mason County area
for their treatment of the road
crew.
My husband and other road
crew employees received offers
of hot muffins (which were de-
licious), cookies, hot coffee arid
soup. My husband worked a 14-
hour day that day, and I only
sent enough food for his lunch.
I did not realize that the road
crew would be working 12- to
14-hour days and that I
have packed a lunch and
for him.
The North Mason
dents were the ones in need
yet they helped out the road
that was working
the clock for them.
• Vicki
City tough on new business
Editor, The Journal:
Every week I stop by my friends'
new takeout place on First Street
on my way home. Their park-
ing lot is riddled with holes, and
there are city hoses strewn about,
making an already difficult park-
ing situation even worse.
They were initially delayed for
months in their opening because
of the sewer construction and had
to wash all the mud and grime off
the outside of their building that
no one bothered to hose off.
I understand that the construc-
tion is necessary and inevitable.
However, the city has been der-
elict in properly notifying these
small-business owners of the con-
struction schedule and repairing
messes they've made in the pro-
cess. How are local enterprises
supposed to prevail when the city
they pay taxes to conducts busi-
ness without regard to their sur-
vival? This isn't only damaging
their livelihoods, it's undermin-
ing the efforts of our local busi-
ness economy and the chamber of
commerce.
My friends spent precious
start-up money to join in the
chamber's "First Friday" to pro-
mote business and then found
out that First Street was going
to be blocked off and the cham-
ber guests won't even be able to
access their business. They were
told only a day and a half before
the street was shut down. People
can't even drive around back to
park because the city machines
tore up the parking lot weeks ago
and left it.
They went to the to
about getting their t
fixed and got a polite smile
the front-desk attendant who
cited the date and
city commission meeting,
takes place during their
hours. That is ridiculous.
The City of Shelton
show some compassion to
preneurs who are trying to
ulate the downtown
load of gravel and
cation is all it would take. I
that commissioners and
works employees reading
will be encouraged to take a
minutes out of their day to
neighborly hand to the
who fund their employment.
Anna B.V.
Radio valuable in
Editor, The Journak
Mason County and the sur-
rounding area are fortunate to
have a great local radio station in
KMAS 1030 AM.
During our recent storm of
December 1-3, which caused ex-
tensive flooding, road damage
and power outages, I was unable
to reach my home in Hoodsport
due to flooding of Highway 101.
I stayed in my vehicle approxi-
mately 24 hours waiting for the
road to open.
It was reassuring to hear
KMAS give periodic updates
of the condition of local roads.
KMAS stayed on the air even
when normal power was out
the station in Shelton and in
surrounding area.
We all should be thankful
have KMAS to keep us
during emergencies that face
from time to time.
Bob
Don't trust anyone under 30 =
Editor, The Journal:
I appreciate the fact that
Joanne Wolters took the time last
week to respond to my November
29 letter about carding at Wal-
Mart. I respect her opinion, even
though I don't agree.
My 50-plus-year-old husband
was not complimented by being
carded. Instead he felt it was one
more ridiculous example of "the
majority being inconvenienced
because of a few." Another exam-
ple of political correctness going
crazy.
By the way, I checked
Costco yesterday, and they
people who look under 30.
Common sense is alive
Val
Harstine
00ournal of Opinion:
Totally spent
Now is the time for all good citizens to come to the aid of their
county.
You can play a crucial role in stabilizing the county's
economy in uncertain economic times. It may require a
change in habits, which isn't that hard even if you're not a
monk or a nun who's used to such refashioning.
No one knows for sure how deeply the local economy will dip as
it recovers from such factors as the current housing slump. What
we do know is that Mason County's economy is more insulated
tom harm than it was a quarter century ago. Back then so much
depended on Simpson Timber Company employment that the
jobless rate hit 18 percent when the wood-products industry
suffered a painful restructuring.
Today the area is less dependent on wood products,
and though lots of industrial jobs have disappeared since
the '80s the economy has become more stable due to
diversification, all the retirees who have moved here and
all the government employees who live here.
Yet the county is always susceptible to economic downturns
and annually posts an unemployment rate about a point above the
state's average. Lately the white-hot housing market has cooled
and the news in the last few months is threatening a recession.
This week The'Journal carries a story about a hiring freeze at the
county because of a drop in revenue from the real-estate excise
tax, which the local government had begun to depend on to the
tune of $2 million a year. The belt-tightening includes talk of
burning the fire marshal.
Here's where you come in. You can invest in your
community, boost the economy and ensure adequate
government services by spending money here rather than
outside the county. Local residents spend tens of millions
of dollars "on the outside" each year. Some individuals
spend thousands outside the county, but just $100 per
capita kept here instead of spent elsewhere would pump
$5 million into the local economy.
That would mean jobs for local people, money respent over and
over locally and revenue for the government to do things such
as fix streets, police neighborhoods and develop parks. Consider
how much your local governmentslepend on local spending. The
City of Shelton is collecting about $1.9 million in sales taxes and
around $600,000 in business-and-occupation taxes annually.
That's more than a fourth of the operating budget. The county
receives almost $4 million in sales taxes, more than 10 percent of
its operating budget.
One hundred dollars per capita is simply doing your
family's grocery shopping a couple of times in Mason
County rather than Thurston or Kitsap. It's eating out a
few times here instead of driving to the big city.
Before you use $8 worth of gas and an hour of your time leaving
the county for a piece of hardware, try finding it locally at a place
like Lumbermen's, Toziers' or McLendon's. See what kind of a
bargain you can drive with a local auto dealer before you look
out of town. Toys R Us or a mall store isn't the only place you can
find a plaything for your child or grandchild. Old Town Hobby
is jammed with fun. Sure, Cabelas has stuffed mice in its new
Lacey zoo for dead animals. But it's simpler to find outdoors
merchandise at Verle's. Furniture, appliances, jewelry, tires and
a lot more can be found here.
Barnes & Noble and Borders are the big-box book
monsters, but we haven't been over there in years. When
we want a book, we go to Sage Book Store, and if it's not on
the shelf the clerks have the world at their fingertips on a
computer keyboard. They order the book, and it's here in
three days or so.
We had a 30-year-old paperback Bantam New College French
and English Dictionary that was so beat up the pages were falling
out. We loved it not only for its compactness in travel but for the
idioms and expressions it listed. Fat chance we'll find a new one,
we thought; the company has probably abandoned the concept
altogether since the '70s. We went into Sage and asked. The clerk
got on her computer. Owner Carolyn Olsen heard our request
and walked away. Before the clerk could find the dictionary on
the computer, Carolyn came back to the cashier's desk with the
newest version of the same dictionary.
When you buy here, you not only help your community
and therefore yourself, but you also make merchants
healthy enough to give to worthy local causes.
Don't spend all your money in Olympia or the Kitsap Mall and
then go to the local merchants you've shunned and ask for money
for the school yearbook, new band uniforms or free lunches for
the student self-esteem program. It's not fair. Many of them are
barely staying afloat, remaining in business because it was a
dream of theirs to run their own business in a neat little town. If
you want them around, patronize them. As we've seen so many
times, stores that are labors of love instead of labors for profit
generally aren't long for this world.
Mason County will be a better place, and healthier
economically, if its residents stick together and realize
how important it is not to contribute to a revenue drain.
-CG
iiuiu
ournal
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason
County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
Published weekly by Shelton Publishing 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
| .......
Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $31.00 per year in-county address,
$45.00 per year in state of Washington $55.00 per year out of state
Charles Gay, editor and publisher. Newsroom: Sean Hanlon, managing editor; Steve Patch,
sports editor; Jeff Green, general assignment, city government, schools, Port of Shelton; Rebecca
Wells, society editor, county government; Mary Duncan, police, courts. Advertising: Stephen
Gay, advertising manager; Dave Plerik and Harvey Morris, ad sales. Front office: Julie Orme,
business manager; Kathy Lester, circulation; Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper; Cricket Carter, mailroom
supervisor, Composlnfl room: Diane Riordan, supervisor; Margot Brand, Jan Kallinen, pagination;
Frank Isaac, pagination, photo technician; Koleen Wood, typesetter, computer system manager;
William Adams, ad builder, computer system manager; Clinton Kendall, proofreader. Preuroom: Jon
Hughes, pressman's assistant.
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, December 13, 2007
let 141e Otl..,
So
mn I...
so Vote
I! for
i00eaders" 00ournai:
D6j6 vu on fire marshal post
Editor, The Journal:
I believe the term is "dj vu all
over again."
That's how I felt sitting in the
Mason County Commissioners'
Chambers last Tuesday. I was
there with a number of Mason
County fire chiefs assembled to
express concern about the county
commissioners' decision to cut the
Mason County Fire Marshal posi-
tion to half time.
As I looked around the room,
my mind flashed back to late De-
cember of 1998. I was sitting in the
same room, listening to some of
the same fire chiefs expressing the
same concern and outrage that the
county commissioners were going
to completely cut the fire marshal
position from the 1999 budget.
I listened to the 1999 elected
board of commissioners explain
the difficult process of creating a
functional operating budget dur-
ing tough times. I listened to the
2007 elected board of commission-
ers say the same thing.
Different faces. Same words.
In 1998, and last Tuesday, the
response from the fire chiefs was
also the same. And their message
again was clear. "You took this ac-
tion in secret without consulting
the fire service. Once again, the
fire service was blindsided by the
county commission. Once again,
we have to come before you to edu-
cate you of the importance of the
fire marshal position. Once again,
we have to ask why."
Same faces. Same words.
The Mason County Fire Mar-
shal Program has been a work in
progress since 1983. After years of
thoughtful, patient and collabora-
tive deliberation involving broad
interest groups, the county com-
mission funded the first full-time
fire marshal position in 1992.
The core program has
dramatically since then to
variety of challenges from an
panding industrial,
and residential community.
What an odd time to reduce
resource.
What is most amazing to
the assumption by elected
that the people who provide
emergency response heart
community will just roll over
let a key support resource,
has been years in the
go away.
Same attitude. Same
tion. All over again.
Dave
(Editor's note: The writer,
county's first fire marshal,
that position at the time
moil in 1998.)
Long day not short on food
Editor, The Journal:
Last Tuesday, December 4,
my husband, who works for the
Mason County Public Works
road crew, worked from 7 a.m. to
9:30 p.m. up in the North Shore
area. I would like to express my
appreciation to the residents of
the North Mason County area
for their treatment of the road
crew.
My husband and other road
crew employees received offers
of hot muffins (which were de-
licious), cookies, hot coffee arid
soup. My husband worked a 14-
hour day that day, and I only
sent enough food for his lunch.
I did not realize that the road
crew would be working 12- to
14-hour days and that I
have packed a lunch and
for him.
The North Mason
dents were the ones in need
yet they helped out the road
that was working
the clock for them.
• Vicki
City tough on new business
Editor, The Journal:
Every week I stop by my friends'
new takeout place on First Street
on my way home. Their park-
ing lot is riddled with holes, and
there are city hoses strewn about,
making an already difficult park-
ing situation even worse.
They were initially delayed for
months in their opening because
of the sewer construction and had
to wash all the mud and grime off
the outside of their building that
no one bothered to hose off.
I understand that the construc-
tion is necessary and inevitable.
However, the city has been der-
elict in properly notifying these
small-business owners of the con-
struction schedule and repairing
messes they've made in the pro-
cess. How are local enterprises
supposed to prevail when the city
they pay taxes to conducts busi-
ness without regard to their sur-
vival? This isn't only damaging
their livelihoods, it's undermin-
ing the efforts of our local busi-
ness economy and the chamber of
commerce.
My friends spent precious
start-up money to join in the
chamber's "First Friday" to pro-
mote business and then found
out that First Street was going
to be blocked off and the cham-
ber guests won't even be able to
access their business. They were
told only a day and a half before
the street was shut down. People
can't even drive around back to
park because the city machines
tore up the parking lot weeks ago
and left it.
They went to the to
about getting their t
fixed and got a polite smile
the front-desk attendant who
cited the date and
city commission meeting,
takes place during their
hours. That is ridiculous.
The City of Shelton
show some compassion to
preneurs who are trying to
ulate the downtown
load of gravel and
cation is all it would take. I
that commissioners and
works employees reading
will be encouraged to take a
minutes out of their day to
neighborly hand to the
who fund their employment.
Anna B.V.
Radio valuable in
Editor, The Journak
Mason County and the sur-
rounding area are fortunate to
have a great local radio station in
KMAS 1030 AM.
During our recent storm of
December 1-3, which caused ex-
tensive flooding, road damage
and power outages, I was unable
to reach my home in Hoodsport
due to flooding of Highway 101.
I stayed in my vehicle approxi-
mately 24 hours waiting for the
road to open.
It was reassuring to hear
KMAS give periodic updates
of the condition of local roads.
KMAS stayed on the air even
when normal power was out
the station in Shelton and in
surrounding area.
We all should be thankful
have KMAS to keep us
during emergencies that face
from time to time.
Bob
Don't trust anyone under 30 =
Editor, The Journal:
I appreciate the fact that
Joanne Wolters took the time last
week to respond to my November
29 letter about carding at Wal-
Mart. I respect her opinion, even
though I don't agree.
My 50-plus-year-old husband
was not complimented by being
carded. Instead he felt it was one
more ridiculous example of "the
majority being inconvenienced
because of a few." Another exam-
ple of political correctness going
crazy.
By the way, I checked
Costco yesterday, and they
people who look under 30.
Common sense is alive
Val
Harstine