Political hopefuls share views

Commission candidates discuss climate, campaigning at picnic

By Diane Huber | The Olympian • Published July 13, 2008

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OLYMPIA – Five Thurston County Commission candidates stated their views on climate change and publicly financed campaigns Sunday at a Town Hall Picnic coordinated by the Thurston County Progressive Network, which promotes education of local issues.

"Clearly, we need to do more to protect our water and our open space," said Jon Halvorson, a former Lacey mayor and community volunteer.

Halvorson is among five candidates for the open District 2 seat of longtime Commissioner Diane Oberquell, who will retire at the end of the year. Also attending were Democrat Sandra Romero, Independent Bill Pilkey and Republican Robin Edmondson. Democrat Lucius Daye did not attend.

About 115 people attended the event, held at the Olympia home of Sherri Goulet and Don Anderson.

Halvorson said the best way to address climate change locally is to plant more trees "and save the ones we have." He said that if elected, he also will work to educate people on small steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprints, and he supports installing solar panels on county buildings.

A carbon footprint is the effect a person's activities have on the environment, measured in the amount of greenhouse gases produced.

Romero, a former state legislator and Olympia City Council member, said one of her priorities is making city government buildings more efficient by upgrading to more efficient products and buying green power, for example.

She said she would encourage county government and agencies to work together as part of a "system approach" to addressing climate issues.

Edmondson said he has a background in the building industry and was supporting green building techniques "before anyone knew what green was all about." He also said planting trees is key to taking carbon from the air and putting it back on the ground.

Public financing

Romero said she supports public financing to give third-party candidates an opportunity to run. Democrats have said that with purely private financing, many people can't raise what supporters call the "entrance fee" to enter the political arena.